Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77420 in Books
• Published on: 1997-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 512 pages

Synopsis
Seregil of Rhiminee and his companion, Alec of Kerry, attempt to save their land from an ancient evil, as Alec learns the shocking truth about his own shadowed heritage and he, Seregil, and a group of loyal companions are thrown into a deadly conflict with the ultimate evil.

Customer Reviews

more than just 5 stars
(I am not a native speaker, please overlook my style)

With the second book of the Nightrunner series, Ms Flewelling achieves the more compelling one of the three:
the plotting is particularly good, the story is definitely interesting, characterization is nearly perfect... she almost overleaps the boundaries of genre fiction (see my review of Luck in the Shadows) and seems to fall short out of choice.

I especially loved the horror touch of many scenes.
The she-necromancer is overwritten indeed, but the main villain is extraordinarily charming: call me a pervert but I do like books where the villains are comely and sexy: it makes the plot so much more interesting.
I also agree with most reviewrs about Beka Cavish: she is a weak spot, I think out of too much love of the author, willing to introduce a leading female character but unable to flesh her out properly; she tends to be commonplace in her physical appearance as well.
Nysander and Magyana, the wizards, turn out to be unusually deep figures, enjoyably imperfect.

Excellent, and this word is hardly enough, is the sentimental journey of the hero: how Seregil finally sets his love for Micum aside and admits his love for Alec; the last pages, rhetorical enough, are moving.
Alec, on his side, stops being the poor neglected inhibited orphan boy to grow mature and get out of epic fantasy clichés: his discovery of sex and love, his growing affection for Seregil may be not particularly original in themselves but are well written: he becomes no semigod, just a believable young adult.

This volume too could have been better had it been more polished; I still sense too much womanly sensitivity in the description of gay-male-characters.

In any case we have here a book to read, highly enjoyable.

Even better than the first book
I thought 'Luck in the Shadows' was a very good book. This, however, is a great book, definitely a step up from the first in the series, and approaching the brilliance of Flewelling's 'Bone Doll's Twin' books.

The best thing about this book is the characters. Alec and Seregil burn brightly from the page in a way few authors can achieve, and their relationship is beautifully handled. I only wish people were as open minded in the real world as most of the characters seem to be in Skala! The secondary characters, too, have vibrant personalities of their own, and I feel any one of them could handle a story focussed on them.

The plot, too, kicks up a gear from the first book, taking on a life of its own and becoming truly gripping - I sat up until half past two finishing this book as I couldn't bear to leave it unfinished! In my eyes, that is the mark of a really good novel. Read it read it read it!

Why Cant They Release This In Hardback?
My poor book is so worn and tattered, I think my will alone holds it together. And I know if I buy a new one it will go the same way. There is one reason for this and that is this book is one of the best that I have ever read and I've read a lot, I don't review many though...

This is the sequel to `luck in the shadows' and I didn't think this could beat it. But it bloody well did and the bar was set pretty damn high the first time. `Stalking Darkness' is a real treat, one of those rare books that can give you a nice, warm happy feeling in the centre of your stomach and make you smile and grin like an idiot because your so happy. And the next second it can shock you to the core with the brutality of it. This is one of the most intense books you could ever wish to read. Yet at the same time its so subtle sometimes you can miss the hints that you are given and when the `events' happen your shocked but you shouldn't be because you were warned.

And warnings are needed with this book. Its addictive and stimulating in more ways than one. As the characters are trying to figure out whats going on so are you. Although admittedly the reader has a slight advantage (we get extra little bits that the main characters don't know about). I'll love this book forever, its on my favourite shelf and it'll never move, some books come and go too quickly and gems can be easily missed. Whatever you do don't miss this, buy it while you can, I don't think you'll regret it.

Now onto the plot...

In the first book (Luck in the Shadows), a sixteen year old young man (Alec) is locked in a dungeon, he's been tortured and the men who had been arrested with him are already dead. He though is bound for a much worse fate, he's to be sold to the slavers. That is why his torturers never break his skin.

Fate intervenes in the form of a indignant old bard. This bard escapes the dungeon and takes Alec with him. What follows is a whirlwind journey. Alec is in the company of a thief/noble/spy, named Seregil, who takes him on as an apprentice. Alec learns many things, like how to jigger a complex lock, how to eat complex shellfish at a dinner party or in a tavern and how to use a sword.

Seregil however is more than he appears, though he is a good man and means no harm to Alec his actions lead to some of the most desperate/horrible circumstances for young Alec.


And this continues into the second book (this one) where something Seregil stole in the first book comes back to haunt him, by taking the one he loves away from him. His love is to be used as a sacrifice to the enemies god, to bring its power back into the world.

In the background is the war between Skala (Good guys) and Plenimar (Bad guys). Admidst the preparations and opening skirmishes is another type of battle, being fought in the streets and sewers of Rhiminee (Skala's capital). Where old acquaintances bob up from time to time, a lot of times face first in the water, the rest of the time with swords in their hands.


The minor characters in this story are very well defined, each having their own roles and meanings, which sets this apart from other novels that use minor characters as fillers. Everyone in this book has a role to play and this gives this book a depth that is sadly lacking in a lot of other novels out today. The main characters in particular are fantastic. Seregil and Alec, the perfect double team, Nysander, the old, wise wizard, Thero, his disgruntled apprentice and the bad guys, Vargul Ashaznai and Lord Mardus, nasty pieces of work, who really don't care what they do.

I know I gave a lot of information but that's the best way to write a review, on a last note, buy this and petition for a hardback release, I really need it...