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Indigo #3
Infanta
Her name is Indigo, color of mourning—and her home is the wide world, for she has no other. She cannot die, she cannot age—for until she lifts the curse of the Tower of Regrets, she is doomed to immortality. She has one friend, who is not human. And she has one enemy, who will haunt her footsteps until the end of time...
310 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1989
3 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
About the author
Louise Cooper
153 books230 followersLouise Cooper was born in Hertfordshire in 1952. She began writing stories when she was at school to entertain her friends. She hated school so much, in fact—spending most lessons clandestinely writing stories—that she persuaded her parents to let her abandon her education at the age of fifteen and has never regretted it.
She continued to write and her first full-length novel was published when she was only twenty years old. She moved to London in 1975 and worked in publishing before becoming a full-time writer in 1977. Since then she has become a prolific writer of fantasy, renowned for her bestselling Time Master trilogy. She has published more than eighty fantasy and supernatural novels, both for adults and children. She also wrote occasional short stories for anthologies, and has co-written a comedy play that was produced for her local school.
Louise Cooper lived in Cornwall with her husband, Cas Sandall, and their black cat, Simba. She gained a great deal of writing inspiration from the coast and scenery, and her other interests included music, folklore, cooking, gardening and "messing about on the beach." Just to make sure she keeps busy, she was also treasurer of her local Lifeboat station.
Louise passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. She was a wonderful and talented lady and will be greatly missed.
She continued to write and her first full-length novel was published when she was only twenty years old. She moved to London in 1975 and worked in publishing before becoming a full-time writer in 1977. Since then she has become a prolific writer of fantasy, renowned for her bestselling Time Master trilogy. She has published more than eighty fantasy and supernatural novels, both for adults and children. She also wrote occasional short stories for anthologies, and has co-written a comedy play that was produced for her local school.
Louise Cooper lived in Cornwall with her husband, Cas Sandall, and their black cat, Simba. She gained a great deal of writing inspiration from the coast and scenery, and her other interests included music, folklore, cooking, gardening and "messing about on the beach." Just to make sure she keeps busy, she was also treasurer of her local Lifeboat station.
Louise passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. She was a wonderful and talented lady and will be greatly missed.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 29, 2009
This book takes Indigo to the Eastern Continent. There she rescues a noble woman and her infant to be captured by the warlord that they had been fleeing from. Unexpectedly, the new ruler of the kingdom of Simhara welcomes the infant with the plans of marrying her when she comes of age. Indigo is welcomed into the palace routine as the Infanta's caretaker and companion.
But not everything is as idyllic as it seems. Every year around the Infanta's birthday she and the entire palace are plagued with nightmares of being chased by something evil. Indigo suspects that the warlord is the demon in disguise and over the yearsa of living in the palace treats him cautiously.
But as the Infanta turns eleven, it is discovered that not all is as Indigo suspects. Can she find and conquer the demon before it is too late.
This is Indigo's second demon faced. The plot for this chapter in her story is much slower paced than the first two books in the series. I found myself getting a bit impatient for the story to progress and at Indigo's slothful actions as she is lured into a false sense of security by the drugs she uses to combat the bad dreams and feelings that emanate from the unknown demon. This is probably my least favorite book in the series so far.
But not everything is as idyllic as it seems. Every year around the Infanta's birthday she and the entire palace are plagued with nightmares of being chased by something evil. Indigo suspects that the warlord is the demon in disguise and over the yearsa of living in the palace treats him cautiously.
But as the Infanta turns eleven, it is discovered that not all is as Indigo suspects. Can she find and conquer the demon before it is too late.
This is Indigo's second demon faced. The plot for this chapter in her story is much slower paced than the first two books in the series. I found myself getting a bit impatient for the story to progress and at Indigo's slothful actions as she is lured into a false sense of security by the drugs she uses to combat the bad dreams and feelings that emanate from the unknown demon. This is probably my least favorite book in the series so far.
July 8, 2019
Relectura 2019.
Todo va a mejor en esta tercera parte. La trama es mucho menos directa y conocemos ma´s del mundo y de los personajes. La clave de esta novela no es cómo nos deshacemos del demonio, sino quién es. Infierno pecaba de que era demasiado obvio, todo era blanco o negro e Índigo podría haber resuelto el problema en cien páginas de no ser por Némesis.
En Infanta pasan cosas raras. Hay un demonio, está claro, y las pistas son tan fáciles de seguir que a veces nos dan ganas de gritarle a Índigo que por qué es tan tonta. Porque con este volumen empieza la tónica que vamos a seguir hasta el final: los demonios no son criaturas enormes, flamígeras y acojonantes. Pueden estar en cualquier parte y adoptar cualquier aspecto. Pueden ser conceptos. Pueden existir en otras dimensiones.
Por otra parte, también marca la tónica en otro sentido: más vale acostumbrarse a que los personajes de un libro no aparezcan en el resto. Esta es la historia de Índigo, y cada victoria supone dejarlo todo atrás para ir en busca del siguiente demonio.
Todo va a mejor en esta tercera parte. La trama es mucho menos directa y conocemos ma´s del mundo y de los personajes. La clave de esta novela no es cómo nos deshacemos del demonio, sino quién es. Infierno pecaba de que era demasiado obvio, todo era blanco o negro e Índigo podría haber resuelto el problema en cien páginas de no ser por Némesis.
En Infanta pasan cosas raras. Hay un demonio, está claro, y las pistas son tan fáciles de seguir que a veces nos dan ganas de gritarle a Índigo que por qué es tan tonta. Porque con este volumen empieza la tónica que vamos a seguir hasta el final: los demonios no son criaturas enormes, flamígeras y acojonantes. Pueden estar en cualquier parte y adoptar cualquier aspecto. Pueden ser conceptos. Pueden existir en otras dimensiones.
Por otra parte, también marca la tónica en otro sentido: más vale acostumbrarse a que los personajes de un libro no aparezcan en el resto. Esta es la historia de Índigo, y cada victoria supone dejarlo todo atrás para ir en busca del siguiente demonio.
August 6, 2015
3.5
“ En esa fría hora que hay antes del amanecer... me volverás a ver”
Han pasado doce años desde que Anghara ahora Indigo, liberase a los siete demonios y a su Némesis de la Torre de los Pesares. Ahora, como marinera en el Kara-Karai, llega a las costas del país natal de su madre, y pronto Indigo pone rumbo a la capital de este, Simhara. Pero antes de llegar allí con un grupo de mercaderes, corre la noticia de que la ciudad ha sido asediada y que el gobernante, el Takhan, ha sido asesinado. Indigo, rechazando las advertencias sobre la seguridad de ella y Grimya, pone rumbo a Simhara, y en su viaje, se encuentra con la Takhina huyendo de los conquistadores de la capital, y en sus brazos, la durmiente Infanta.
Su huida resulta un fracaso y al final tanto la Takhina como su hija son llevadas de vuelta al palacio. Y el usurpador, el nuevo Takhan, le encomienda una misión muy importante a Indigo: ser la maestra de la Infanta, la futura Takhina de los khimizi. Indigo acepta su misión, en parte porque teme por el futuro de la niña y por otra parte porque la piedra-imán le avisa que es en Simhara donde se deberá enfrentar al segundo demonio.
La tercera entrega de la serie Indigo es muy diferente respecto a la segunda. Si en la segunda vemos que la acción es casi la protagonista, en la tercera todo se vuelve más sosegado, más… “vida palaciega”. Indigo no tiene que sobrevivir, tiene que utilizar su astucia para decidir quiénes son sus aliados y quiénes sus enemigos.
Los personajes están muy bien realizados pero no me resultaron tan carismáticos o “icónicos” como Jasker (personaje clave de Infierno). Incluso Grimya pierde protagonismo.
La actitud de Indigo se vuelve un poco irritante, incluso a veces carece de sentido o de lógica. Está claro: esta mujer para intrigas políticas no sirve. Por un lado me gustó que la autora hiciera esto, porque claro, no todos tenemos que saber cazar, ser conspiradores, matar demonios y tocar el arpa como si fuéramos la mismísima encarnación de la Madre Tierra.
Como en el anterior libro, hay una “persona de confianza” que siempre ayuda a Indigo (aparte de Grimya) pero en esta ocasión contamos con hay varias: Phereniq y Leando. Phereniq es una astrologa y la mano derecha del nuevo Takhan. Me pareció un personaje realmente estupendo; mujer madura y dulce que quiere muchísimo al Takhan, pero desgraciadamente él no siente lo mismo. Y Leando a pesar de la primera impresión que pueda dar, esconde una secreto muy, digamos,…interesante.
Ambos personajes son uno de los puntos fuertes del libro junto al misterio de quién es el demonio. Pocas personas, creo, se pueden llegar a esperar quién es el demonio. Y cuando sucede, incluso teniendo la certeza más o menos de quién puede ser, no puedes evitar asombrarte.
El final me pareció digno, pero fue bastante parecido al segundo.
Y como en el segundo libro, me hizo reflexionar. En todo momento Indigo acusa al nuevo Takhan de ser un rastrero y un asesino; claro, se trata de un usurpador mediante la violencia. Pero este hombre al contrario de lo que siempre nos pintan en los libros, engrandece “su” país, mueve la economía e intenta erradicar la pobreza. Desde el principio se pretende derrocarle pero, ¿sería bueno para el país hacerlo? A mí no me lo parece. Vale, ha llegado al poder de una manera poco moral, sí. Y en el caso de que este señor se hubiese convertido en un tirano me hubiese parecido correcto, pero de la manera en la que sucede el libro creo que un levantamiento contra él es innecesario.
Concluyendo, aunque la tercera entrega de la serie Indigo es un poco más floja que las anteriores, me ha encantado seguir las aventuras de Indigo y disfrutar de un ambiente mucho más relajado. ¡El siguiente volumen promete bastante supervivencia extrema!
July 14, 2018
Volume 3 of the Indigo series is my least favourite to date. It starts out with some promise - Indigo and her sentient wolf friend Grimya have travelled to the eastern continent in search of the second demon that they must destroy. They join a caravan to travel along the coast to the city where Indigo's now deceased mother was born, but soon learn that invaders have attacked the city. Indigo and Grimya travel on alone, going through the desert to avoid any soldiers on the road, and find an injured woman at an oasis, with her baby daughter. She tells them she is the wife of the city's ruler and that they must help her escape or her child will be murdered. Unfortunately, troops arrive, led by a nobleman who the woman denounces as a traitor: he is one of the indigenous nobility who is now working for the conqueror.
Indigo, Grimya, the woman and her baby are all conveyed to the city but there, despite Indigo's immediate assumption that the conqueror must be the demon, they are treated kindly and decently, even though there have been some deaths - the old ruler among them. The widow refuses to care for her child and Indigo is asked to take charge of the Infanta - the child's title - and her household. Initially she plans to act against the conqueror but things start to slide: she makes friends with his court astrologer and starts to take various drugs that the woman offers her to help her to sleep - for she suffers nightmares which worsen in the months before the Infanta's birthday. This becomes a repeating pattern each year with the Infanta herself also apparently affected as well as others in the palace.
Eventually, Indigo is drawn into a conspiracy to overthrow the new ruler but this doesn't go far - the chief conspirators are packed off to the Jewel Islands as ambassadors and without them, the only other member still in the capital refuses to act. He is a relic seller at the Sea goddess' temple and has a background which includes information that would be vital to Indigo if he would only divulge it. Years drag by and Indigo is completely ineffective as she lives an idyll at the palace, helping to raise the Infanta who is destined to marry the conqueror. Meanwhile, the heat and the city environment are not great for Grimya who has far less to do in this book which may be why it is the weakest in the series: Indigo is a wimp throughout this story until near the end and has the wool pulled right over her eyes. As I'd guessed the "twist" before very long into the story, it made the character seem rather stupid into the bargain. The writing itself isn't weak but the plotline and characterisation are, and there is also some very graphic violence which seems unnecessary, so all in all this can only scrape up 2 stars from me.
Indigo, Grimya, the woman and her baby are all conveyed to the city but there, despite Indigo's immediate assumption that the conqueror must be the demon, they are treated kindly and decently, even though there have been some deaths - the old ruler among them. The widow refuses to care for her child and Indigo is asked to take charge of the Infanta - the child's title - and her household. Initially she plans to act against the conqueror but things start to slide: she makes friends with his court astrologer and starts to take various drugs that the woman offers her to help her to sleep - for she suffers nightmares which worsen in the months before the Infanta's birthday. This becomes a repeating pattern each year with the Infanta herself also apparently affected as well as others in the palace.
Eventually, Indigo is drawn into a conspiracy to overthrow the new ruler but this doesn't go far - the chief conspirators are packed off to the Jewel Islands as ambassadors and without them, the only other member still in the capital refuses to act. He is a relic seller at the Sea goddess' temple and has a background which includes information that would be vital to Indigo if he would only divulge it. Years drag by and Indigo is completely ineffective as she lives an idyll at the palace, helping to raise the Infanta who is destined to marry the conqueror. Meanwhile, the heat and the city environment are not great for Grimya who has far less to do in this book which may be why it is the weakest in the series: Indigo is a wimp throughout this story until near the end and has the wool pulled right over her eyes. As I'd guessed the "twist" before very long into the story, it made the character seem rather stupid into the bargain. The writing itself isn't weak but the plotline and characterisation are, and there is also some very graphic violence which seems unnecessary, so all in all this can only scrape up 2 stars from me.
November 26, 2024
Dos cosas le destaco a esta serie, si bien recién estoy en el tercer libro de ocho: la primera es que sea protagonizada por una mujer en una época en que la fantasía pertenecía a los hombres, y la segunda es que hasta ahora los tres libros fueron absolutamente distintos uno del otro.
Y siendo que éste se publicó en 1989, se nota que el estilo es diferente a los libros modernos. Por momentos, acostumbrada a autores de hoy, se siente esa diferencia, pero nunca tardo en volver a sumergirme en el argumento.
Me gustó especialmente la ambientación, a cada libro Indigo y Grimya –que aparece muy poco en éste– cambian de región, y además del consabido salto temporal que se anticipó en el primer libro éste se sitúa en una ciudad bella y exótica. Y es más político e intrigante que de acción.
Otra cosa que aprecié mucho es que se nota la evolución en la personalidad de Indigo. No sólo ya no se siente tan agobiada por la culpa, si bien nunca olvida su enorme responsabilidad, sino que está volviéndose más y más querible. Además de que es mucho más cariñosa con Grimya (merecés el mundo Grimya), ahora la escucha y le pide consejos. Y finalmente está ganando el autocontrol que espero desde el primer libro, su carácter explosivo sigue existiendo pero con el paso del tiempo fue aprendiendo a mantenerlo a raya.
Hay varios personajes que me gustaron mucho, y en general sentí que había mucha variedad y más complejidad que en los dos libros anteriores.
Sólo le critico que hay un misterio que se alargó muchísimo más de lo que debía, o dio pistas demasiado pronto. Pero después realmente disfruté leyéndolo, especialmente porque hace muy buenos finales, redondeando todo en poco tiempo sin que se sienta apresurado.
Y siendo que éste se publicó en 1989, se nota que el estilo es diferente a los libros modernos. Por momentos, acostumbrada a autores de hoy, se siente esa diferencia, pero nunca tardo en volver a sumergirme en el argumento.
Me gustó especialmente la ambientación, a cada libro Indigo y Grimya –que aparece muy poco en éste– cambian de región, y además del consabido salto temporal que se anticipó en el primer libro éste se sitúa en una ciudad bella y exótica. Y es más político e intrigante que de acción.
Otra cosa que aprecié mucho es que se nota la evolución en la personalidad de Indigo. No sólo ya no se siente tan agobiada por la culpa, si bien nunca olvida su enorme responsabilidad, sino que está volviéndose más y más querible. Además de que es mucho más cariñosa con Grimya (merecés el mundo Grimya), ahora la escucha y le pide consejos. Y finalmente está ganando el autocontrol que espero desde el primer libro, su carácter explosivo sigue existiendo pero con el paso del tiempo fue aprendiendo a mantenerlo a raya.
Hay varios personajes que me gustaron mucho, y en general sentí que había mucha variedad y más complejidad que en los dos libros anteriores.
Sólo le critico que hay un misterio que se alargó muchísimo más de lo que debía, o dio pistas demasiado pronto. Pero después realmente disfruté leyéndolo, especialmente porque hace muy buenos finales, redondeando todo en poco tiempo sin que se sienta apresurado.
January 7, 2025
My least favorite in the series by far. it starts off very promising, with Macce and the Kara Karai. (Macce as a character is wonderful.)
It has more complex relationships and character development than its predecessors. It has some beautiful imagery and solid worldbuilding. Though still present, the hyperbole is toned down.
Indigo ventures into the desert, rescues a queen and her baby, and ends up in a city that has been invaded by a usurper (now king).
All of this is fine. I just could not stomach the entire plot of Indigo's compliance in raising this baby to be a child bride for the usurper/king figure.
It seems like a necessary evil at first, but the story never really acknowledges it as a tragedy.
In this culture, girls are considered legal adults at age 12. The wedding is held when the girl reaches 11 years old. No one takes issue with this. And when the king dies, he is mourned as a decent man, and somehow the true victim?
He deserved much worse than what he got. There was literally an entire section about him being excited to groom her and aroused by her innocence.
I understand that the girl was actually technically a demon in the end- but no one is aware of this fact for most of the book. Yet they all just allow this to happen to her with little to no qualms; including Indigo, who typically denounces injustice and evil when she sees it.
There was a line about this girl when she was 6 years old, describing her as beginning to develop adult beauty!
This whole situation is an extremely glaring flaw that I am unwilling to overlook. Aside from that, the book had a lot of potential.
Idk, if I'm misunderstanding something or if there's some greater explanation that I'm missing, feel free to let me know...
It has more complex relationships and character development than its predecessors. It has some beautiful imagery and solid worldbuilding. Though still present, the hyperbole is toned down.
Indigo ventures into the desert, rescues a queen and her baby, and ends up in a city that has been invaded by a usurper (now king).
All of this is fine. I just could not stomach the entire plot of Indigo's compliance in raising this baby to be a child bride for the usurper/king figure.
It seems like a necessary evil at first, but the story never really acknowledges it as a tragedy.
In this culture, girls are considered legal adults at age 12. The wedding is held when the girl reaches 11 years old. No one takes issue with this. And when the king dies, he is mourned as a decent man, and somehow the true victim?
He deserved much worse than what he got. There was literally an entire section about him being excited to groom her and aroused by her innocence.
I understand that the girl was actually technically a demon in the end- but no one is aware of this fact for most of the book. Yet they all just allow this to happen to her with little to no qualms; including Indigo, who typically denounces injustice and evil when she sees it.
There was a line about this girl when she was 6 years old, describing her as beginning to develop adult beauty!
This whole situation is an extremely glaring flaw that I am unwilling to overlook. Aside from that, the book had a lot of potential.
Idk, if I'm misunderstanding something or if there's some greater explanation that I'm missing, feel free to let me know...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2019
This, the 3rd in the series, was better than the first two. The story line is interesting and fairly well-developed. It's just the hyperbole that I don't care for.
May 16, 2019
Leed si queréis la review del primero de la saga, pero casi mejor que os olvidéis de la saga, de la review y de la autora. Hay cosas mucho mejores dentro del género pululando por las librerías.
January 11, 2020
This has been my favorite in this series this far. The first book is a little slow, and the second book is frustrating...but this book was truly a pleasure to read.
January 11, 2021
Una de las primeras obras de alta fantasía que leí sin saber que era este subgenero. Me gustó muchísimo, recordemos que cuando se escribió no existía el internet de hoy día.
January 27, 2023
Desarrollo lento pero gran desenlace
August 26, 2012
This is as far as I got with the series - I had hoped that after a slow start, things would begin moving more quickly (i.e., dealing with more than one [of the challenges the main character was compelled to resolve before her quest would be complete] per book), but with this one it became obvious that was not going to happen, and it wasn't good enough a story to get me to buy FIVE MORE BOOKS to finish the whole thing.
December 3, 2015
Este Libro levanta mucho con respecto al anterior. Los personajes están mas desarrollados, la historia te mantiene con la intriga de quien es el verdadero demonio.
Algunas descripciones de lugares me gustaron mucho, y la autora hace mucho hincapie en los personajes femeninos.
Va repuntando, veremos que me espera con el Cuarto Libro.
Algunas descripciones de lugares me gustaron mucho, y la autora hace mucho hincapie en los personajes femeninos.
Va repuntando, veremos que me espera con el Cuarto Libro.
May 30, 2008
In this whole series this was the demon that made the least sense to me. The rest were obviously internal demons from our own human nature, but this one is described as "entropy." The writing was good, but I was left a little puzzled.
May 12, 2008
Read in high school, don't remember much about it.
Want to read
January 29, 2009Just started chapter 7.
Read
June 21, 2012My favorite out of the first four books in the series.
September 26, 2015
not so much as the 1st book
July 25, 2011
loved this series
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews