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The Ea Cycle #2
The Silver Sword
David Zindell crafted a glorious fantasy in The Lightstone, an epic tale of good versus evil...and how far a man will go to save his world without destroying all he loves. The quest continues in The Silver Sword.On the island continent of Ea it is a dark time of chaos and war. Morjin, the evil Lord of Lies, seeks to enslave the entire world. Land after land falls under his evil power. The one thing that has the potential to destroy him is an object that has been lost for the Lightstone.The call to seek this stone was sent out by one of the few major rulers still free of Morjin's grip to all those who oppose the dreaded sorcerer.One who answered this call was Valashu Elahad, the seventh and youngest Valeri prince of the royal house of Mesh. Val and his stalwart companions have braved many dangers and fought many battles in their search for this elusive totem.It looks as if their quest may be at an end and a great victory shimmers on the horizon. But not all images are real. Is the Lightstone within Val's grasp or has he embarked upon a road too horrible to conceive?
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
6 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 30, 2021
This continuation of Zindell's epic fantasy is straight out of the Quest book, but that's not a bad thing. In fact, it's so questy that it's an utter Grail (even if it is far in the future, full of magic, and is on another planet) Quest.
Sometimes these kinds of things tickle all the fancies.
At least, it did for me. Especially after the Grand Library, two dragons (with one actually spewing fire) and all kinds of moral tests that demonstrate that not everything is treachery and sometimes being a friend is the thing that saves the world.
The best thing about this:
So many adventures -- and they all FEEL like a real progression at every step. The characters are absolutely valorous and the setbacks prove it. The grand ancient evil villain FEELS right.
The so/so:
It's all very familiar. Done well, exciting, and even glorious, but it's still very familiar. Good if that's what you're hoping for, not so much if you want something that breaks so many molds -- Like Zindell's SF series. :)
Sometimes these kinds of things tickle all the fancies.
At least, it did for me. Especially after the Grand Library, two dragons (with one actually spewing fire) and all kinds of moral tests that demonstrate that not everything is treachery and sometimes being a friend is the thing that saves the world.
The best thing about this:
So many adventures -- and they all FEEL like a real progression at every step. The characters are absolutely valorous and the setbacks prove it. The grand ancient evil villain FEELS right.
The so/so:
It's all very familiar. Done well, exciting, and even glorious, but it's still very familiar. Good if that's what you're hoping for, not so much if you want something that breaks so many molds -- Like Zindell's SF series. :)
October 1, 2017
The second part of the first book of the Ea cycle. As exciting in parts as the first, though a little rushed in its last 50 pages, I think. I very much enjoyed reading it again, though the death of Alphanderry didn't make me as sad as it did the first time I read the books. Possibly it was because I knew what would happen, so I didn't let myself get as attached to the character...
Either way, such an enjoyable read, and coming into its own more as the story progresses.
Either way, such an enjoyable read, and coming into its own more as the story progresses.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2010
I liked this book. The quest was full of adventures and interesting challenges and characters.
September 23, 2023
I picked this up without realizing it was the second in the series, but settled down and opened it to read anyway. That's when I reaslized it was written in first person. I can sometimes get over that, but was immediately bombarded with "I" statements. I listened, I thought, I said, I told, I felt. It's much more difficult in first person to avoid repetitions, which are boring and become very obvious. First person can be a very powerful pov, but only if you can convince the reader to engage with it.
It is a second book, so this point is more my fault, but in the first four pages, there are 28 proper names of places, people and objects that I'm going to have to sift to decide what's important and what's just incidental. If it were a first book, I'd call it rushed world building, but I can't say that for sure since it isn't. So I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt for that, and rating it 3 stars, but this one will be donated and I won't look for the others.
It is a second book, so this point is more my fault, but in the first four pages, there are 28 proper names of places, people and objects that I'm going to have to sift to decide what's important and what's just incidental. If it were a first book, I'd call it rushed world building, but I can't say that for sure since it isn't. So I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt for that, and rating it 3 stars, but this one will be donated and I won't look for the others.
November 25, 2013
I loved the plot. The only reason it got three stats instead of four is because the writing could be improved.
February 13, 2019
Brilliant - I'd not read this classic until recently. We read it as a family taking in turns whilst the others were building a puzzle. We were all hooked. Wonderfully crafted book that follows a Polish family who are caught up and separated in the war and who struggle to find each other - trusting through all sorts of adversity that they will be reunited.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews