“The Heir of Night” is Reviewed Again—In German:)
Recently, I reported that Thornspell had been reviewed in Italian. And now “The Heir of Night” has been reviewed on a German blog. Of course, the review is in German, so I can’t actually read it [grins], but the reviewer did comment here to say that:
” … I’ve just finished reading The Heir of Night … it was fun to read … Looking forward for book 2.″
So I figure the review is probably on the plus side. But if you can read German then you can find out—and possibly report back 😉 — here.
A few more UK links for “The Heir of Night” have come through recently as well, with Andy Venn on Walker of Worlds blog finding it: “a cracking story … It gallops along a rate of knots that almost leaves you gasping for breath, but I still found it very hard to put down.”
You can read the full review here.
And Cheryl Morgan of Salon Futura, in her “The Class of 2010″ snapshot of new writing from last year also includes a closer look at Heir as “not your typical fantasy world”, with a particular eye for the cultural nuances of the story. The other writers reviewed are Trent Jamieson, Amelia Beamer and Dexter Palmer.
Click on “The Class of 2010″ link above to read all four reviews.
I shoved it into google translate and got this – it’s sehr gut!
Haarth, a world that was shattered once considered the Derai from the stars came down. A world that was so marked as never was then and through the Derai. The Derai, people and children of their 9 Gods were not alone, however. They brought their bitterest enemy, the swarm, they are fighting for ages already. Also on Haarth endless battle raging and manifests itself in the north of the country, at the Wall. The Wall, a seemingly impenetrable mountain range, was only established by the arrival of Derai and is the boundary between man and the swarm.
The Derai are divided into 9 houses and in the festivals of the winds high in the north, the house at night is a resident. They are the mainstay of the Alliance and also her curse. Just over 500 years ago a war was raging within the Derai, ground was a thwarted love. This Derai lost their main weapon, the Golden fire and have since fallen out and the houses of the federal government is fragile. Today, however, with a Tasarion Earl of Night at the head of the alliance wants a return, in spite of traditions and laws, which came into effect 500 years ago. Malian his daughter knows all the stories and myths surrounding their house and around the Derai, but gives them little attention, finally, one has been living for some time already peacefully without attacks of the swarm. Your favorite playground is the Old Fort, which was 500 years ago, the venue for the internal power struggle since the Derai and shut and sealed off asleep next to the new parties. When her father comes back from border inspections appear at the festival two heralds from the South. Their message is considered only for the Earl, but he put off the next day they will, for the welcome party run undisturbed. What no one will suspect, however, this night will be the last happy night.
Kalan, a novice in the temple of the parties discovered the danger first. He was hiding again before the mandatory duties in the temple and feel alien being. The swarm has access to the festivities did it and now bloodthirsty creeps through all the gears. Kalan remains undiscovered, but he knows he must warn everyone. His journey takes him to the old parties, driven by hunters, he stumbles ever deeper into the old building. There is also Malian who, despite a late hour in the library and a warning cry in the spirit fled into the old parties. Together, they hide, and yet knowing that they need help, because the swarm penetrating ever further into the new parties and murders. Malian feel an ancient power that speaks to her and she encourages their dormant powers to use. The Golden Fire has returned, but it is weak and needs Malian. It manages the Heir of Night to call the alarm call of her house, into the thoughts and dreams of Derai. At the same time it is but a demon to stop the swarm that devours the soul and nourishes it. He was able to sell and the New Slab can be kept, but the danger seems far from over. The Earl and his Honor Captain Asantir is clear that this attack could only have one goal, Malian. But this has disappeared and it matures on the idea that they are present there, where she played over and which could now enter the swarm, the Old Fort!
… … … … …
Prelude to a novel 4-part series, The Wall of Night by the author Helen Lowe, hereby enters the new territory and the high fantasy would leave their mark. The content description above is not really enough, is so packed the beginning of the book and so complex the history of the scene Haarth. From the beginning you are with Malian road in the old parties, whose history we learn in the course of the book and the Heir of Night, which is the heir to the throne, happy you are in the dark shadows and arches. Then to get to the festival on the return of the Earls and abruptly changes the tempo. Now you are in the middle in the stories, the Malian was otherwise only told of her maids, the swarm.
It leaves Lowe but not on a viewpoint but builds early on to an important side part that to the novice Kalan, which will henceforth be Malian companion and discovered her things that slept long and only had significance in wall hangings. The attack on the new disk and thus on the house the night is gripping, given that every life is on the parties and will only survive with all his last strength. But given the rapid pace remains, for now it is on the one hand and with Malian Kalan in the old hard to discover things that will change their lives suddenly and the other in the new hard to find the heir to the throne. But the way is filled with many details and information about the Derai, the 9 houses, the past and the strict separation of magic. Magic, that’s the key to all that what should come next.
Magic was once part of Derai, warriors used magic and not only the priests were well versed in it. But since the internal war 500 years ago priests were suppressed and had separated from normal life to live inside a fortress. Were placed laws where magic has been demonized as a source of evil which shook the alliance. Malian mother, offers comfort and out of the house of the lakes had such powers and was banished from the old Earl, and died in exile. Tasarion never came across it quite yet and took a new mistress in the winter lands, Rowan Birch Moon. In her view the Derai a witch, because she has magic, but is not subject to the laws of Derai. As Malian now also discovered her powers, she is threatened a similar fate as offers comfort. The whole development will be by Helen Lowe pretty badly woven closely, because some chapters deal now with the raising of forces in Malian and in Kalan. Both have magical potential, can enter the dream world and have clairvoyant powers. So what initially begins as a fantasy-style diet 0815 builds on more mysterious.
No doubt also the whole world Haarth and its inhabitants. The Derai once came from the stars, about which one can speculate in phases, that they came through a stargate, which wiped out the planet shook and ancient civilizations. But the Derai are only one people, because the west in the winter land people live in tribes, which could be interpreted as a native of Haarth. They have magic and Rowan Birch Moon is its embodiment. Add to that the guild herald and other peoples in the south. The mysterious beings remain, however, the swarm, or Dark Warm. They are the old enemies of Derai and their appearance is unclear, they appear in the armor, but what is behind the visors remain in the dark. They use demons and dreams Were Hounds worms and all that is brought in contact with them has plenty of potential for future books. Everything is from page 1 to the last sentence packed with action, story, darkness, magic and mystery.
The Malian Hauptcharakterin is of Night, with which it now breaks up their strength to ignite and connect to the swarm. She is accompanied by Kalan, who once dreamed of becoming a knight but had to because of his magical abilities in the temple. It is an important character, as he is chosen Malian support. Added to their closest friends come in the firmament of the winds, the housekeeper Nhairin, the bard Haimyr from the south, Captain of the Honor Asantir and the heralds Jehane Mor and Tarathan of Ar. A variety of people, all more or less importance. This makes the book so complex, because each has its chapters and offices. But addition, there are heroes and old gods in the dream world. enumerate all this would explain the whole book. The fact is, Helen Lowe is generous with information and characters in the opening novel, just as one wants it anyway.
At first I was strongly reminiscent of Tad Williams and one of his East Ard series, because even as a teenager was the focus in the fight against evil. The same here with Malian, but the further you read the more the book was different. It is not a youth book, it has no to too much complexity, it is a book for lovers of fantasy, which is crisscrossed by many mysteries and inconsistencies, which will hopefully be cleared up in future books. It is definitely not a boring book, but takes you along in a world that never sleeps and a war that has raged for ages. It is dark, dark, black and shady, just like the night!
Wow! And thanks, Alicia. I tried a couple of translator programmes but I think they balked at length—anyway, they didn’t work.:)
You might also like to know about a positive Dutch review, posted on a big book lovers blog:
http://www.ezzulia.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8243
Roughly translated it says:
‘Kind van de Nacht’ turned out to be hard to put down. Not just its world but also the structures of the people to which the young heroine belongs and several other ones are convincingly portrayed, as is the enemy. The author also knows how to build up the tension. In short, it’s a gem to read. Roll on the next books.
Or, as Google Translate puts it:
Child of the Night was a difficult way to explain the world but also the structures of the people where the young heroine belongs, and some others have convincingly put down and so are the enemy. In addition, the author knows how to deal with tension, in short, a gem and let the reading continue coming.
😉
Thank you–I’ve made this my blog post for tomorrow!