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Darwath
Elsewhere
A novelette of 15,000 words, sequel to Hambly’s Darwath series. The builders of the ancient Keep of Dare communicated with other Keeps via a transporter – whose instruction manual unfortunately did not survive the centuries. Thus, Archmage Ingold Inglorion – the only trained wizard in the Keep – and his warrior-woman partner Gil Patterson of California find themselves in what they suspect is an unknown world, with no idea how to return home, while an army of deadly ghosts starts to appear within the Keep itself.
45 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2017
19 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Hambly
205 books1,591 followersaka Barbara Hamilton
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 22, 2017
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
Elsewhere is the latest Keep of Dare novelette from Barbara Hambly. These continued adventures of Gil Patterson and Rudy Solis from late 20th Century America and their companions in the medieval, post-apocalyptic world of Darwath (including wizard Ingold Inglorion) wonderful additions to to the Darwath series.
Here Rudy Solis finds himself frantically attempting to investigate the disappearance of a number of people in the “transporter room” of the keep. (This magical room a little understood remnant of the ancient civilization which built the keep with both magic and technology over a thousand years in the past.) Among the vanished Ingold and Gil. And if attempting to decipher the mysterious workings of the room to save his friends from an unknown fate is not enough, Rudy must also deal with a plague of deadly “ghosts” which have suddenly begun to appear in the keep, killing people with their icy weapons!
From the first sentence, Hambly’s characteristic writing style masterfully creates the tense, claustrophobic atmosphere of the Keep of Dare. The ever shrinking band of survivors huddled within desperately holding onto life in a world slowly deteriorating; the climate outside turning colder and colder. food becoming more and more scarce, and the remains of civilization teetering on the edge of collapse. The claustrophobic, cavern-like hallways within the mysterious citadel as much a tomb as a refuge; their innumerable secrets, which once promised life, still undecipherable by even the wisest. The otherworldly “ghosts” which begin to haunt the living more at home in the bleak “underworld” of Dare’s Keep than the living whom they torment.
Even more compelling than the creepy atmosphere is the continued development of the returning characters, especially our main four of Ingold, Gil, Rudy, and Minalde. These people having grown and developed so much over the years; their personalities and interactions with one another so very realistic, as time and harsh living slowly take their tole on them in so many ways. Yet, for all their differences, they are still the same people who came together to face the rising of the Dark, fearlessly facing death at one another’s side.
Overall, this was yet another great Darwath story. Ms. Hambly continuing her tried-and-true recipe of creepiness, mystery, characterization, and world building to turn Elsewhere into a story that long-time fans of the series, as well as newcomers, can read and enjoy. Highly recommended!
Elsewhere is the latest Keep of Dare novelette from Barbara Hambly. These continued adventures of Gil Patterson and Rudy Solis from late 20th Century America and their companions in the medieval, post-apocalyptic world of Darwath (including wizard Ingold Inglorion) wonderful additions to to the Darwath series.
Here Rudy Solis finds himself frantically attempting to investigate the disappearance of a number of people in the “transporter room” of the keep. (This magical room a little understood remnant of the ancient civilization which built the keep with both magic and technology over a thousand years in the past.) Among the vanished Ingold and Gil. And if attempting to decipher the mysterious workings of the room to save his friends from an unknown fate is not enough, Rudy must also deal with a plague of deadly “ghosts” which have suddenly begun to appear in the keep, killing people with their icy weapons!
From the first sentence, Hambly’s characteristic writing style masterfully creates the tense, claustrophobic atmosphere of the Keep of Dare. The ever shrinking band of survivors huddled within desperately holding onto life in a world slowly deteriorating; the climate outside turning colder and colder. food becoming more and more scarce, and the remains of civilization teetering on the edge of collapse. The claustrophobic, cavern-like hallways within the mysterious citadel as much a tomb as a refuge; their innumerable secrets, which once promised life, still undecipherable by even the wisest. The otherworldly “ghosts” which begin to haunt the living more at home in the bleak “underworld” of Dare’s Keep than the living whom they torment.
Even more compelling than the creepy atmosphere is the continued development of the returning characters, especially our main four of Ingold, Gil, Rudy, and Minalde. These people having grown and developed so much over the years; their personalities and interactions with one another so very realistic, as time and harsh living slowly take their tole on them in so many ways. Yet, for all their differences, they are still the same people who came together to face the rising of the Dark, fearlessly facing death at one another’s side.
Overall, this was yet another great Darwath story. Ms. Hambly continuing her tried-and-true recipe of creepiness, mystery, characterization, and world building to turn Elsewhere into a story that long-time fans of the series, as well as newcomers, can read and enjoy. Highly recommended!
June 28, 2017
Of all Hambly's fantasy series, this is one of the two (the other being the Windrose series) that feels most unresolved. The few survivors of Darwath still face the problems of a planet at the start of a massive Ice Age and the question of how and if they'll survive looms over every story, unanswered.
Surprisingly, though, that was not the most tragic part of this story, one that again explores the mysterious 'transporter' in the bowels of Dare's Keep. Darwath is such a fascinating world, full of fragments of magic and technology that's been left behind with no record or understanding; I'm grateful for every chance we get to visit.
Surprisingly, though, that was not the most tragic part of this story, one that again explores the mysterious 'transporter' in the bowels of Dare's Keep. Darwath is such a fascinating world, full of fragments of magic and technology that's been left behind with no record or understanding; I'm grateful for every chance we get to visit.
October 13, 2019
Not a great fan of short stories; this one was OK. It was a nice look back to Darwath. I enjoyed those books a long time ago. If you hadn't read the books, this would have been confusing.
The story was pretty good. A single focus (due to the short length). There wasn't a great deal of characterization; pretty much plot-driven.
I kept wishing for a greater context for this story. The previous short (Whisper) was a richer story.
The story was pretty good. A single focus (due to the short length). There wasn't a great deal of characterization; pretty much plot-driven.
I kept wishing for a greater context for this story. The previous short (Whisper) was a richer story.
September 3, 2018
So nice to visit Gil, Ingold, Rudy and the rest in this story.
July 3, 2023
So happy to find these novelettes "the further adventures of" Hambly's various fantasy series on Kobo Plus! Blizzards and magic and portals and people being people.
October 7, 2024
Always nice to get more of a story. I know I'd already read this one in something else...
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews