Darknesses (Corean Chronicles, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

by L. E. Modesitt Jr. (Author) "Five men sat around a circular table..." (more)
Key Phrases: nightsilk undergarments, dual scepter, half vingt, Twenty-first Company, Northern Guard, Southern Guard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The prolific Modesitt (The Saga of Recluce; The Spellsong Cycle) delivers a solid, well-paced sequel to Legacies (2002), set in the fantasy world of Corus, home to humans and a variety of odd creatures. After a slow opening that may perplex new readers, the action soon picks up. The soldier Alucius, one of the few to possess the magical Talent, is trying to keep himself and his men of the Iron Valley Militia alive until he's discharged and can return to the wife he loves. The Council, however, sells them out to the Protector of Lanachrona, whom they must serve as the Northern Guard. Sent by the Protector to help the Landarch of Deforya fight the grassland nomads, Alucius must call on all his Talent powers and military skill to combat Pteridons, mythical flying beasts, summoned by the nomads' leader, Aellyan Edyss. Later, after an audience with the Protector, Alucius learns that he must battle the greatest evil where he least expects to find it. Convincing dialogue, exciting military action and a neat conclusion that leaves the door open for subsequent adventures will find fans satisfied.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
The sequel to Legacies [BKL O 15 02] continues the experiences of Alcius, the nightsheep herder who is Talented (magically, that is). At the end of Legacies he escaped from being a controlled prisoner (of war) and freed his homeland from the threat of one invader by destroying the source of the mechanisms of control. But the world of Corus broke into a squabble of states after its magic, high-tech culture collapsed, and those states are still fighting, betimes with magical weapons, betimes with military and economic coercion. The ruling council of the Iron Valleys, Alcius' homeland, refuses to raise enough revenue to support an effective militia, and Alcius, now a militia captain, must struggle with insufficient resources. Faster paced than Legacies, Darknesses is, since it concerns multiple states and their political ambitions, much more intricately plotted. Reading Legacies before tackling it is advisable, but because Alcius is like many other Modesitt protagonists, turning the pages to see what the author's current quiet, competent hero will do next is always a pleasure. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (May 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765346338
• ISBN-13: 978-0765346339
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,235 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 2 in The Corean Chronicles Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing, January 10, 2004

By	xteeve "xteeve" (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darknesses (Corean Chronicles, Book 2) (Hardcover)

This author rarely disappoint.
One of the few consistant authors on the market, although I find his style to be somewhat colorless - All modesittian heroes think/behave the same way - it suits him, and his books are always great read, weither sci-fi or fantasy. Darknesses is no exception a satisfying thick sequel, full of what we liked in legacies. If anything, it ended too soon.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Answers and More Questions, September 6, 2003

By	James D. DeWitt "Alaska Fan" (Fairbanks, AK United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Darknesses (Corean Chronicles, Book 2) (Hardcover)

The Corean Chronicles, "Legacies" and now "Darknesses," are set in a maturely conceived world. These stories are set on the continent of Corus, about 1,000 years after the Cataclysm. Corus has forgotten most of its technology, and even a millennium later the pre-Cataclysm empire of the Duarchy is remembered as an idyllic time.

In Corus, a few rare individuals, including Alucius, the hero, have Talent, the ability to do magic. In "Legacies" Alucius started to come to terms with his Talent. In "Darknesses" he must save both his family and his world. In "Legacies," Alucius, literally "from light," is a Soarer's child, and there is more than a hint here that some or all of his Talent may have been bred into him. The uses and abuses of power and technology are one of Modesitt's recurring themes, and those themes are developed more thoroughly and more subtlely here than in any of his earlier works.

Modesitt's writing continues to improve. His plotting is more intricate and complex, his characterization is three dimensional, and his pacing, always his best skill, is now impeccable. Unlike many of his recent works, you will not be able to predict the good guys, the bad guys or even the flow of the story. The surprises keep coming.

"Legacies" mostly raised questions. Some are answered by "Darknesses," and while Modesitt reportedly said this closes the Corean Chronicles, there are many, many loose plot thread and mysteries. This is a richer, deeper world than the setting for the Recluce stories. I look forward to the next installment.

This is a good yarn, well told.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeping you up at night, February 15, 2004

By	Richard A. Christensen (Saint Charles, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Darknesses (Corean Chronicles, Book 2) (Hardcover)

I just had to purchase Darkness after having read Legacies. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed in the second of this series. The book moved seamlessly into the second story and again there was no letdown which means I couldn't put it down. I did lose sleep trying to finish it. I am anxiously awaiting for the next one in the series.