Against the Deathlords Dace, chosen warrior of the Unconquered Sun, faces his greatest challenge when he and his men stand between the armies of the Underworld and the population of the city of Mishaka. All his vaunted power will be for naught if his victory costs the lives of those he has sworn to protect. His only chance may lie with the mysterious Lilith, a wild woman who holds secrets of his mysterious past. About the Author David Niall Wilson is an acclaimed author and a past president of the Horror Writers of America. His novels include This Is My Blood, To Sift Through Bitter Ashes and Dark Ages: Lasombra .
I was born in a very small town in Illinois. Clay County has less people in it than your average large city, and Flora , Illinois , is so tiny it barely hits the map. That's where it happened, though. My grandparents lived there, and I spent a lot of happy times with them in my youth -- particularly my grandfather, Merle Cornelius Smith, who was likely the most amazing man I'll ever claim association with. But that's another story, and this one is about me.
My first really clear memories start around my third year of life, when my father left. He took me out for a drive, let me sit on his lap, then went back out for milkshakes and never came back. Things blur quite a lot during that period, but after a period of living with my grandparents, my brother and I were whisked away to Charleston Illinois , where our mom had a job working in one of the cafeterias at Eastern Illinois University , and had married a barber named Robert Leland "Bob" Smith. I could write volumes about good ol' Bob, but I won't. If you really want to meet him, look between the lines of the bits and pieces of Deep Blue where Brandt talks about his father. Think Seagram's 7, Ballantine beer, cheap cigars, Hank Williams, Sr., and Archie Bunker and sort of squash it all together into a 6'4" 270 or so pound frame -- that was Bob. Formative? Yes. Important here? Nope.
I escaped Charleston , family, Bob, and a number of other things in 1977 when I left in June and joined the United States Navy. I headed for San Diego , where I went to boot camp, headed next to Groton CT for submarine school (which I dropped out of because my ears wouldn't equalize) and ended up in North Chicago attending Electronics Technician "A" school. I learned guitar, got engaged, unengaged, taught Bible School , got excommunicated, and moved on to San Diego , California once again as part of the crew of the USS Paul F. Foster.
My time in the US Navy would fill a dozen books. In fact, parts of it can be found in almost everything I've written. Many of my novels were typed on US Navy computers (later on my own, but still on board) and the first two issues of my magazine, THE TOME, were printed and published on board the USS Guadalcanal (thank you Uncle Sam for supporting the arts). I was stationed on a lot of ships, went on a lot of cruises, lived in Rota , Spain for three years, and wound up retired in Norfolk , Virginia . I've worked as a contractor ever since, a variety of computer, networking and database related jobs, and all that time, I've been writing.
Now I live in the historic William R. White house in a tiny place called Hertford , NC , where you buy your hardware from a man named Eerie Haste, and you can still get an ice-cream cone for fifty cents. I have a woman who loves and supports me, Patricia Lee Macomber, two great boys by a previous marriage who live in Virginia, but visit us every couple of weeks, a beautiful, talented teenage daughter named Stephanie who sometimes seems to be the only adult in the family, a taller-by-the-day video game and sports loving son named Billy whose biggest failing is he likes the Oakland Raiders, and a beautiful, way-too-smart little girl named Kathryn Mary -- Katie Bug, for short -- all of whom I adore, and who appear to have looked past my faults to love me in return.
I've sold twelve novels to date (though hopefully by the time many of you read this that will be a larger number. I've published over 150 short stories, been in 32 or so anthologies, countless magazines, year's best collections, won awards -- notably The Bram Stoker Award for poetry, which I share with co-authors Mark McLaughlin and Rain Graves. I've been President of the Horror Writer's Association, and I'm an active member of both SFWA and the newer International Thriller Writer's Association.
This review is from: Relic of the Dawn (Exalted, No 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
This book was a nice surprise. I'm not familiar with White Wolf's 'Exalted' fantasy game, but I do like to follow David Niall Wilson's work, and so picked this up. Most of my experience with White Wolf is the 'The Masquerade' literature, and that has gotten so dry and stretched out that I had few hopes even if this was a Wilson story, but the writer's skill managed to conquer all and produce a pleasant, readable story.
I'm not sure if I have the overall story arc worked out, but I believe the theme is about the resurgence of the Exalted, humans who have been granted exceptional powers by celestial gods. In the first age these demi-gods became the masters of civilization until their deterioration plunged the world into chaos and brought about the end of the first age. Now it is the second age, and the Exalted have begun to return. To the dismay of the powers that already walked the earth.
This story is about Dace, a mercenary leader, and now an Exalted Warrior of the Unconquered Sun. In the process of escorting a caravan, Dace and his men narrowly miss the forces of the Drinker of Seeping Poisons, who is bent on the conquest of Mishaka. Dace continues on to Mishaka, planning to alert the city and take part in its defense, when he is sidetracked by another power. Sending his men on Dace joins forces with Lilith, another power, and goes on a quest for a special relic of Desus - a first age Exalted who is somehow tied to Dace.
The story switches back and forth between Dave and Lilith's quest and the race to defend Mishaka. We meet many characters who will, no doubt, reappear in later volumes. Wilson's style is strong and well textured, with bogging down in details as books in the Masquerade tend to do. It you have a taste for gaming, this is a good place to get a feel for the context of this latest of White Wolf's efforts. And keep an eye out for Wilson's books, he has again displayed a strong talent for fantasy.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Relic of the Dawn (Exalted, No 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
I just wanted to set the record straight here - sorry for giving my own book a 4 star (I would have gone with 5, but that would seem like padding the vote?) The only reason I'm posting is that WHITE WOLF is not the author of the book, I am. David Niall Wilson. I have no idea why the book is not listed with my name, but I hope you enjoy it.
David Niall Wilson
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
