Returning Characters In “Daughter Of Blood” (The Wall Of Night Book Three)
The Wall of Night series is one story told in four parts, but each part has it’s own unique arc as readers will have seen in both The Heir of Night and The Gathering of the Lost.
So with today (in the US/UK; tomorrow in NZ/AU) being Publication Day (yay!) I thought readers might like to know which of the series’ characters, particularly the major characters, they can expect to see return in Daughter of Blood.
Here are some of the main players (excepting those whose inclusion might count as a spoiler), with a few introductory lines to keep you going until today’s official release date (on US and UK time) clicks over:
From Among Our Protagonists:
Malian (w00t!) — since she is, after all, the Heir of Night and the series’ mainmost of main characters. 😉
‘The dust motes swirled, the day’s dirt and sweat and fading warmth mingling with the scent of the pines. Malian adjusted her head-wrapping against both breeze and grit, then stretched, feeling every mile of the day’s painstaking journey. Turning away from the parapet, she looked down onto the caravan hostelry, which occupied a whole town block facing the wall …’
(Chapter 14, Crow)
Kalan (yahoo!) — “because” he’s the series’ second mainmost character and pretty durned important to the DAUGHTER arc, to boot.
‘Time to move, Kalan thought—but he still took care over his armor, paying attention to every buckle and binding. In Emer, a knight learned how to arm himself, but it felt odd to be doing so without any of the comrades he had lived and fought alongside for the past five years. He slid the longsword and scabbard with the hydra device onto his belt and buckled it on …’
(Chapter 5, Blood Warrior)
Asantir (awesome!) — well, just because (as you keep writing to tell me) she is made of awesome, yanno…
‘Asantir smiled, an expression reminiscent of the slender blade Taly carried in her boot. “Although the forsworn guards,” she said softly, ” were as much a murder weapon as the arrows they loosed. The hunt for those who forged the weapon, and directed it, is not yet done. And won’t be, until they are all dead.” ‘
(Chapter 20, Emissaries of Night)
Raven (huzza!) — because after all, if Robin Hobb *hearts* Raven … 😉
‘Moths circled a lantern in the open doorway, but the corner where Raven sat was largely in shadow, although neither the gloom nor the cloth head-wrapping could disguise his taciturn demeanor. He looked well-worn, almost exactly like the hedge knight Malian had first met in the Long Pass …’
(Chapter 14, Crow)
Garan (waves cap!) — who seems to be carving out a consistent part in the story, together with the rest of his eight-unit.
‘Garan thought that what the Towers of Morning priests called guest quarters was more like an entire wing of their great keep, in which he and the rest of his eight-guard rattled around like pebbles. They had been occupying it for a week now …’
(Chapter 13, Watch and Ward)
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From The Antagonists’ Ranks:
Arcolin: You may recall that he was the Darksworn envoy to Emer in The Gathering of the Lost.
‘“What’s the alternative? …” Arcolin shrugged. “The agent who wounded me got lucky, that’s all. Still, regrettable though the boy’s death was, it … left us free to deal with the Southern Realms in our own way.” ‘
(Chapter 2, The Serpent Prince)
Nirn: Whom we last encountered in Ij …
‘ … Before he reached the upper level, another tall figure with startling, bone-white hair had appeared at the balustrade. A flare of lightning reflected through the windows in a way that made it seem to emanate from the white-haired man, but no rumble of thunder followed …’
(Chapter 2, The Serpent Prince)
Emuun: Also last seen for certain in Ij …
‘“The difference,” Emuun’s voice said, out of the rift, “is that Aranraith perpetrates his cruelties because he loves them, whereas my object is to terrorize and so weaken my enemies.” As he spoke, the fissure spat a small cloud of grit toward the shield, but it exploded in midair, well clear of the burnished gleam.’
(Chapter 19, Rift)
Nindorith: Like Arcolin, he crossed Malian and Kalan’s path in Emer.
‘ … it was Nindorith who answered, a roll of quiet thunder out of the air.
“The maelstrom stirs, Lady.” He paused, and Ilkerineth knew they were both listening, waiting for another chill whisper out of the void. “It begins again.”
(Prologue)
And so, indeed, it does, begin again…
See you back here later on today. 🙂
Looking forward to it, Helen!
Me too! It’s been quite a journey–and now, of course, a new one of readers and the book is just beginning…
Here in Kaiapoi I am rollicking through Gathering of the Lost to leap straight into Daughter of Blood when it arrives. Order placed. Now lets see how the international travel and 3 post delivery days per week pan out. I think knowing that I am actually a fast reader that I may have started re reading to soon…..
In good news for you, I hope, I know the UK books are shipping now…
Best timed snowstorm ever, here … I got almost an entire day with the book!!
So glad to have assisted with getting through the snow day. 😉 #servicetohumanity
Have been waiting forever for this book. Have read the first two more times than I can count and find something new each time. Third book on order and should reach me round about second week in February. No work will be done that day!
A day spent with a good book — that’s almost the very best kind of day. 🙂