FANTASY REVIEW: Wall of Night 2: The Gathering of the Lost - Helen Lowe

Release Date: 05/04/12

SYNOPSIS:

Tarathan of Ar and Jehane Mor ride into the great city of Ij in time for its grand Festival of Masks. But soon after their arrival they witness a terrible slaughter as their fellow heralds are targeted and assassinated. They must flee for their lives across the city when they discover Swarm agents at work as they attempt to destabilise the entire River Cities network for their own ends. And five years after her great flight from the Derai Wall, Malian remains hidden to those who seek her. But she has not been idle. Her goal is to muster all Derai magic users who have fled into exile rather than face destruction. Only by uniting against the Swarm menace can they hold their own against the dark tide. She has hunted down every rumour of their presence and has developed her own powers that the Swarm must learn to respect - and to fear. For Malian won't see her people fall to a dark tide of twisted magic, as demonic forces subvert a way of life.

REVIEW:

Having enjoyed Helen’s debut last year I was interested to see how the story would expand in the second novel as well as seeing if the quality and world building would continue to expand. What unfurled within was a story that was not only haunting but one that allowed the character to grow into the role that she’s discovering she’s destined for.

Add to this solid writing, a fluid descriptive style which is almost cinematic and all in it’s a title that really announces the author to the fantasy world as more than a one shot wonder. Finally throw into this a cracking plot outline and enough twists to keep the reader confused and it’ll make you demand the third part after the last page is turned.

FANTASY REVIEW: Wall of Night 1: The Heir of Night - Helen Lowe

Release Date: 03/03/11

SYNOPSIS:

The violence of an age-old war casts a long shadow. It falls on a world where mercy is weakness and conflict is a way of life. Young Malian is being trained to rule. Her people garrison the mountain range known as the Wall of Night against an ancient enemy, keeping a tide of shadow from the rest of their world. Malian is expected to uphold this tradition, yet she's known little of real danger until the enemy launches a direct attack upon her fortress home. In the darkest part of the night, the Keep of Winds becomes a bloodbath. Women and children, warriors and priests, are slain by creatures with twisted magic flowing in their veins. And as the castle wakes to chaos, Malian flees deep into the Old Keep, her life at stake. Then when the danger is greatest, her own hidden magic flares into life. But this untapped potential is a two-edged blade. If she accepts its power, she must prepare to pay the price.


REVIEW:

A debut that will have a number of readers standing up to pay attention as this cleverly woven tale takes the reader on a journey of adventure, of discovery and above all else plays to the strengths of the genre for which it was created. Back that up with some solid descriptive writing, so wonderful prose and a style that takes the reader by the hand to show them around this dark world and it’s one that announces Helen to the adult world of fiction. All in a wonderful tale and one that will appeal to fans of the sword and sorcery genre with its own deliciously dark bite to add its own spice to the readers imagination which when backed with some colourful characters will remain a tale that haunts as well as lures you back for seconds.