A Play of Shadow
Julie E. Czerneda
DAW, Nov 4 2014,
$20.00
ISBN 9780756408312
In the unique village of Marrowdell on the vortex of two worlds, truthseer Bannan Larmensu relishes his time with his
beloved Jenn Nalynn the turn-born with sei magic. Jenn is scared to enter the magical Verge where
she was born at A Turn of Light sunset for fear of causing the convergence and
subsequent destruction of the magic and the mortal planes; though she
rationally accepts having the love of Bannan enables her to do so without
harming others. Perhaps as frightening
is the prospect of his sibling Lila rejecting her as unacceptable as a
sister-in-law.
With his nephews arriving in Marrowdell, Bannan
learns that his brother-in-law went to Channen,
Mellynne on a peace mission, but vanished.
He also concludes their mom sent them to him to see to their safety,
which means Lila searches for her missing mate.
Knowing he cannot ignore Lila’s plight, Bannan arranges for the kids to
remain in the village while he searches for their parents; but to have any
chance of success, he needs Jenn’s help.
Though loathing making this request of her, reluctantly Bannan asks a frightened
Jenn to overcome her Verge phobia and accept her magic duality to use her
talent to take him into the dangerous realm where dragons and worse reside. Surviving those impossible odds, they would
next face hostility in malevolent Mellynne.
The second Night’s Edge fantasy is an enjoyable quest thriller occurring
mostly in the mystical Verge and dark magical Mellynne
starring two fully-developed protagonists who will have the audience saying yes
to the Lovin’ Spoonful’s Do You Believe In Magic? Although the action seems somewhat muted,
readers will appreciate touring Czerneda’s
realm with the truthseer and the turn-born as our guides.
Harriet Klausner
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