The Bright and The Dark (Mass Market Paperback)

by Michelle M. Welch (Author)
Key Phrases: justice jannes, dirt plain, Mount Alaz, Aunt Ana, Lord Justice (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Ten years have passed since the end of Confidence Game. In Biora, Tod has found himself repairing the old books left by scholars three centuries ago. These books are valued in Dabion, but in Biora itself they are little more than curiosities, and most of its people cannot even read the books that are so prized outside its borders. Biora has become a land of unending violence, where men are destined to be warriors. Julian, a peaceful young man who has befriended Tod in Biora and learned to read from him, is not at home in his homeland. When traders come to Biora for books to sell in Dabion, they take Julian with them, another curiosity for the Justices.

Aron Jannes is the son of Lord Justice Jannes, a leader in the government of Dabion. Aron is angry at his father's negligence; he is angry at his mother's death ten years ago; he is angry at Elzith for her abandonment of him. It is no comfort to him to discover that his father employs spies. Not all the spies work only for Jannes, though. Justice Rayner, now at the head of Dabion's secret forces, has been following Jannes for more than ten years, and is intent on cornering him at last.

In Dabion, Julian encounters misunderstanding and conflict, a foreigner in a land that accepts only the image of Biorans gathered from their ancient books. Julian is drawn toward Aron, recognizing Aron as another seeker without a home, although Aron is too enthralled by his own anger to return Julian's friendship. One fateful day, Aron rescues Julian from danger almost by accident, and the two young men are thrown together by circumstance. As they become drawn up in Rayner's plots and the political turmoil that sets Dabion at the edge of civil war, Julian and Aron must discover where their loyalties lie and which paths they will walk.

About the Author
Michelle M. Welch has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Library Science, which she uses in her day job as a reference librarian at Chandler Public Library. Michelle has also studied music and played with symphony orchestras, traditional Irish musicians, and Renaissance music groups. Her short fiction has appeared in "Reader's Break" and her debut novel, Confidence Game, was published by Bantam Spectra in October 2003.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (August 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553586289
• ISBN-13: 978-0553586282
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,807,368 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Message from the author, October 5, 2004

By	Michelle M. Welch - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon no longer has a link where authors can post comments, so I have to do it this way. This puts me in the odd position of having to rate my own book; I just gave it a rating that would maintain the current average.

In response to the reviewer who felt she was being set up for a sequel -- in a way, she was. THE BRIGHT AND THE DARK functions as a bridge between CONFIDENCE GAME and the third title in the series, CHASING FIRE, which is scheduled for publication in fall 2005. Unfortunately, due to the delay in finalizing the sale of CHASING FIRE, there is no annoucement or preview material in the back of THE BRIGHT AND THE DARK. However, details are available on my website: www.sff.net/people/mmwelch. Thanks for reading -- mmw

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Could have used a few more pages, September 21, 2004

By	Joan I. Wendland "miss_management" (Sterling, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I picked up this novel free at the World Science Fiction convention this year and was quickly entranced by the rich and diverse world Welch created. I eargerly devoured the pages but as I neared the end I worried - "There isn't enough room in the book to resolve all the plot!" I fretted. I thought we were being set up for a sequel. That would have been preferable to the rushed conclusion where too many plots resolved with too little detail.

This author shows a lot of potential with a good imagination and excellent narrative skills. I think perhaps what she needs is a good editor - or another 50 pages.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Unable to finish, March 21, 2005

By	Conor Leahy "Web Writer and Editor" (Colorado, United States) - See all my reviews

Rarely do I have to set a book aside without finishing it, but that was the case here. Too many characters to keep track of, too many plots begun and then left as we turn to another character and subplot, and slow, ponderous writing throughout. The book had some original ideas, but a quarter of the way in I still didn't understand what was going on or what the subplots had to do with each other, so I gave up. An entertaining book should hit the ground running. This one didn't.