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The Ilduin #1
Shadows of Myth
"No memory, no future, and only a white rose to identify her..."
The Ilduin Bane are myth and legend: assassin mages whose blades drip poison and whose minds share a common purpose--one of death or control. All who have gone against them lost, unable to penetrate their powerful protections.
So Archer Blackcloak gathers a small band to destroy the Bane. From Archer comes strength of purpose and an indomitable will. Ratha and Giri give the group a fighter's skill and temper. They are joined by Young Tom, whose unwavering loyalty is matched by an insatiable curiosity, and by Sara Deepwell, who has a surprising talent for magic. From their last member, Tess Birdsong, the only survivor of a brutal attack that left her with no memory, comes the power of one who has nothing left to lose.
But the road to freedom is long and twisted, and before they are finished old sorrows may destroy them. Yet once started, they cannot turn back--no matter how high the price....
The Ilduin Bane are myth and legend: assassin mages whose blades drip poison and whose minds share a common purpose--one of death or control. All who have gone against them lost, unable to penetrate their powerful protections.
So Archer Blackcloak gathers a small band to destroy the Bane. From Archer comes strength of purpose and an indomitable will. Ratha and Giri give the group a fighter's skill and temper. They are joined by Young Tom, whose unwavering loyalty is matched by an insatiable curiosity, and by Sara Deepwell, who has a surprising talent for magic. From their last member, Tess Birdsong, the only survivor of a brutal attack that left her with no memory, comes the power of one who has nothing left to lose.
But the road to freedom is long and twisted, and before they are finished old sorrows may destroy them. Yet once started, they cannot turn back--no matter how high the price....
ebook
First published January 1, 2005
3 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Lee
368 books140 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Rachel Lee is a New York Times best-selling author and the winner of Six Romantic Times magazine Reviewers' Choice Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and is a five-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America's RITA® Award. She has penned a wide variety of novels in several genres including fantasy, romantic suspense, and romantic comedy. She resides in Tampa, Florida.
Rachel Lee is a New York Times best-selling author and the winner of Six Romantic Times magazine Reviewers' Choice Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and is a five-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America's RITA® Award. She has penned a wide variety of novels in several genres including fantasy, romantic suspense, and romantic comedy. She resides in Tampa, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 16, 2008
My book-sense tingled--and failed--with the selection of this fantasy novel.
The story is painful, revolving around a woman who wakes with no memory herself (turns out she's a "Witch") or her situation (the dead bodies of merchants piled all around) and is whisked off into the world to find her identity in the company of an archetypal Male, two Slave-warriors, and two seemingly normal humans (who both have Powers--ooooh)...It isn't until the last thirty-five pages that it becomes apparent she won't find out WHO she, or any of the other characters, really are until subsequent books...(Yes, this is a trilogy.)
There is but one quality worth mentioning: the English is clear and captivating. Never once did I wish to GIVE UP on the book because it was so well written...But, in the end, it just wasn't worth the read...!
Zero stars. Don't read. Period. (Not even if you are a "bored housewife".)
The story is painful, revolving around a woman who wakes with no memory herself (turns out she's a "Witch") or her situation (the dead bodies of merchants piled all around) and is whisked off into the world to find her identity in the company of an archetypal Male, two Slave-warriors, and two seemingly normal humans (who both have Powers--ooooh)...It isn't until the last thirty-five pages that it becomes apparent she won't find out WHO she, or any of the other characters, really are until subsequent books...(Yes, this is a trilogy.)
There is but one quality worth mentioning: the English is clear and captivating. Never once did I wish to GIVE UP on the book because it was so well written...But, in the end, it just wasn't worth the read...!
Zero stars. Don't read. Period. (Not even if you are a "bored housewife".)
May 12, 2020
Shadows of Myth by Rachel Lee, is the first in a trilogy. It is set in a world plunged into dark times, with crops inexplicably failing and game scarce. So Archer Blackcloak gathers an unlikely band to travel to the centre of the trouble and investigate. He is accompanied by Tess, a woman who survived a brutal attack, but without her memory, brothers Ratha and Giri, Young Tom, with an insatiable curiosity and yearning for travel, and Sara, with an unexpected talent for magic.
I really enjoyed this book. It's a quick read, and thoroughly enjoyable.
The characters were mysterious but likeable. I liked watching the characters grow and develop as the story progressed.
The story was predictable at times, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story, and there were enough mysteries and surprises to keep it interesting.
Definitely worth a read. 4 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It's a quick read, and thoroughly enjoyable.
The characters were mysterious but likeable. I liked watching the characters grow and develop as the story progressed.
The story was predictable at times, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story, and there were enough mysteries and surprises to keep it interesting.
Definitely worth a read. 4 stars
June 3, 2015
I have read a lot of Rachel Lee's books and enjoyed each and every one of them. This is the first fantasy novel of hers I have read can't wait to finish the trilogy.
December 20, 2022
It did take me awhile to get into the story, but when I got engaged, I stayed that way until the end. I did think it began to drag at the end and the pace was a bit slow, but I really liked the characters and world that Lee created.
Damn was Lee good at writing visceral visuals that left me horrified, even when I wasn't attached to anything going on. She's great at creating and then drawing out an atmosphere, especially when it comes to oppressive ones.
Damn was Lee good at writing visceral visuals that left me horrified, even when I wasn't attached to anything going on. She's great at creating and then drawing out an atmosphere, especially when it comes to oppressive ones.
January 26, 2012
I really was not a fan of this book. The beginning hooked me in and made me want to read the book. A woman wakes in the middle of carnage and has no idea who she is, where she came from or even how to speak the language. Great hook! I want to know who she is and where she came from, too. So we follow the journey of the woman who becomes known as Tess to discover her identity. She is joined on this journey by three mysterious men, the tavern keeper's daughter and the son of the gatekeeper as they journey to find those who slaughtered the caravan.
We never do find out what happened to the caravan.
Through the course of the book, characters speak of stories Tess has no knowledge of and they inform her so we, the readers, can learn of the stories without listening in on someone's thoughts or falling back on too many dream sequences. She and her companions wind up targets of the big bad whoop de whoop and a big battle happens at the end. The ending needs to go behind a spoiler for anyone who wants to read this later.
The book is a quick read and keeps chumming you along to the ending, but when you get to the end, you kinda wonder where the plot went or if it was even there to begin with. It seemed to me that the author knew these characters so intimately that we were not introduced to them as thoroughly as we should have been. There were some errors the editor should have caught that stuck out to me. The story just seemed a little flat.
We never do find out what happened to the caravan.
Through the course of the book, characters speak of stories Tess has no knowledge of and they inform her so we, the readers, can learn of the stories without listening in on someone's thoughts or falling back on too many dream sequences. She and her companions wind up targets of the big bad whoop de whoop and a big battle happens at the end. The ending needs to go behind a spoiler for anyone who wants to read this later.
The book is a quick read and keeps chumming you along to the ending, but when you get to the end, you kinda wonder where the plot went or if it was even there to begin with. It seemed to me that the author knew these characters so intimately that we were not introduced to them as thoroughly as we should have been. There were some errors the editor should have caught that stuck out to me. The story just seemed a little flat.
June 6, 2012
This book was excellent! I read it in one day; just couldn't put it down. The writing style is smooth and simple while the story is full of rich characters and an interesting world. There are some story arches and character structures that are cliche, but they are presented and handled well. I found myself completely forgiving of them, which is unusual for me. I have an immense respect for the author in the writing of this book. Her body of work is romance with this series being a singular step into a different genre. There is no romance story in this book other then the back drop story which is a little like the Helen of Troy story, but is not the driving plot by any means. Not only did she step into another genre, she did it brilliantly. Few authors have this kind of flexibly in their writing styles and I hope to see more of this from her! Great casual read without much in the way of under text, but wonderful non the less.
August 14, 2007
This was a fantasy book that I checked out basically because I liked the cover. Look, I know. Seriously... I know. You are preachin' to the choir.
I don't read a lot of fantasy (or sci-fi) because I hate the parts where the author makes you learn about a whole new world with crazy politics, magic, and words that look strangely celtic-egyptian. This book wasn't so bad.
Since I don't read many of these books I'm not sure if the plot was cookie-cutter for the genre or not. However, the names of the characters were quite, um, I don't know how to put it. I'll let you decide:
Sara Deepwell
Bandylegs
Archer Blackcloak
Tess Birdsong
to name a few. I mean, hello? Deepwell? Is that her porn name?
I don't read a lot of fantasy (or sci-fi) because I hate the parts where the author makes you learn about a whole new world with crazy politics, magic, and words that look strangely celtic-egyptian. This book wasn't so bad.
Since I don't read many of these books I'm not sure if the plot was cookie-cutter for the genre or not. However, the names of the characters were quite, um, I don't know how to put it. I'll let you decide:
Sara Deepwell
Bandylegs
Archer Blackcloak
Tess Birdsong
to name a few. I mean, hello? Deepwell? Is that her porn name?
September 7, 2008
It may be a short book, but I would recommend it to any person who like to read short stories with inner depth.
I did like the hint of romance between Archer and Tess.
A book with sorrow, death, friendship, magic and a journey. A mystery from the beggining to a solved puzzle at the end.
I did like the hint of romance between Archer and Tess.
A book with sorrow, death, friendship, magic and a journey. A mystery from the beggining to a solved puzzle at the end.
May 5, 2009
This was a fairly average romantic fantasy and I won't be rushing to read the others in the series.
August 3, 2015
Seemed like a standard fantasy book to me. You have magic, a prophecy, a shadowy force to the fought, a savior figure (one to fulfill the prophecy), soldiers, a journey, etc.
September 16, 2013
Really easy to read.
November 26, 2014
An excellent series starter!
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August 16, 2008Shadows Of Myth by Rachel Lee (2005)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews