Worlds of Shadow [Hardcover]

Lawrence Watt-Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2003

It began with fragmentary, incoherent psychic messages -- Earth had been found by the inhabitants of not one, but two alternate realities. Before long representatives from both of them had arrived in the suburbs of Washington DC, hoping to recruit aid in their own battles. One world was a world of magic; the other reality was a universe of spaceships and rayguns. A handful of ordinary Americans -- housewives, lawyers, interior decorators, and the like -- found themselves caught up in the transdimensional conflict. But these are not the harmless, happy-ending lands of film and fable. The sweat and blood was real, and the horrors they faced genuinely dangerous. They had little hope of triumph, or even survival, in . . . WORLDS OF SHADOW The complete unabridged text of the acclaimed Three Worlds trilogy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 644 pages
• Publisher: Betancourt & Company (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592249442
• ISBN-13: 978-1592249442
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,182,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been writing fantasy for thirty years... no, my fantasy's been published for thirty years. I've been writing it since I was eight. It's what I always wanted to do for a living, and I've been very fortunate in that I've been able to manage that. I try to write fantasy with an element of common sense to it -- not so much mythic archetypes as sensible people.

Other than my job, my life's pretty ordinary -- a nice house in a quiet neighborhood, a wife, two grown kids, and an overweight cat.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Most disappointing, September 3, 2003

By 

Robin Seydel - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worlds of Shadow (Hardcover)

I've read (and enjoyed) almost everything that Watt-Evans has written, but this just didn't work for me. It may have been the abrupt shift in tone - the story starts with the other-worlders enjoying pizza with the Earthlings, but becomes brutal by the end of the first volume.

Try "The Misenchanted Sword" or "The Cyborg and The Sorcerors" instead.

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally enthralling, November 24, 2005

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Worlds of Shadow (Hardcover)

What does an Evil Overlord/Necromancer/Dark Lord do when he has conquered his world? He begins searching for new worlds to conquer. Shadow has swallowed his entire world, and found an alternate reality, where a space-going Galactic Empire holds sway. The Galactic Empire is looking for allies and finds another reality, our Earth. And so, Pellinore Brown and some others from Earth, Captain Joshua Cahn and the crew of the ISS Ruthless of the Galactic Empire, and Raven of Stormcrack Keep and some other resisters of Shadow begin their trek across three realities. But, their journey will take them where they never expected to go.

This great book contains all three of Lawrence Watt-Evans' Three Worlds book in one neat package. I am a big fan of Mr. Watt-Evans, and I must say that I deeply enjoyed this series. Now, I must admit that parts of these stories are rather dark, containing images of rape and brutality that will shock younger and more sensitive readers.

But, if you can get past that, you will be rewarded with a fascinating story, one that presents life and conflict with all of the darkness and loss that it really does hold. That is to say, it's not a cute adventure story for young readers; it is a wonderfully deep and complex story that will leave you feeling wrung out, but glad you read it.

I loved the author's three, mutually exclusive worlds, finding each one fascinating, and I enjoyed the way that he wove them together. I really liked the characters and their interactions. Yes, I found this series totally enthralling, and I highly recommend it to everyone!