World Fall: Book 2 of the Seven Circles Trilogy (Paperback)

by Douglas Niles (Author) "He hesitated before he fastened the shutters across the large window, reluctant to cast the great room into darkness..." (more)
Key Phrases: elven riders, metal giants, two druids, Riven Deep, Regillix Avatar, Seventh Circle (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Fans of the first book in this high fantasy trilogy, 2000's Circle at Center, will welcome this sequel, set in the realm of the Seven Circles with its host of mythological creatures dwarves, elves, griffons, harpies, centaurs, giants, pegasi, dragons, trolls, golems, even angels who in their exotic variety contrast with the novel's formulaic human characters. One soon picks out the good guys from the bad. As 19th-century vintage airships float in the sky above the city of Nayve, Miradel, a human druidess who has lived many lives, prepares with her warrior husband, Natac, to battle Karlath-Fayd of Loamar, the Fifth Circle, who has created a great rift ("Riven Deep") dividing Nayve. The evil Karlath-Fayd is planning to conquer all the circles with armies of the dead, many from earthly wars. Meanwhile, in an interlude drawn from the American Civil War, a Nayvean woman uses a magical device to observe a Confederate soldier with whom she falls in love. When the soldier is bayoneted, she wafts him, surprised but happy, to her bed. Niles (the Watershed Trilogy) regularly repeats a Yogi Berra-ish metaphor, "the direction that is neither metal nor wood," much as Lord Dunsany used "beyond the fields we know" in The King of Elfland's Daughter. More familiarly, he also tosses in Tolkienian gems of power. A surfeit of action and characters will tire those who prefer more serious, thought-provoking fantasy, but others will be left wondering how it will all turn out in volume three.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Though her actions saved the realm of the Seven Circles, the druid priestess Mirandel achieved victory by breaking her order's sacred laws. Newly returned from her lengthy exile in the human realms, she finds the safety of her world threatened once again and must use even more drastic measures to protect her universe. Set in a universe of many dimensions and peopled with a variety of fantastic creatures as well as heroes and villains from a several of Earth's historic eras, this sequel to Circle at Center provides a fast-paced tale of epic adventure that belongs in most fantasy collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Ace (November 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441009980
• ISBN-13: 978-0441009985
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #928,517 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Oh dear....., October 27, 2001

By	pianoman24601 "dan155" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World Fall (Seven Circles Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)

Overall, World Fall did a miserable job in continuing the genious that Circle at Center began. The entire book seems to be in a hurry to get no where. Large scale events unfold far too quickly, but all the events collectively adavance the plot little. Niles moves over some things so quickly that he leaves many obvious holes in the plot. I think Nile's goal was to leave you hanging at the end, but I don't like the way he went about doing it. It came across as if he just ran out of ideas and decided to stop where he was and move on to book three. Apparently Niles was also doing some experiemting with word repetition. He wanted to know how many times he could repeat the word "facade" before the reader would chuck the book across the room. It happend somewhere around number 57 for me. The only reason that give this book 2 stars is that I have enjoyed reading other novels by Mr. Niles in the past, and it pains me so to tear this one apart. i sincerely hope that the conclusion to the trilogy will make up for the disaster of World Fall.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent fantasy novel, September 5, 2001

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: World Fall (Seven Circles Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)

The world is composed of seven circles with the last one known as Earth and the fourth one called Nayve, a bucolic poster world. Harmoniously co-existing with no knowledge of war in Nayve are druids, fairies, elves and other creatures. Three centuries ago, it was foretold that Nayve was going to come under attack so the druid Miradel called a dying warrior Natac from Earth so he can assemble an army and then fight a war. Although they were victorious, Miradel was killed and was sent back to the seventh circle where she had to live seven lives before she was allowed to come back to Nayve and Natac.

In this time and place, the realm of the lord of the Death threatens the circles. Karlath-Fayd, whose minions are the souls of people who died by violence, wants to extend his dominion. To that end he has under control, although they don't know it, the evil arcane dwarf Zystyl and the leader of the harpies in the sixth circle known as Overworld. Miradel and Natac team up once again with their allies, both old and new to stop the latest threat to their world.

In this second installment of the Seven Circles Trilogy, readers will become reacquainted with friends (and enemies) they met in CIRCLE AT CENTER. Douglas Niles so eloquently describes each circle readers will have a vivid visual image of each land. Fans of Tolkien and Brooks will love this epic fantasy and eagerly await the next book in this series (which can't come too soon for this reviewer).

Harriet Klausner

3.0 out of 5 stars like the first one, it's mediocre, January 18, 2006

By	random reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: World Fall (Seven Circles Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)

In this book, more warriors are sent from earth to nayve, including jubal. Natac gains another ally, of whom is a dragon named regillix. Sirien's sister, janitha, also joins to fight. Another good but in some ways, bad book. Like the first, there are some sexuality that is described in a little too much clarity. It was boring at some parts too. Still another okay read. Recommended.