The Derai came to Haarth through a portal from beyond the
stars. In so doing, they created the Wall of Night, a
rugged mountain range that alone stands between the rest
of Haarth and the Darkswarm, longtime enemies who followed
the Derai. And the Derai alone keep the Darkswarm from
taking over the whole planet.
Comprised of nine Houses, of which Night is the oldest and
strongest, the Derai are a war-like clan. They used to have
much power, but strife amongst the families and between the
warriors and priests has weakened them considerably.
Malian, the daughter of the Earl of Night and his only
heir, is a headstrong girl who escapes her guardians when
she can but also is one who accepts her responsibility to
her people.
Two Heralds come to the House of Night with a message for
the Earl. Curious about them, Malian sneaks to the library
in the middle of the night to learn more. It is here where
she first hears a voice in her head, telling her to flee.
Luckily, she is able to rouse the keep before the
Darkswarm invaders have completed their attack. But it is
only the first battle in the war.
Helen Lowe has written a terrific book and a wonderful
first installment in an exciting new series. Regular
readers of fantasy will find some pieces of story lines
they will recognize, but Lowe twists and turns them to
create her own unique work-- a young heroine and hero (in
the form of a priest cast out from his house), lost
weapons of power that will help Malian in her quest, and
good versus evil. Lowe's vivid descriptions bring her
landscapes to life and her flowing prose— poetic in places—
caused this reader to go back and re-read passages for
their pure beauty.
Some might think of THE HEIR OF NIGHT as a "young adult"
story
because the heroine is young, and while children might
appreciate this story, adults will enjoy the adventure as
well. Lowe is a talented writer who can deftly wave a
storyline, develop multi-dimensional characters and hold
back surprises to keep her readers guessing. I look
forward to future installments in this series as well as
to reading other works of Lowe's.
If Night falls, all fall . . . In the far north of the world
of Haarth lies the bitter mountain range known as the Wall
of Night. Garrisoned by the Nine Houses of the Derai, the
Wall is the final bastion between the peoples of Haarth and
the Swarm of Dark—which the Derai have been fighting across
worlds and time.
Malian, Heir to the House of Night, knows the history of her
people: the unending war with the Darkswarm; the legendary
heroes, blazing with long-lost power; the internal strife
that has fractured the Derai's former strength. But now the
Darkswarm is rising again, and Malian's destiny as Heir of
Night is bound inextricably to both ancient legend and any
future the Derai—or Haarth—may have.
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