Customer Reviews

The Time of the Dark: Darwath Trilogy Volume 1

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Darwath Series, comprised now (year 2002) of 5 books, begins with "The Time of the Dark," a rather simply-worded kind of title, but one that has a gripping story.

The very first page of the book grips the reader with steel-gauntleted hands - a woman finds herself running barefoot through a moon-lit gray-tiled courtyard. It's night, but men and women race past her dressed in bed clothes or without clothes, faces filled with terror...

Imagine if one day, all throughout the world, hordes of black floating monsters poured out of well-known, and long-thought-abandoned caverns to feed on humanity and destroy civilization? Imagine they would depart at daybreak only to return the next night, and the next.

This is precisely the situation this alternate world is in that Gil and Rudy are dragged into. As humanity and all of civilization crumbles, the survivors flee. The lucky ones reach the ancient Keeps, fortresses made 3000 years in the past and inpregnable to any force. In these Keeps they must stay for the rest of their lives, and their childrens' lives - able to come out only during the daylight.

I read the trilogy when I was a teenager and then 12 years later returned to these books only to find out that Hambly had written an additional two books. What a joyful discovery. My only misgiving is that there is not enough written. Hambly could write a dozen books on this one universe and just begin to flesh out all the characters, situations, and details.

I'd suggest buying the first book. If you like it, then you might as well break down and get the other 4, because you're gonna love them!

This book, first of four, concerns a young graduate student, Gil, who finds that her nightmares of people fleeing in panic from an almost-unseen, hideous evil, are not fantastic dreams: she is standing in the doorway to another world. Gil and Rudy, a biker-gang hanger-on who's in the wrong place at the wrong time, are reluctantly drawn into this other world where they must fight for their lives. Their new friends, including the warrior known as the Icefalcon, the wizard Ingold Inglorion, the newly-widowed Queen Minalde, and her infant son Altir, depend on the newcomers for the valuable information *they don't even know they possess.* Great characters, plus the author writes convincing dialog well

A wizard from another world seeking sanctuary for an infant prince is aided by a biker and a female history grad student who leave their boring lives on Earth to join his war against the horrible force known only as The Dark. They become a warrior and a wizard, just as you'd suppose, except that the girl becomes a warrior and the biker a wizard's apprentice, and that's because nothing is ever predictable in a Hambly book. Darwath is a well-thought-out world with a severe problem; namely the hordes of Dark creatures coming from under the ground. What are they, and why did they kill all the wizards they could find? Can Ingold Inglorion find the answer before the Dark comes for him? Well, there are two more books so you can probably guess...

This book is the first in the Darwath trilogy. It is extremely gripping and a very fast paced story. I could not put it down! I read the Walls of Air immediately after finishing The Time of the Dark and am awaiting delivery of Armies of Daylight. A definate must for alternate universe fans!

This series definately dragged me deep into it's pages. I continually felt as though I were right along beside Ingold Inglorion and the others. The style Hambly used gripped me enough to now own three sets of the series. I've read some books in which worlds were perhaps described more in depth, but I've never felt so attached to the characters as I was the first time, and every time since I've read their story. It may not be to everyone's tastes, but I definately reccomend giving at least the first book a try.

Ms Hamblys style is spare and keen. Every character is well rounded and inviting and she does it all with a few extremely well chosen phrases. She allows you the time and imagination to fill in her substantial universe as individual readers. I love this series for its engaging dialogue, fascinating people and visceral plot that sucks you in and never lets you go. When you finish, you want to start again and there is always something you didn't take in the first time. Eminently rereadable and memorable.

Hambly can take you to the very bone of words, secret poetry to your rapt attention, and a paragraph later let you soar in her sweetly woven descriptive clouds. You won't even feel the altitude change.

Oh, buy all 5 of the Darwath books! ('The Time of the Dark', 'The Walls of Air', 'The Armies of Daylight' (orig. trilogy); 'The Mother of Winter', & 'Icefalcon's Quest)

I read the pentalogy(?) about every 18-24 months, just as I do with Lord of the Rings. They are quite different, both superb classics of the genre. (Hambly bows to Tolkien in one of her major character's names in The Darwath series ... elves & wizards aren't so different, but don't blink or you'll miss it!).

I strongly recommend you buy at least one extra set of used copies of all 5 or at least the first 3; after of course you purchase & read them and fall under Hambly's spell! I've bought many to loan & to give to friends; they've all become fans of both the series and the author herself. BTW, if you think Hambly's not got a worthy voice: notice that in 2010 there are no truly negative reviews. N.B.: the first three books were written in the 1970's - early 80's so the few times when the characters are in 'our' world there are a (very) few retro moments.

The Darwath Series, and its author, are utterly worthy of your attention, and of your monies.

...and save yourself a trip back to the store. I just finished reading the trilogy again, and truly enjoyed it. Her characters are very nicely drawn; you won't mind the reverse-cliched strong-willed taciturn woman and weak, can't find himself guy. And if you like wizards - yow. Hambly's got one for you. The entire setting of the story is eerily realistic; she gets it just right. And, best of all, you've waited long enough for her to write two more novels from this universe!

This book launched me on a quest to find all of Ms. Hambly's books. And I have read this trilogy at least 3 times. Great, gripping stuff.

This is the first of her series and I enjoyed them all equally well. I erroneously said that the Armies of Daylight was the first, but I was just starting out with reviews then and got them backwards. I enjoy this series because each can stand alone, without doing the "continued same time, same station" theme. While soft is cheaper than hard cover, they are still not inexpensive, and to pay that kind of money, you should get a satisfying read. She more than delivers.