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Rainbow #1
Lords of Rainbow
Ages ago, in a mysterious event known as the Fall of Rainbow, the world lost all color. And now, a weak silver sun shines over a monochrome realm of infinite shades of gray....
In Tronaelend-Lis, glorious and decadent City of Dreams, of guilds and gods, courtesans and assassins, the Regent and Regentrix, sister and brother, rule a court of elegant debauchery, perverse desires, and secrets.
And into this wanton place comes Ranhéas Ylir, an eccentric and androgynous warrior woman, sworn to serve the mysterious Lord Elasand Vaeste, a man of impossible beauty, tormented by occult dreams and an unrequited love for a goddess.
Soon, loyal Ranhé is willing to fight for this one man unto death...
Meanwhile, another is willing to die for her.
But time is short for them all—out of the world's twilight rises a being of utter darkness, the one absolute source of black, whose armies approach, in an epic invasion, to claim forest and wilderness.
The only thing that stands between the darkness and the City of Dreams is an antique secret—a flicker of ancient memory of those who had once filled the world with an impossible thing called color...
In Tronaelend-Lis, glorious and decadent City of Dreams, of guilds and gods, courtesans and assassins, the Regent and Regentrix, sister and brother, rule a court of elegant debauchery, perverse desires, and secrets.
And into this wanton place comes Ranhéas Ylir, an eccentric and androgynous warrior woman, sworn to serve the mysterious Lord Elasand Vaeste, a man of impossible beauty, tormented by occult dreams and an unrequited love for a goddess.
Soon, loyal Ranhé is willing to fight for this one man unto death...
Meanwhile, another is willing to die for her.
But time is short for them all—out of the world's twilight rises a being of utter darkness, the one absolute source of black, whose armies approach, in an epic invasion, to claim forest and wilderness.
The only thing that stands between the darkness and the City of Dreams is an antique secret—a flicker of ancient memory of those who had once filled the world with an impossible thing called color...
424 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2003
24 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Vera Nazarian
86 books1,033 followersVera Nazarian is a two-time Nebula Award Finalist, award-winning artist, and member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, a writer with a penchant for moral fables and stories of intense wonder, true love, and intricacy.
She immigrated to the USA from the former USSR as a kid, sold her first story at the age of 17, and since then has published numerous works in anthologies and magazines, and has seen her fiction translated into eight languages.
She is the author of critically acclaimed novels Dreams of the Compass Rose and Lords of Rainbow , romantic Renaissance epic fantasy trilogy Cobweb Bride , as well as the outrageous parodies Mansfield Park and Mummies and Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons , Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy's Dreadful Secret in her humorous and surprisingly romantic Supernatural Jane Austen Series , and most recently the bestselling high-octane science fiction series The Atlantis Grail , now optioned for film.
After many years in Los Angeles, Vera lives in a small town in Vermont, and uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art.
Take the fun quiz to find out Which of the Lords of Rainbow do You Serve?
She immigrated to the USA from the former USSR as a kid, sold her first story at the age of 17, and since then has published numerous works in anthologies and magazines, and has seen her fiction translated into eight languages.
She is the author of critically acclaimed novels Dreams of the Compass Rose and Lords of Rainbow , romantic Renaissance epic fantasy trilogy Cobweb Bride , as well as the outrageous parodies Mansfield Park and Mummies and Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons , Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy's Dreadful Secret in her humorous and surprisingly romantic Supernatural Jane Austen Series , and most recently the bestselling high-octane science fiction series The Atlantis Grail , now optioned for film.
After many years in Los Angeles, Vera lives in a small town in Vermont, and uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art.
Take the fun quiz to find out Which of the Lords of Rainbow do You Serve?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
August 19, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: anyone
Trigger Warnings: Fairly graphic representations of sex acts (not a lot, but they are there); rape (minor and short scene, fortunately)
My Thoughts: This is another book absolutely filled with lyrical and poetic language; it is very obvious that Vera Nazarian spent a lot of time on these earlier books honing her language skills. Reading them is a sensuous act in and of itself if you enjoy words, like I do.
Nazarian has an odd tendency to describe the color of things and people with botanical terms. I first noticed this in Dreams of the Compass Rose (review here where formatting allowed). Instead of “red” she’ll use “persimmon” or “amaranth”; instead of blue/purple she’ll use “heliotrope”. I noticed at least three separate instances in the first 20 percent of this book in which she described people’s hair as “dandelion” in texture (since this is a world without color, any descriptions of color are theoretical). There is also an underlying message that leads me to believe she is at least sympathetic to PETA.
The essential idea of the book itself requires a substantial suspension of disbelief, in that you must be willing to accept that the world’s colors are affected by an external element and not perceived by each individual, as opposed to reality; for color vision is the result of the physiology of the eye, after all, and I cannot think of any specific thing that could cause the world to lose all color. This idea is actually mentioned in the book, but no real explanation as to why color perception was lost is explained. And, in fact, humans still can perceive color, in the monocolor orbs; but no color exists anywhere else. It’s a real stumper, really.
Ranhé is a most interesting character. Androgynous, skilled in almost everything, ambivalent to the world around her, and somewhat mad. Vorn is another interesting one. Nazarian does a great job overall of creating memorable characters in this book. If I were to list each of them, I would essentially need to list the entire cast, and there are quite a lot of them.
I do want to point out that hidden among all the rest of the story is a beautiful love story. It’s subtle (just the way I like it) but definitely there. Wonderful! Also, wonder of wonder and joyous days, a sequel is planned for this book, called Lady of Monochrome. I have no idea when, but I will be watching for it! Nazarian has some fun things associated with this book, like a quiz to show which Tilirr (Lord of the Rainbow) you serve at veranazarian.com/lorquiz (link where formatting allowed). Mine is Dersenne, Yellow. Find yours! Other info about the series can be found at Nazarian’s series-specific website, linked where formatting is allowed.
Another highly recommended work by Vera Nazarian. If you love a good story that is well told, don’t miss this one!
Disclosure: I received an e-book copy of this text through the LibraryThing Member’s giveaway in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Imagine a world without color, illuminated by a gray sun … An unrequited love... War... mystery... exultation... An epic fantasy of unspeakable wonder...
Lords of Rainbow
Imagine a sudden brilliant flash—an artificial orb ignites, filled with peculiar impossible light...
The nature of this light bears no description. It lingers in dreams, inciting an unrequited love for a goddess.
A corrupt city is shaped like a perfect wheel, and is ruled by a sister and brother, Regent and Regentrix, by perverse desires, and by a secret...
A loyal warrior woman swears to serve a mysterious lord. At the same time, an epic invasion is precipitated by a being of utter darkness, who is the one absolute source of black in a monochrome silver world.
And amid all this, flickers an ancient memory of a phenomenon called Rainbow and of those who had once filled the world with an impossible thing called color...
Lords of Rainbow.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: anyone
Trigger Warnings: Fairly graphic representations of sex acts (not a lot, but they are there); rape (minor and short scene, fortunately)
My Thoughts: This is another book absolutely filled with lyrical and poetic language; it is very obvious that Vera Nazarian spent a lot of time on these earlier books honing her language skills. Reading them is a sensuous act in and of itself if you enjoy words, like I do.
Nazarian has an odd tendency to describe the color of things and people with botanical terms. I first noticed this in Dreams of the Compass Rose (review here where formatting allowed). Instead of “red” she’ll use “persimmon” or “amaranth”; instead of blue/purple she’ll use “heliotrope”. I noticed at least three separate instances in the first 20 percent of this book in which she described people’s hair as “dandelion” in texture (since this is a world without color, any descriptions of color are theoretical). There is also an underlying message that leads me to believe she is at least sympathetic to PETA.
The essential idea of the book itself requires a substantial suspension of disbelief, in that you must be willing to accept that the world’s colors are affected by an external element and not perceived by each individual, as opposed to reality; for color vision is the result of the physiology of the eye, after all, and I cannot think of any specific thing that could cause the world to lose all color. This idea is actually mentioned in the book, but no real explanation as to why color perception was lost is explained. And, in fact, humans still can perceive color, in the monocolor orbs; but no color exists anywhere else. It’s a real stumper, really.
Ranhé is a most interesting character. Androgynous, skilled in almost everything, ambivalent to the world around her, and somewhat mad. Vorn is another interesting one. Nazarian does a great job overall of creating memorable characters in this book. If I were to list each of them, I would essentially need to list the entire cast, and there are quite a lot of them.
I do want to point out that hidden among all the rest of the story is a beautiful love story. It’s subtle (just the way I like it) but definitely there. Wonderful! Also, wonder of wonder and joyous days, a sequel is planned for this book, called Lady of Monochrome. I have no idea when, but I will be watching for it! Nazarian has some fun things associated with this book, like a quiz to show which Tilirr (Lord of the Rainbow) you serve at veranazarian.com/lorquiz (link where formatting allowed). Mine is Dersenne, Yellow. Find yours! Other info about the series can be found at Nazarian’s series-specific website, linked where formatting is allowed.
Another highly recommended work by Vera Nazarian. If you love a good story that is well told, don’t miss this one!
Disclosure: I received an e-book copy of this text through the LibraryThing Member’s giveaway in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Imagine a world without color, illuminated by a gray sun … An unrequited love... War... mystery... exultation... An epic fantasy of unspeakable wonder...
Lords of Rainbow
Imagine a sudden brilliant flash—an artificial orb ignites, filled with peculiar impossible light...
The nature of this light bears no description. It lingers in dreams, inciting an unrequited love for a goddess.
A corrupt city is shaped like a perfect wheel, and is ruled by a sister and brother, Regent and Regentrix, by perverse desires, and by a secret...
A loyal warrior woman swears to serve a mysterious lord. At the same time, an epic invasion is precipitated by a being of utter darkness, who is the one absolute source of black in a monochrome silver world.
And amid all this, flickers an ancient memory of a phenomenon called Rainbow and of those who had once filled the world with an impossible thing called color...
Lords of Rainbow.
Read
December 28, 2013Unusual, funny, poignant, exquisite in its lapidary detail, spiced with folk images and motifs from all around the world, this tale concerns a world in which color has been leached. Nazarian has lived all over the world, and paints as well as writes--all shown to advantage here.
June 10, 2007
Let me start by saying that Vera Nazarian is very, very good at worldbuilding. It's something I've seen in her other work, too. One of the great things about her writing is that it shows us these worlds.
In this case, it's a world without color, a world transformed to shades of gray and silver. As a writer, I was curious to see how Nazarian would describe this place with such a limited palate, but she did an excellent job. I was half-expecting this to be the literary version of black-and-white TV, where everything's about the same, just filtered. Instead, this was a rich, lushly described world, one which seemed more real, thanks to its color-challenged palate.
The story itself was strong, following a warrior woman named Ranhe Ylir as she and her companions work to overthrow a siege on the city from the forces of (literal) darkness. Ranhe was a great character. She's got the traditional stoic, loner outlook, but she's much more developed and complex than the average fantasy hero. (I could hear Nazarian's voice speaking through Ranhe when she talked about her vegetarian habits, but that's just because I've seen her write about such things before.)
There were places where the story was a bit slow for my taste. I don't know whether this is a reflection of the story itself, or of my own short attention span. At times, Nazarian breaks out of the story to address the reader directly and take us on a tour of her world, and those sections didn't really work for me. Much as I admire and enjoy the worldbuilding, I prefer it to be in the context of action and the characters.
Overall though, I enjoyed the book, and would certainly recommend it. It breaks away from traditional fantasy tropes and cliches, which is always nice. The characters and relationships drew me in (though it took me a few pages to remember which one was Elasirr and which was Elasand). Personally, I don't know that I'd be up for taking a concept like a colorless world and turning it into such a richly developed novel, but Nazarian pulled it off. I'll have to go back and read more closely to figure out how she did that.
In this case, it's a world without color, a world transformed to shades of gray and silver. As a writer, I was curious to see how Nazarian would describe this place with such a limited palate, but she did an excellent job. I was half-expecting this to be the literary version of black-and-white TV, where everything's about the same, just filtered. Instead, this was a rich, lushly described world, one which seemed more real, thanks to its color-challenged palate.
The story itself was strong, following a warrior woman named Ranhe Ylir as she and her companions work to overthrow a siege on the city from the forces of (literal) darkness. Ranhe was a great character. She's got the traditional stoic, loner outlook, but she's much more developed and complex than the average fantasy hero. (I could hear Nazarian's voice speaking through Ranhe when she talked about her vegetarian habits, but that's just because I've seen her write about such things before.)
There were places where the story was a bit slow for my taste. I don't know whether this is a reflection of the story itself, or of my own short attention span. At times, Nazarian breaks out of the story to address the reader directly and take us on a tour of her world, and those sections didn't really work for me. Much as I admire and enjoy the worldbuilding, I prefer it to be in the context of action and the characters.
Overall though, I enjoyed the book, and would certainly recommend it. It breaks away from traditional fantasy tropes and cliches, which is always nice. The characters and relationships drew me in (though it took me a few pages to remember which one was Elasirr and which was Elasand). Personally, I don't know that I'd be up for taking a concept like a colorless world and turning it into such a richly developed novel, but Nazarian pulled it off. I'll have to go back and read more closely to figure out how she did that.
October 3, 2009
Beautifully written. Sometimes these types of fantasy stories can get lost in describing every single detail – or in the author’s attempt at proving they are a “serious” fantasy writer and the story is more about the world and the quest and character development seems secondary.
I enjoyed this story because there was a good balance between world building, the quest, and the characters.
I enjoyed this story because there was a good balance between world building, the quest, and the characters.
September 28, 2014
I started reading this book just yesterday, and I stayed up until 1:30 AM to finish it. That doesn't sound impressive until you consider that my "normal" sleeping hours are 6 PM - 1 AM because I have to leave for work before 2. So it's a zombie with whacked up circadian rhythms typing this right now. Just FYI.
The breakneck speed with which I finished this really took me by surprise since the first half of Lords of Rainbow (LOR) starts off on such a leisurely pace.
When the story opens, we find ourselves in a highly-detailed world in grayscale, punctuated only by splashes of articial colored light. (Which produces an effect like slapping on Technicolor over black-and-white films.) Prose-wise, all colors are in italics. This can be jarring, but it's also an effective way of conveying the fresh shock that people here get when they stumble upon any kind of color.
We do see a main storyline, but it keeps getting interrupted by little vignettes, which I at first assumed was for world-building purposes. I had the impression of a walking tour, where a guide stopped every once in a while to point to a hippopotamus and tell you, "Oh, and did you know that Big Nellie over there once trampled a crocodile to death to save a baby diplodocus?"
It's very diverting, if you're not a fanatical I-want-my-linear-metanarrative-now! sort of person. After all, true to Vera Nazarian's style, it's a fascinating world with all sorts of fascinatingly odd people. In the decadent city of Tronaelend-Lis, we find the poor old quivering Regent Hestiam who's scared to death of twilight, and his sister, the sultry, aggressive Regentrix Deileala. There's the mad poet and the highbrow scholar who hate each other with a passion, and there's this fellow who could be incredibly rich if only he didn't want all his colorless jewels for research purposes. Plus, there's the magnetic, gender-switching Phoenix Carliserall, who deserves his/her own story, for serious.
And there's Someone talking to you, yes, you. And there's postulates. And a king in a glass casket. It's a little hard to explain.
But let me just take a moment to say: it all makes sense in the end. There's a brilliant reason why the story is structured this way. (The last time I remember being so pleasantly surprised by a novel's structure was in Pamela Freeman's Castings Trilogy where random side stories interrupted the main story... because it was really about, wait for it, democracy . Not the lords, not the metanarrative, but a story about all the little people that made the fantasy world go around. That was the most incredible thing ever. Though admittedly, it made it a little hard to get into.)
Of course, when the main story picks up steam on the second half of LOR it really picks up steam. Aside from being an adventure-and-intrigue romp in a beautifully-created fantasy world, this is an edge-of-the-seat love story, with possibly the most interesting female warrior I've ever read.
Ranhe is just love. She's courageous, whimsical, capable, compassionate, and also painfully insecure about her body and femininity. She falls into unrequited love with the gentle, idealistic nobleman Elasand who has eyes only for a goddess. And while Ranhe deals with loving him in her own practical way, there's an assassin who flits around her like an annoying blond gadfly. Or should that be a moth to a flame?
Anyway, deliciously complex love story aside, we also witness an invasion of utter darkness, displays of magical pyrotechnics, and an idiosyncratic -- dare I say colorful? -- collection of gods. This book has it all! A very, very rewarding read, on more levels than one.
The breakneck speed with which I finished this really took me by surprise since the first half of Lords of Rainbow (LOR) starts off on such a leisurely pace.
When the story opens, we find ourselves in a highly-detailed world in grayscale, punctuated only by splashes of articial colored light. (Which produces an effect like slapping on Technicolor over black-and-white films.) Prose-wise, all colors are in italics. This can be jarring, but it's also an effective way of conveying the fresh shock that people here get when they stumble upon any kind of color.
We do see a main storyline, but it keeps getting interrupted by little vignettes, which I at first assumed was for world-building purposes. I had the impression of a walking tour, where a guide stopped every once in a while to point to a hippopotamus and tell you, "Oh, and did you know that Big Nellie over there once trampled a crocodile to death to save a baby diplodocus?"
It's very diverting, if you're not a fanatical I-want-my-linear-metanarrative-now! sort of person. After all, true to Vera Nazarian's style, it's a fascinating world with all sorts of fascinatingly odd people. In the decadent city of Tronaelend-Lis, we find the poor old quivering Regent Hestiam who's scared to death of twilight, and his sister, the sultry, aggressive Regentrix Deileala. There's the mad poet and the highbrow scholar who hate each other with a passion, and there's this fellow who could be incredibly rich if only he didn't want all his colorless jewels for research purposes. Plus, there's the magnetic, gender-switching Phoenix Carliserall, who deserves his/her own story, for serious.
And there's Someone talking to you, yes, you. And there's postulates. And a king in a glass casket. It's a little hard to explain.
But let me just take a moment to say: it all makes sense in the end. There's a brilliant reason why the story is structured this way. (The last time I remember being so pleasantly surprised by a novel's structure was in Pamela Freeman's Castings Trilogy where random side stories interrupted the main story... because it was really about, wait for it, democracy . Not the lords, not the metanarrative, but a story about all the little people that made the fantasy world go around. That was the most incredible thing ever. Though admittedly, it made it a little hard to get into.)
Of course, when the main story picks up steam on the second half of LOR it really picks up steam. Aside from being an adventure-and-intrigue romp in a beautifully-created fantasy world, this is an edge-of-the-seat love story, with possibly the most interesting female warrior I've ever read.
Ranhe is just love. She's courageous, whimsical, capable, compassionate, and also painfully insecure about her body and femininity. She falls into unrequited love with the gentle, idealistic nobleman Elasand who has eyes only for a goddess. And while Ranhe deals with loving him in her own practical way, there's an assassin who flits around her like an annoying blond gadfly. Or should that be a moth to a flame?
Anyway, deliciously complex love story aside, we also witness an invasion of utter darkness, displays of magical pyrotechnics, and an idiosyncratic -- dare I say colorful? -- collection of gods. This book has it all! A very, very rewarding read, on more levels than one.
December 20, 2021
What a absolutely underated gem! The worldbuilding is hypnotising and stunning, not a moment was I bored. The novel concept of a colourless world was done so well that even I, pondered the importance and wonder of colour in our daily lives. Ranheas Ylir is to become one of my favourite protagonists, with real and vulnerable insecurities. The romance was crafted heart- rendering well.
June 14, 2015
Unusual. That's the word I would use to describe this book and its monochrome world.
Deep and minute are the words I would use to describe the characterization and the world building.
Beautiful is the word I would use to describe this book.
Unusual, deep, minute, beautiful.
Well. 5 stars.
Deep and minute are the words I would use to describe the characterization and the world building.
Beautiful is the word I would use to describe this book.
Unusual, deep, minute, beautiful.
Well. 5 stars.
January 19, 2018
This author is highly talented and outrageously creative. She created a world without color and made it so vivid in all different shades of charcoal to light gray. It was amazing to imagine this world and even feel the depression of such a place. The story was not disorganized but at times difficult to follow. The characters were multi-faceted and emotional like any real human being is from one moment to another. At one moment I loved a character and the next I wanted to yell at them. My only reason for giving 3 stars is because I was disappointed by how the story played out. As the story progressed I felt like one dissonant chord after the other kept blaring. This is a dark story, just as this world is full of shadows. Beautifully written and wonderfully illuminated in my mind.
August 6, 2013
It's so hard to know where to start a 5-star review; I have so few of them.
I could say that the world-building felt meticulous and well-planned, like something out of a Brandon Sanderson book, or that the thrilling scenes (whether fighting or falling in love) pulled me in like Sherwood Smith always does. I could say that at times the writing felt ethereal, almost like something Patricia A. McKillip or Tanith Lee could have thought of, or the light touch of sensuality brought in mind Jacqueline Carey. I could even say that the history of gravity reminded me of Guy Gavriel Kay with maybe even with some Michelle Sagara West thrown in for good measure.
I could... but no... enough of that.
In all truth, I did not know what to expect of this book or of Vera Nazarian. This is the first I have known of her and the first book I was lucky enough to read - and I thank you for that, Vera. I was enthralled from the first page envisioning the whole book in my head as we went along our-not-so-merry way. Ranhéas Ylir became some sort of grey-toned manly-woman, a riff off of the artwork of Yoshikita Amano's Vampire Hunter D, slouched upon her horse as she continues her quest to find herself. The whole world was set in startling shades of chiaroscuro until you think that maybe, just maybe, the world should actually be more like a Kunuko Y. Craft painting, rich in detail and yet soft with brilliant color, like a ray of sunshine - or a rainbow. It pulled me in so completely that I could feel the shift from colorblind layer by layer as the veils of the world was lifted to true color.
And that is about all I can say about this book. I truly enjoyed it and I look forward to picking it up again a few years hence to re-live that experience all over again. I'm not sure I can think of any better praise than that.
September 26, 2013
"Why? In this I am not of any consequence, Ranhe. If you must, I am merely the brother of the man you love. There, is that what you've wanted to hear? Go to him."
"Yes," she said. "That's possibly what I've needed to hear. And yes, I go to him now. Only no. One small correction. I go to speak with the brother of the man I love."
Every word kept me hanging till the end. The concept of a monochromatic world, where colors are only produced by guild masters. Everything was so good in this novel. I especially love Ranhe and Elassir. My second Vera Nazarian book makes me want to read all her other novels. I'll be patiently waiting for the second book "Lady of Monochrome." I just hope that the story is a continuation of what was left hanging in Lords of Rainbow, and not, just a story with a relation to the first book.
"Yes," she said. "That's possibly what I've needed to hear. And yes, I go to him now. Only no. One small correction. I go to speak with the brother of the man I love."
Every word kept me hanging till the end. The concept of a monochromatic world, where colors are only produced by guild masters. Everything was so good in this novel. I especially love Ranhe and Elassir. My second Vera Nazarian book makes me want to read all her other novels. I'll be patiently waiting for the second book "Lady of Monochrome." I just hope that the story is a continuation of what was left hanging in Lords of Rainbow, and not, just a story with a relation to the first book.
May 5, 2013
5 stars...without a single doubt!
I got this book for free on amazon and I didn't really have high expectations since I didn't even bother to check the reviews online...I was positively and hugely surprised! The beginning might seem a bit slow and confusing since the 'real' plot doesn't really start until 45-50% on the book, but it was enthralling in its slowness and descriptions. The author draws for us a grayscale world and quite a lot of secondary characters with great mastery. Indeed every character has depth and is in his/her way appealing the the reader...the only exception being maybe the coward Regent Hestiam, who is so childish that I couldn't bring myself to really hate him anyway.
The book is filled with sensuality, not exactly sex scenes (I think 3 are actually described and then only one detailed), but a sensous feeling pervades most of the book, managing with its gracefullness in never falling into the vulgar.
The only thing that left me a bit off about this book was the feeling that it isn't quite complete and something is still lacking...The relationships among the main characters are only summarely wrapped up and I would have liked to know more about the background story of the heroine in particular...the book describes some scene of her childhood but doesn't really mention about her career as a mercenary and what she has done up till she meets Elasand during an ambush. I think the writer is planning a sequel (and I really hope it is so!), but I didn't find any real information on the internet about it and until I manage to end my eyes on one, this feeling of "unwholeness" prevents me for giving the 5 stars it might deserve.
EDIT: 5 stars, a sequel is indeed planned...can't wait
I got this book for free on amazon and I didn't really have high expectations since I didn't even bother to check the reviews online...I was positively and hugely surprised! The beginning might seem a bit slow and confusing since the 'real' plot doesn't really start until 45-50% on the book, but it was enthralling in its slowness and descriptions. The author draws for us a grayscale world and quite a lot of secondary characters with great mastery. Indeed every character has depth and is in his/her way appealing the the reader...the only exception being maybe the coward Regent Hestiam, who is so childish that I couldn't bring myself to really hate him anyway.
The book is filled with sensuality, not exactly sex scenes (I think 3 are actually described and then only one detailed), but a sensous feeling pervades most of the book, managing with its gracefullness in never falling into the vulgar.
The only thing that left me a bit off about this book was the feeling that it isn't quite complete and something is still lacking...The relationships among the main characters are only summarely wrapped up and I would have liked to know more about the background story of the heroine in particular...the book describes some scene of her childhood but doesn't really mention about her career as a mercenary and what she has done up till she meets Elasand during an ambush. I think the writer is planning a sequel (and I really hope it is so!), but I didn't find any real information on the internet about it and until I manage to end my eyes on one, this feeling of "unwholeness" prevents me for giving the 5 stars it might deserve.
EDIT: 5 stars, a sequel is indeed planned...can't wait
November 9, 2011
For lack of a better term, Lords of Rainbow is a beautiful book. It was definitely a slow burn, but the payoff was worth it. I'm a sucker for well-crafted prose, especially when it's a bit over the top, and this book does not disappoint. The level of detail in the descriptions was unbelievable. Vera Nazarian excels at world building, and Tronaelend-Lis felt as real as any place I've ever been. There were several sections that could have been tightened up or eliminated-- I don't think it's EVER taken me this long to read a 400 page book!-- but overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend to fans of high fantasy and gorgeous prose. 3 1/2 stars.
August 3, 2016
I loved this book; I hate to say it but the whole way through I kept think "This needs to be in a movie!" I would love to see this world play out on the silver screen. The premise was excellent, the plot flowed well. Nazarian drew on so many characters to create this story but she carried everything through nicely to the end. I enjoyed how the story concluded; my only complaint is that I wasn't a fan of how the romantic part of the story ended. Without giving anything away, I thought it seemed stilted.
There were several sexual themes present in this book; not for young readers.
There were several sexual themes present in this book; not for young readers.
November 2, 2014
Like The Cobweb Bride series, we have another heroine who is independent, capable, and... unlovely. The story feels like it's almost entirely laying groundwork for the ending, so much history and weirdness to explain for a full appreciation when the climax bursts through at the end. This is a leisurely, sensual read, not a skimmer.
And the language... Magical and otherworldly, poetic. I've read so much inconsequential crap lately that this singlehandedly revived my IQ and made me feel clean again. Ahhhhhhh.
And the language... Magical and otherworldly, poetic. I've read so much inconsequential crap lately that this singlehandedly revived my IQ and made me feel clean again. Ahhhhhhh.
January 5, 2013
Lords of Rainbow by Vera Nazarian. Slow starter with the author laying the groundwork of discribing the layout of the city but it is well worth the read. Imagine if you can a medieval world without color only monochromatic silver, black and grey. What would you do to bring back to your world the color of the Rainbow? Such is the premise of this book. For a book that is about the lack of color it is rich in discription. Within the story is another story of self awareness of several characters.
October 22, 2012
A brave, daring story of a city in a world without colours.
Well-portrayed, developing main characters who won't give up until the end!
The author has an excellent writing style, despite some initial hickups in the Prologue, which, once you overcome this is definitely a great read.
I can definitely recommend it to those who wish for something different in the fantasy genre.
Well-portrayed, developing main characters who won't give up until the end!
The author has an excellent writing style, despite some initial hickups in the Prologue, which, once you overcome this is definitely a great read.
I can definitely recommend it to those who wish for something different in the fantasy genre.
November 10, 2013
From the onset I have to be honest: I am a lazy reader and epic fantasies really test me. I admit skipping the initial chapters to get on with the story and the core story is what I really enjoyed, a collection of conflicted and flawed characters where life doesn't just fall together overnight. I can't wait for the next book to see where it goes next.
March 22, 2014
It took me a long time to get into the groove of this one. I admit the names were hard to hold on to. And the idea of a black and white world was hard to conceive while reading. However, the lead character did win me over. Something about her strength and vulnerability finally clicked about halfway through the book and I wanted to know the rest of her story.
June 15, 2014
I read the Cobweb bride series and thought I should gives this title a try. Honestly, I am not disappointed. This novel was well worth my time. I don't know what it is about Ms. Nazarian's writing but it always strikes a cord within me. The writing is always so colorful and evocative. Very few authors have ever struck me as Ms. Nazarian does. Great author and a great novel. 5 stars
December 17, 2014
It was surprisingly good. I fell completely in love with Ranhé and Elasirr and I thought their world was interesting, if weird. I find myself looking forward to the next installment. Less one star for the lengthy exposition at the beginning of the book that nearly stalled me out. Yay for perseverance!
June 6, 2012
Fantastic story about a world with no color. Some very explicit content, but otherwise well crafted. It starts kinda slow, but give it time, it will grow on you until you can't put it down! Can't wait for the sequel!
February 7, 2013
Very weird but very good. The last book I read by this author I said was a mix of Kafka and Tanith Lee. Well, this one I would say is more I, Claudius, meets Flannery O'Connor, Tolkein and The Little Prince. With sex. See? -- Weird!!! Good!!!!
Review to come...
Review to come...
July 19, 2015
Don't think! Jump in feet first. Or cannon ball... what ever floats your boat. ;)
July 18, 2012
A whole different book then I'm used to but I have to say that I enjoyed it.
July 7, 2017
Beautiful prose. Slow paced plot. Kinda silly worldbuilding.
January 29, 2020
world loses its colours. short.
October 18, 2016
This book is gorgeously written, as Nazarian invites her readers to imagine a world of pale, faded gray, where colors are banished and/or rationed. Her descriptions are vivid and her characterizations intriguing, and a capable and sympathetic heroine stands at the center.
I don't have unqualified love for this book. I spent much of the first half being bothered by the constant characterization of Ranhe's size and strength as "masculine" or "androgynous." Her low self-esteem and the cruelty to which she is subjected at certain points in the book made me wonder if perhaps Nazarian was bullied by tall girls during her formative years and chose to take it out on her statuesque "masculine" creation. The characterization of the Regentrix is also problematic. Must a woman's enjoyment of sex always be painted unsympathetically, as "sluttiness"? And must she always be punished for it? Furthermore, must her enjoyment of sex and her owning of her sexuality always go hand in hand with knee-jerk animosity toward other women? I could almost be okay with the punishment she undergoes, as long as I can imagine it as punishment not for "sluttiness" but for treating Ranhe like crap.
(This book also makes quite a contrast to Nazarian's Cobweb Bride in that sympathetic, supportive relationships between female characters are completely missing from its pages. It squeaks by with a pass of the Bechdel Test because Ranhe and the female cook do talk briefly about food. But the only women who are shown interacting at any length are Elasand's aunt and her daughter, and even there we don't get much sense of closeness or affection. Ranhe eventually wins the friendship and respect of powerful men, but why does every single woman with whom she comes into contact look down on her? Couldn't at least one of them show her some semblance of friendship? This makes me dislike the other female characters, even though some of them are at least sorta-kinda interesting in their own right.)
Still, Ranhe is an admirable figure, and as I read the book to its conclusion I started to realize that through her, and her eventual acceptance of herself as she is and her discovery of her power, Nazarian might actually be critiquing the criticisms of warrior-woman characters as "men with boobs," showing them to be bogus and gender-essentialist. Many of the questions I have fall silent when I see the heroine overpower the Big Bad when the badass men have failed to do so, especially since I've read one too many books in which the heroine is built up to be a powerful force only to be sidelined and/or rendered ineffectual at the climax. The book also wins points with me for its inclusion of a minor but intriguing transgender character whose "transformation" affirms the novel's ethos of "Be yourself."
Some readers may have a problem with the Qurth, the villains in the story. They are black, very black, and readers may be reminded a little of Tolkien's Southrons. I would recommend this book, because it is strongly written, but be warned.
(Where is this book's sequel, Lady of Monochrome? I'd dearly love to read it...)
I don't have unqualified love for this book. I spent much of the first half being bothered by the constant characterization of Ranhe's size and strength as "masculine" or "androgynous." Her low self-esteem and the cruelty to which she is subjected at certain points in the book made me wonder if perhaps Nazarian was bullied by tall girls during her formative years and chose to take it out on her statuesque "masculine" creation. The characterization of the Regentrix is also problematic. Must a woman's enjoyment of sex always be painted unsympathetically, as "sluttiness"? And must she always be punished for it? Furthermore, must her enjoyment of sex and her owning of her sexuality always go hand in hand with knee-jerk animosity toward other women? I could almost be okay with the punishment she undergoes, as long as I can imagine it as punishment not for "sluttiness" but for treating Ranhe like crap.
(This book also makes quite a contrast to Nazarian's Cobweb Bride in that sympathetic, supportive relationships between female characters are completely missing from its pages. It squeaks by with a pass of the Bechdel Test because Ranhe and the female cook do talk briefly about food. But the only women who are shown interacting at any length are Elasand's aunt and her daughter, and even there we don't get much sense of closeness or affection. Ranhe eventually wins the friendship and respect of powerful men, but why does every single woman with whom she comes into contact look down on her? Couldn't at least one of them show her some semblance of friendship? This makes me dislike the other female characters, even though some of them are at least sorta-kinda interesting in their own right.)
Still, Ranhe is an admirable figure, and as I read the book to its conclusion I started to realize that through her, and her eventual acceptance of herself as she is and her discovery of her power, Nazarian might actually be critiquing the criticisms of warrior-woman characters as "men with boobs," showing them to be bogus and gender-essentialist. Many of the questions I have fall silent when I see the heroine overpower the Big Bad when the badass men have failed to do so, especially since I've read one too many books in which the heroine is built up to be a powerful force only to be sidelined and/or rendered ineffectual at the climax. The book also wins points with me for its inclusion of a minor but intriguing transgender character whose "transformation" affirms the novel's ethos of "Be yourself."
Some readers may have a problem with the Qurth, the villains in the story. They are black, very black, and readers may be reminded a little of Tolkien's Southrons. I would recommend this book, because it is strongly written, but be warned.
(Where is this book's sequel, Lady of Monochrome? I'd dearly love to read it...)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2019
Well. What an interesting book. Very...graphic. The book embodied all senses of the word, filled with vivid descriptions that painted colorful pictures even as they were set in black and white. Really an unusual read. It managed to surprise me with a plot twist, twice! I'm not certain how I felt about the romance. There were many things I liked about it , but it was also somewhat borderline abusive and unhealthy at times. I will say that this book had one of the best, most well-timed romantic moments I've read in a long time. (Open spoiler tag only if you have already read the book, it contains wayyyy too many spoilers otherwise. Really.)
But the romance does not overshadow the quality of the characters. Ranhé in particular was incredibly drawn -- competent, courageous, dignified, proud and loyal, yet insecure and filled with self-loathing. The assassin mentioned in the description was a fantastic anti-hero, if ever there was one. Elasand managed to be both compelling off-putting. And the rest of the cast of characters were equally well-imagined.
Update -- I forgot to mention, there is a pretty large amount of info dumping and POV jumping in the first third of the book. If you can stick it out, it gets a lot more focused and interesting.
Overall, I'd recommend this book, so long as you are prepared for some incredibly graphic scenes that you may need to cringe through.
Reading Soundtrack:
- Pain, Loss & Love - Rupert Gregson-Williams (to be played during the scene with the romantic moment mentioned above)
But the romance does not overshadow the quality of the characters. Ranhé in particular was incredibly drawn -- competent, courageous, dignified, proud and loyal, yet insecure and filled with self-loathing. The assassin mentioned in the description was a fantastic anti-hero, if ever there was one. Elasand managed to be both compelling off-putting. And the rest of the cast of characters were equally well-imagined.
Update -- I forgot to mention, there is a pretty large amount of info dumping and POV jumping in the first third of the book. If you can stick it out, it gets a lot more focused and interesting.
Overall, I'd recommend this book, so long as you are prepared for some incredibly graphic scenes that you may need to cringe through.
Reading Soundtrack:
- Pain, Loss & Love - Rupert Gregson-Williams (to be played during the scene with the romantic moment mentioned above)
December 29, 2014
This book had such a great, unique story. Her world and characters are interesting and different than I've ever read before. Unfortunately, the book really needed a good editor.
Regardless, it's absolutely worth a read if you love fantasy and are craving something new and different.
Pros:
- great, well-developed, never-seen-before protagonist; a strong female character, with depth and twists
- an interesting cast of secondary characters
- unique magic mechanic
- awesome story that kept me reading
Cons:
- a huge number of incidental characters that have too many pages dedicated to them, but never get fully developed. I like large casts in books, but most of these started promising, but then disappeared from focus.
- slow start; takes about 20% to really get going
- overuse of flowery prose. She tried hard to sound epic and literary, but hasn't mastered the style. It fell flat, almost distracting from an otherwise good book.
- I got tired of certain words always in italic wherever they appeared. It's hard not to read them with emphasis, and they didn't merit it.
There is a planned sequel to this book, and I will probably pick it up to see where the story and characters go. However, this book stands alone so you won't have to commit to a series.
Regardless, it's absolutely worth a read if you love fantasy and are craving something new and different.
Pros:
- great, well-developed, never-seen-before protagonist; a strong female character, with depth and twists
- an interesting cast of secondary characters
- unique magic mechanic
- awesome story that kept me reading
Cons:
- a huge number of incidental characters that have too many pages dedicated to them, but never get fully developed. I like large casts in books, but most of these started promising, but then disappeared from focus.
- slow start; takes about 20% to really get going
- overuse of flowery prose. She tried hard to sound epic and literary, but hasn't mastered the style. It fell flat, almost distracting from an otherwise good book.
- I got tired of certain words always in italic wherever they appeared. It's hard not to read them with emphasis, and they didn't merit it.
There is a planned sequel to this book, and I will probably pick it up to see where the story and characters go. However, this book stands alone so you won't have to commit to a series.
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