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The Tales of Nedao #2
In the Caves of Exile
The exiled Queen Ylia calls upon all of her magical powers in order to bring together the scattered survivors of her beleaguered kingdom, Nedao. This is the tale of the young Queen Ylia who chooses to accept the challenges disaster can bring. She flees from the broken and defeated city of Koderra and treks through the terrible haunted mountains to the North. Although such a perilous journey tests all of her strength and resources, it is not until she reveals herself in the full tilt of battle that it is clear how the powers that are her birthright can save her kingdom.
310 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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About the author
Ru Emerson
53 books52 followersaka Roberta Cray
Ru Emerson was born on December 15th, 1944 in Montana. She and her husband, Doug, live in Oregon with their only child, a silver mackerel tabby cat named Roberta. She likes to lift weights, run, bike, skate in-line, ski, play basketball, tennis, racquetball, garden, play guitar, scuba dive, and fly stunt kites. Her favorite reading material includes Megan Lindholm, science fiction by Larry Niven, murder mysteries by Patricia Cornwell, plus any other good historical non-fiction.
Ru Emerson was born on December 15th, 1944 in Montana. She and her husband, Doug, live in Oregon with their only child, a silver mackerel tabby cat named Roberta. She likes to lift weights, run, bike, skate in-line, ski, play basketball, tennis, racquetball, garden, play guitar, scuba dive, and fly stunt kites. Her favorite reading material includes Megan Lindholm, science fiction by Larry Niven, murder mysteries by Patricia Cornwell, plus any other good historical non-fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 1, 2018
This is The Second Tale of Nedao (the first of which is To the Haunted Mountains) and both are sob-worthy but it is the poignancy of the romantic through line that gets me the most. Yes, I cried at the end of the first book, but it is the tugging on the heartstrings from that book to this one, which highlights love lost and love’s possibilities in a much more abrasive form, that really makes me cry. Like Cherry Wilder, Emerson is a distance writer. You feel as if you are floating above her books as you read them. There is a lot of atmosphere in these books, but when we do get those flashes of intimate focus they are all the brighter for her style.
May 10, 2014
DISCLAIMER: This is a review from the child I was at least a decade ago. Bear that in mind...
This was one of the first fantasy-genre novels I can remember reading for myself. My parents had always made the Tolkien staples available to me, and I knew those stories so well that I didn't actually both to READ them until well into my late teens. Sure, there were plenty of Anne McCaffrey titles lying around the house, and there was a lot of talk about a man named Terry Brooks, but again, those stories came to me mostly through the interpretation of my parents.
When my mother brought this book home, especially for me -- because "there's a map on the inside cover, I thought you'd be into it" -- it was the first time I was really able to crawl off into a corner by myself and build the world up in my own head, from a direct, personal reading. It was a Monumental Happening. The characters and world of this novel stuck with me in perfect clarity for a long, long time and laid the foundation of what I look for in good fantasy fiction. Also, having a strong female hero to read about -- at a time in my life long before I even realized that was an issue in the world -- really made a lasting impression on me.
And, come on: Narrated by a cat! Can't go wrong there.
I will one day have to read this novel again, and form more of an adult opinion of it. But for now, I can say that I loved it then, that it pushed some of the major blocks of my thinking on genre literature into place, and that it inspired a whole new set of adventures in my young, plastic imagination. The strong central character here set a standard for me that I hope never fades from my mind. Every time I see the cover of this book, I'm reminded of what a good fantasy adventure should be; I think that deserves five stars.
This was one of the first fantasy-genre novels I can remember reading for myself. My parents had always made the Tolkien staples available to me, and I knew those stories so well that I didn't actually both to READ them until well into my late teens. Sure, there were plenty of Anne McCaffrey titles lying around the house, and there was a lot of talk about a man named Terry Brooks, but again, those stories came to me mostly through the interpretation of my parents.
When my mother brought this book home, especially for me -- because "there's a map on the inside cover, I thought you'd be into it" -- it was the first time I was really able to crawl off into a corner by myself and build the world up in my own head, from a direct, personal reading. It was a Monumental Happening. The characters and world of this novel stuck with me in perfect clarity for a long, long time and laid the foundation of what I look for in good fantasy fiction. Also, having a strong female hero to read about -- at a time in my life long before I even realized that was an issue in the world -- really made a lasting impression on me.
And, come on: Narrated by a cat! Can't go wrong there.
I will one day have to read this novel again, and form more of an adult opinion of it. But for now, I can say that I loved it then, that it pushed some of the major blocks of my thinking on genre literature into place, and that it inspired a whole new set of adventures in my young, plastic imagination. The strong central character here set a standard for me that I hope never fades from my mind. Every time I see the cover of this book, I'm reminded of what a good fantasy adventure should be; I think that deserves five stars.
August 6, 2022
Second novel in this fantasy series - better than the first but...
I enjoyed this novel more than the first in the series as it takes Ylia further along her route as future Queen on Nedao and especially concentrates on the establishment of the new colony where she sets up camp with her followers. New characters are introduced and there's plenty of action as well, mainly against the Matthkra. It's quite entertaining but I don't think that I'm enthralled enough to seek out the third in the series. Who knows?
I enjoyed this novel more than the first in the series as it takes Ylia further along her route as future Queen on Nedao and especially concentrates on the establishment of the new colony where she sets up camp with her followers. New characters are introduced and there's plenty of action as well, mainly against the Matthkra. It's quite entertaining but I don't think that I'm enthralled enough to seek out the third in the series. Who knows?
November 13, 2022
The trilogy continues with the survivors arriving and trying to surrive.
My copy has very small font and yellowed pages. The story was good but hard to read
My copy has very small font and yellowed pages. The story was good but hard to read
January 11, 2016
Looooved this book so much more than the first. More action, more romance, more plot, and character development. It's a shame this trilogy isn't as well known or as popular as I think they could be.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews