Customer Reviews

Nightseer

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

After reading all 8 of Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series and "A Kiss of Shadows" I honestly thought I knew what to expect from Hamilton as a writer. When her debut novel was recently re-released I naturally picked it up, expecting to find the 'prototype' of the Blake series. I was more than a little surprised to find that "Nightseer" was in another genre entirely and that Laurell Hamilton is capable of excellent traditional fantasy. One can see hints of Anita in Keleios Nightseer, but for the most part it is as if we had stepped into an entirely different world.

Noble half elf Keleios is endowed with three magical powers. Originally she was a master enchanter and a skilled prophet. Suddenly she demonstrated powers as a sorcerer, and has had to relinquish her master rank and return to the school at Zeln's Keep to learn to control her new power. When Keleios was a child her mother was destroyed by the black witch Harque. In Keleios' quest for revenge she has walked the pit of Hell, and bears the mark of demonic corruption. Although she is not comfortable with the taint, she is able to control both black and white disciplines. In addition, she is also expert with weapons, particularly those bespelled or enchanted.

Entering a state of prophecy in the dreaming rooms at Zeln's Keep, Keleios has a horrible vision, the Keep under attack and destroyed, many of the residents enslaved or killed. She barely has time so make her warnings before the attack is under way. The Keep betrayed by one of Harque's own students. Against demonic forces Keleios is only able to assemble a small group of survivors. Lothor the dark healer, whose price is betrothal, Tobin, companion mage and close friend, Master Eroar, a true dragon and Poth, the cat. This team is betrayed into the hands of Harque and must struggle to free themselves from the witch and her minions.

This is pretty strong stuff. Hamilton, especially in her earlier novels is capable of managing a tremendous amount of plot complexity and action. The only time for relaxation here comes right after the words 'the end.' Hamilton also builds her characters very naturally. Unlike the Blake series, "Nightseer" is written in the third person, but Hamilton provides plenty of insight into Keleios, and makes masterful use of dialogue to flesh out the rest of the characters. This is a very skilled performance for a debut novel. Somewhat reminiscent of Barbara Hambly's work.

My only complaint is that "Nightseer" feels like the middle volume of a trilogy. There is clearly a great deal of story that preceded it, and too many threads are left incomplete at the end. One can only hope that someday Laurell Hamilton will be motivated to return to Keleios' world and tell the rest of the story.

"Nightseer" is Laurell K. Hamilton's first published novel, and it is, for the most part, well written and highly entertaining. This book is action-packed and filled with interesting characters who live in an intriguing fantasy world.
"Nightseer" is a little slow at the beginning, and it takes a while to become familiar with the alternate reality Hamilton has created, but once the story gets going it moves at a lightning fast pace.
The story revolves around noble half-elf Keleios Nightseer, skilled prophet and master enchanter. Upon reaching adulthood, Keleois found herself gifted with the power of sorcery, and so she was forced to relinquish her master status and return to the magic school at Zeln's Keep to learn to control her new power.
Entering a state of prophecy, Keleios has a terrible vision - the Keep under attack and on fire and the students and masters taken prisoner or killed. Keleios barely has time to warn the residents before the attack is under way, the Keep betrayed by Keleios' roommate Fidelis, a student of Harque, the evil witch who killed her mother years ago. Keleios manages to assemble a small group of survivors, consisting of herself, Tobin, a young prince, Lothor, a dark healer who agrees to help Keleios only if she agrees to be his consort, Master Eroar, a shape-shifting dragon, and Poth, a cat with powers of sorcery. These five must fight against the demonic forces threatening to destroy them. Keleios, who once walked the pit of Hell in a quest of revenge for her mother, bears the mark of demonic corruption, which gives her a certain power over demons.
Keleios and the rest of her team are betrayed by a ruthless High Councilman, and delivered into the hands of Harque. Now Keleios and her friends must struggle to free themselves from the evil witch and her demonic minions. And Keleios seeks to have her revenge on her mothers' murderer.
"Nightseer" is full of non-stop action and thrilling suspense. Hamilton has created yet another fascinating world that her readers can immerse themselves in. Though there are some flaws in the plot, it is on the whole a very impressive first effort. I do wish there were not so many loose ends left dangling when the book came to a close, but this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. "Nightseer" is a fun-filled romp through a wild and wonderful world of dragons, sorcerers, witches and demons, and it is most certainly worth reading!

I originally chose this book to quench my overwhelming thirst for more Anita Blake novels while I immpatiently await the next one, but I soon fell in love with the characters and story. I love Keleios and her world. The action was non-stop. The sexual tension between Keleios and Lothor reminded me of that between Anita and Jean-Claude in the earlier Anita novels. I would love to see a sequel to this book. I know that more adventure is waiting for Keleios. The novel ends without all the loose ends being tied up. I would be one of the first in line (on-line) to snatch up a sequel to this one. Are you listening Laurell?

Since I've already read Ms. Hamilton's work, I was expecting something a little different. The storyline is great - exactly my speed. But the story unfolds as if there was a prequel, and I haven't been able to find one. The magic and demons are quite interesting, the characters are nicely developed. But again there is the exception because of the feeling that you've missed the first book that sets-up the premise of this magical world. Customs are mentioned, but never fully fleshed out nor explained. The history of characters is also "mentioned", and used to progress the storyline, but without enough detail. Even with this criticsm though, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am really hoping that Ms. Hamilton will discover another adventure of Keleios and Lothor to share with her fans.

LKH's first novel is arguably better than some of her later books. Unlike the Anita Blake and Meredith Gentry series, Nightseer is set in a "high fantasy" world of magic. Keleios is studying at a magic-wielder's university (no, it's nothing like Hogwarts) where she has to deal with her black-magic practitioner roommate, unwanted proposals, her own dark magical ability, and the terrible prophesy that she just dreamed...

Unfortunately this book was never picked up for a series, although the author left plenty of possible character development/loose ends (presumeably for that reason) so it leaves you wanting more. Overall, a very satifying read.

I read this book when it was first published and liked it a lot. I have now re-read it at least five times, which is the best thing I can say about a book, actually. My only criticism is that certain figures and items appear and disappear far too quickly, causing some disorientation on the reader's part as you try to figure out what became of all the different magical artifacts and characters that whirl in and out of the plot lines. However this is more likely to bug on the second reading. The action is nonstop and the characters are so engaging that you have to find out what happens to them in one sitting, at least I did. Keleios is one of the greatest fantasy heroines, a fighter/magic-user who has been through a lot, none of it her fault,and a little confused about her alignment, but still sensitive to helping others. Readers of the Anita Blake books will like this one too, even though there aren't any vampires in it. By the way, it would be great to see a sequel! to Nightseer. The ending isn't a cliffhanger, but not all of Keleios' problems have been resolved.

No, unfortunately Ms. Hamilton said she will not be writing a sequel, although she proposed one after writing "Nightseer" and it was refused. Now she says working on two series is enough for her.

Nightseer is a wonderfully fantastical book, her take on elves and the land of fantasy is similar to the ever-popular "Kiss of Shadows," but the plot is quite original and action-packed. Extremely. This book moves very quickly, and a good portion of it is filled up by action scene after action scene, sprinkled with bits of magic, sorcery, and demons.

Personally, I'm fond of the characters overall, although I wish there were fewer battles and more interaction between the characters. Lothar is my favorite guy... reminds me a bit of Frost from "Kiss of Shadows," and there are other similarities as well. If you enjoyed that book, I think you'll find this one equally exciting, only more battle scenes.

Nightseer was clearly Laurell K. Hamilton's first book. Though there are elements of the style she would develop over the years, the book isn't well paced or narrated. Far too much is simply told to the reader, with no way to see the tale unfold; this is especially true of the backstory. The book reads like the second in a series. This is a style that Hamilton develops with later books, notably A Kiss of Shadows. But where she succeeds with Kiss, allowing Merry Gentry's past to unfold slowly through memories, flashbacks, and character-voiced tales, in Nightseer too many events are simply mentioned quickly, with little or no way to guage their importance to the plot, or characterizations. Exactly what is 'The Pit'? How did Harque manage to get Keleios into the pit? Was it the domain of the black Witch alone? We know that somehow, in the pit, Keleios aquired her Demonmark, but not how, or why.

Hamilton's central moral dilemma was already present in this early novel, that of the taint evil leaves on anyone who deals in it, even if it is simply in battle. As Anita Blake would later say, 'When you hunt the monsters, you eventually become one'.

Another convention that Hamilton uses brilliantly in the Anita Blake series that was present, to a lesser degree here, is the attraction/revulsion relationship between the protagonist and the romantic opposit. This is the part of Nightseer that works the best. But it fails in some ways because though the reader is told Lothor is evil, his character, though at times lacking in scruples, also behaves nobly and honorably. In order to believe in Lothor's inherent evilness, the reader needs to see the character behaving in an evil manner.

The ending, though clearly a set-up for a yet unwritten sequel, leaves the reader desperately wanting. Too many loose ends were left simply forgotten. Much time is spent in developing early relationships between Keleios and other characters, who are ultimately left hanging in quite desperate situations. Though leaving antagonists free to harrass the hero again, or foreshadowing new crisis to come are effective ways to set up a second book, these other plot devices should not have been left dangling.

Yet for Hamilton fans, it is ultimately a very interesting read. Her ability to create believable, exciting worlds, though in it's infancy here, was already notable in Nightseer. The reader is left wanting another book, not only to tie up loose plot ends, but to delve more into the World of Nightseer knowing so much was left untold.

It is also intriguing reading an early effort by someone who was to become a very dynamic, exciting author.

What do I say ? Hamilton's Keleios characther is every bit as savvy,tough and powerful as Anita Blake(Vampire Hunter) if not more so. I must say I didn't know what to expect going into this book so many serial authors with great characthers start new ones that are copies of thier old ones or just plain bad all together. I'm pleased to say this is not the case with the Nightseer. Hamilton has got a new lady on the block and like Anita in her world she's "All That" and more. But the best part of this book is the Fantasy land itself. Hamilton has made a world where Good and Evil Sorcerers,Seers,Enchanters and plain old human Warriors can go the same school and be friends?? Where Demons aren't just plain brutes, but have a characther all thier own some good some not so good. Unless your a demon and than your just having some fun. Where being an evil prince doesn't make you a bad guy. And where your college roommate from hell may very well be from there.I hope this is not the last I'll be seeing of Keleios; she's great and I know if Hamilton doesn't give her a book she'll want tobe seeing Hamilton across the sands. For anyone wanting to read this book hold onto your hats Keleios is one badddddd MoMMa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nightseer was the first book by LKH that I ever picked up. Once I started reading it, I just couldn't put it down. I later read and fell in love with her Anita Blake series, but Nightseer will always remain my fave. Keleios is a heroine that you can sympathize with and grow attached to; her struggles to comes to terms with the duality in her own nature bring an immediacy to the age-old battle of good vs. evil that is wonderful to watch. LKH has such a talent for bringing us wonderful characters and Nightseer is no exception. The relationship between Keleios and Lothor is suspensful and leaves you wanting more. In fact, that's the only fault I find with this book...it leaves me wanting more. I WANT A SEQUEL!!!!!!