First off, I have to say that there are a ton of new fantasy and urban fantasy releases on the horizon, and I want to read them all!Last night I wrapped up Alison Sinclair's Darkborn, the first in a trilogy that takes place in a world that has been cursed by magic. For decades, there have been the Darkborn -- those for whom the light means instant death -- and the Lightborn, just the opposite. The two races live mostly separate except in the town of Minhorne where physician Balthasar Hearne shares a wall with his Lightborn friend, Floria White Hand. Their close friendship is exactly what saves Bal when Tercelle Amberley, a woman once involved with Bal's long missing brother, appears on his doorstep about to give birth. Bal's sister is a mage, something the Darkborn society very much looks down upon, but she is there to help attend the birth. She returns to her duties and Tercelle slips Bal a sedative while she plans to leave her newborns out for the sun. Bal saves the children with Floria's help, but when strangers come looking for the children, it is Floria who comes to the rescue. Bal is left for dead and his own daughter is kidnapped as ransom. Meanwhile, Bal's wife, Telmaine, returns home just in time to help heal her husband. Telmaine has been hiding a secret for many years, but her own magical abilities are going to come in handy in this dark time of need.
Darkborn is a fantasy with action, political intrigue, and magic. In the midst of the story, the turmoil between the two races begins to come to a dangerous head, something I believe will be explored even more in the second installment, Lightborn.
Sinclair is the author of a previous Sci-fi trilogy and Throne Prince, written with Lynda Williams. This is her first fantasy novel. Lightborn is due out next year, but you can get a sneak peak of it in the back of Darkborn, which hits shelves on May 5.
Readers who enjoy fantasy with an intricate and original history will love this book. I would say the most recent fantasy read that I have come across that is similar in style and scope would be Pamela Freeman's Castings Trilogy.
5 comments:
Sounds very interesting, one I'll have to put on my list. It's not vampire-ish is it? I see the whole can't go in the light thing, but I figured you would have said so if it was. I could use a new fantasy series to get into. Doing ok otherwise?
I'll have to check it out! The concept reminds me of a story I read when I was a child. In that, there was a young man who could not bear dark and a girl who could not bear light... guess what happened? I think it might have been a Tanith Lee story.
No vamps, Jen. I keep meaning, and I may have already, to tell you to look into the Orcs book by Stan Nichols. I've not read it yet, but I do own it. I remember your RA Salvatore days, though, and thought you might like it.
You may have, don't remember. But will definitely put that on my list. Thanks!
I could easily branch out of my reading comfy zone with this. Thanks for the review and bringing it to my attention, chickie!
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