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The Veil #2
The Borderkind
For centuries they lived amongst us. The frightful and wondrous, the angelic and bloodthirsty. Living in a reality just beyond the Veil, humanity’s myths and legends are caught in a struggle for their very survival—against hunters far more powerful than they are.
Into this struggle has stepped a New England lawyer who once wanted to be an actor—a man who both longs for the mortal woman he was to marry and is desperate to rescue the sister who’s been taken hostage. Neither hero nor warrior, Oliver Bascombe now finds himself brandishing a magical sword, walking in the company of a woman who sometimes appears as a fox and a man made of pure ice, and dueling with albino giants and winged killers. For in the world of the Borderkind—and the realms that exist beyond it—Oliver is discovering just how vulnerable are humankind’s myths, the dire consequences of their extinction, and the reason he was chosen to save them.…
Into this struggle has stepped a New England lawyer who once wanted to be an actor—a man who both longs for the mortal woman he was to marry and is desperate to rescue the sister who’s been taken hostage. Neither hero nor warrior, Oliver Bascombe now finds himself brandishing a magical sword, walking in the company of a woman who sometimes appears as a fox and a man made of pure ice, and dueling with albino giants and winged killers. For in the world of the Borderkind—and the realms that exist beyond it—Oliver is discovering just how vulnerable are humankind’s myths, the dire consequences of their extinction, and the reason he was chosen to save them.…
375 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
10 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
798 books2,963 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 27, 2010
I enjoyed the second installment, but something about the pacing just doesn't sit right with me. I think because we are dealing with fractured viewpoints, in the quests of Oliver, the Borderkind, and Julianna/Halliwell, and the experiences of Collete and Halliwell's daughter, Sara. Oliver and the Borderkind seems to lurch from fight to fight, while Julianna/Halliwell struggle with being behind the Veil and the remaining two women just try and cope. Which leads me to another difficulty I had with the books; the overall treatment and role of women.
January 29, 2010
This series gets better as it goes along. The writing, I think, still leaves a lot to be desired. It's filled with cliches and is overly repetitive, continually summarizing and resummarizing the dire situation the characters find themselves in, describing and redescribing how Frost looks, and what is it with the "finger of dread" that pops up in every chapter. I've never felt a finger of dread in my life. Scared as hell, yeah, but no finger (thankfully).
That gripe out of the way, this story is worth it to watch the relationships develop between the characters, especially the pairs: Kitsune and Oliver on the one hand, and Julianna and Ted Halliwell on the other. The juxtaposition is a little overhanded and not very subtle, but still well done, and, while I was a critic of Oliver and Julianna's relationship and questioned the true extent of his feelings for her and the contrived nature by which he rediscovers them, I was actually really happy when they were reunited, while at the same time absolutely devastated for Kit, which is a wonderful sort of paradox to feel from a fantasy book.
The Atlantean conspiracy lacks real motivation I think, and Ty'Lis is not too impressive a bad guy. I though Sandman far more menacing and dark, and his brotherly battle with the Dustman is what fantasy epics are all about. I have a question for Golden though: do your main characters ever stand fight, or do they always just book it when trouble starts to brew? Just kidding. Actually, the battle scenarios and ensuing escapes kind of lends a feeling of enormity to the figures who are fighting. Like Frost and Kit are powerful and they do amazing things, but they're nowhere near the level of these other myths/legends.
My only request: More Nagas! (and Jaguar people, but to a lesser extent)
That gripe out of the way, this story is worth it to watch the relationships develop between the characters, especially the pairs: Kitsune and Oliver on the one hand, and Julianna and Ted Halliwell on the other. The juxtaposition is a little overhanded and not very subtle, but still well done, and, while I was a critic of Oliver and Julianna's relationship and questioned the true extent of his feelings for her and the contrived nature by which he rediscovers them, I was actually really happy when they were reunited, while at the same time absolutely devastated for Kit, which is a wonderful sort of paradox to feel from a fantasy book.
The Atlantean conspiracy lacks real motivation I think, and Ty'Lis is not too impressive a bad guy. I though Sandman far more menacing and dark, and his brotherly battle with the Dustman is what fantasy epics are all about. I have a question for Golden though: do your main characters ever stand fight, or do they always just book it when trouble starts to brew? Just kidding. Actually, the battle scenarios and ensuing escapes kind of lends a feeling of enormity to the figures who are fighting. Like Frost and Kit are powerful and they do amazing things, but they're nowhere near the level of these other myths/legends.
My only request: More Nagas! (and Jaguar people, but to a lesser extent)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2007
In this second volume of a modern fantasy trilogy, Golden satisfactoily ties up some of the unanswered questions from the first volume, introduces some interesting new characters, and still leaves the reader anxious for the overall conclusion. My only reservation was that it did seem to be a bit over-long in the middle section and could have been edited down some, but the final section rocketed along and offered some surprising yet convincing developments.
August 10, 2014
I started reading this book right after I finished the first one in the series because it had stopped right in the middle of the story with zero resolution.
Unfortunately, after getting into it the pace of the book was so slow and drawn out it took me a month to finish. I think the concept of this series is interesting, but it would have been better if the first two books were combined into one and a lot of the repetitive thoughts and actions of the characters was cut out.
Unfortunately, after getting into it the pace of the book was so slow and drawn out it took me a month to finish. I think the concept of this series is interesting, but it would have been better if the first two books were combined into one and a lot of the repetitive thoughts and actions of the characters was cut out.
September 11, 2024
I love this series so much!! Folklore and fairytales come to life? This series is totally the kind story that make me fall in love! In this second of three books, Oliver Bascombe is on the hunt for many things. He wants to find his sister, who has been kidnapped by the Sandman. He wants to help his friends with their war. He wants to get pardons from the Kings of the Two Kingdoms, so he can go home to his fiancé. Jack Frost, the main reason Oliver is stuck in the world beyond the Veil, is leading a group of Borderkind and Myth against a group of Hunters that are trying to make them extinct. The Borderkind are the legends that still have people in our world that know the stories and carry on the belief. Besides Frost, there is Kitsune, the Japanese Trickster that shifts from Fox to Woman at the drop of a Hat; Blue Jay, a native American Trickster, that also shifts from man to bird; Cheval, a kelpy (yes, I had to look this one up!) a Scottish Water horse; Leicester Grindylow, a boggart; and the Mazikeen, who are some kind of sorcerers. And a whole host of other mythology's come to life: The Atlanteans, Perytons, the Dustman, the Manticore, Jezi-Baba, and more.
Love the story about a mortal man, thrust through the Veil and having to become a hero. Any story with a quest is usually high on my list. This is no exception. Can't wait to read the final book in this series.
Love the story about a mortal man, thrust through the Veil and having to become a hero. Any story with a quest is usually high on my list. This is no exception. Can't wait to read the final book in this series.
January 21, 2021
An overall enjoyable read and a decent plot... in theory.
The book does however suffer from pacing issues as well as fractured narration where the chapter will jump between the various plots. Though interruptive it is not hard to follow and adjust. I have three major detractors, spoilers ahead. With the pacing the fights and injuries have no consistency/consequences unless a character dies. Oliver and Kitune are poisoned and recover in the same scene. His sister is hurt by sandman and then it is never mentioned again. Another problem is that I care very little for the characters as they are barely introduced and it is apparently assumed you will recognize their legend? When trying to research when unsure I did not always get satisfying information, which the author could have given in a paragraph or two. Lastly and this is my biggest one. The shoehorn of a love triangle. Kitsune is a trickster and just... should be smarter than this.
The book does however suffer from pacing issues as well as fractured narration where the chapter will jump between the various plots. Though interruptive it is not hard to follow and adjust. I have three major detractors, spoilers ahead. With the pacing the fights and injuries have no consistency/consequences unless a character dies. Oliver and Kitune are poisoned and recover in the same scene. His sister is hurt by sandman and then it is never mentioned again. Another problem is that I care very little for the characters as they are barely introduced and it is apparently assumed you will recognize their legend? When trying to research when unsure I did not always get satisfying information, which the author could have given in a paragraph or two. Lastly and this is my biggest one. The shoehorn of a love triangle. Kitsune is a trickster and just... should be smarter than this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2019
Cheesy, but not bad. Sad ending....boo...lol
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January 10, 2021 i enjoyed it even though it was a slower read
February 2, 2022
I think I’ve outgrown these never ending fantasy series.
May 16, 2024
Very good. All the mythical characters make it very interesting.
October 31, 2014
Sequel to The Myth Hunters, The Borderkind follows Oliver Bascombe and his legendary companions as they continue their quest to defend the Borderkind from the Hunters who would wipe them out. But the company soon splits ways, as Jack Frost and the majority of the legends track down the name Frost received at the end of the previous book, while Oliver and Kitsune track down Oliver's sister. But Oliver's fiancè and the detective tracking him down have walked through the Veil, and they'll have a hard enough surviving, let alone finding a man whose companions allow him to skip from one side of the Veil to the other whenever they please.
The novelty of the first book has not worn off here, as the legends represented come from a wide variety of cultures. Another Chinese myth, Li, god of fire, joins the party (and like Gong Gong, he rather gets the short end of the stick... is there something about the Chinese?), along with Grindylow, a French kelpy, and a big hairy thing from no legend I've heard. On the enemy side, Pteryons are the main face of the enemy (and I can picture them PERFECTLY thanks to Shadow Hearts), but hardly the only ones.
Despite Frost splitting off from Oliver, the story rotates between all characters of interest, so there's no unexplained gaps leaving cruel cliffhangers. Collette's imprisonment impressed me for the intensity of terror when she spends the majority of the book alone in a cell of sand. And it is Collete that begins to discover the reasons why she and Oliver have become targets. I also greatly admire Oliver's restraint with Kitsune, though it turns against him in the end.
This book throws in a bit of prophecy, which would have been nice to do without. Honestly, do we have to have a destined hero? My other complaint is a little more substantial: with so many characters in play, many of the betrayals and unexpected alliances felt shallow. Particularly when their myths are so unfamiliar, I think it would have been nice to get some of the stories worked in to help build character. As it was, even when certain people died, I didn't feel too badly, because I hardly knew them at all.
The twist at the end was interesting, but made me laugh more than wince. Poor Oliver. He should've known better. But if Frost died I will be quite angry.
This was a good continuation to The Myth Hunters, but it wasn't as good as the first book. I didn't feel as much attachment to the characters. Kitsune got a lot of new development, but Frost was so busy playing Mr. Silent Leader that I was scrambling to remember what he was like from the first book. And what was with the Sandman in about one paragraph? I liked this book, but I'm hoping the third one will be more like the first than the second. Recommended.
The novelty of the first book has not worn off here, as the legends represented come from a wide variety of cultures. Another Chinese myth, Li, god of fire, joins the party (and like Gong Gong, he rather gets the short end of the stick... is there something about the Chinese?), along with Grindylow, a French kelpy, and a big hairy thing from no legend I've heard. On the enemy side, Pteryons are the main face of the enemy (and I can picture them PERFECTLY thanks to Shadow Hearts), but hardly the only ones.
Despite Frost splitting off from Oliver, the story rotates between all characters of interest, so there's no unexplained gaps leaving cruel cliffhangers. Collette's imprisonment impressed me for the intensity of terror when she spends the majority of the book alone in a cell of sand. And it is Collete that begins to discover the reasons why she and Oliver have become targets. I also greatly admire Oliver's restraint with Kitsune, though it turns against him in the end.
This book throws in a bit of prophecy, which would have been nice to do without. Honestly, do we have to have a destined hero? My other complaint is a little more substantial: with so many characters in play, many of the betrayals and unexpected alliances felt shallow. Particularly when their myths are so unfamiliar, I think it would have been nice to get some of the stories worked in to help build character. As it was, even when certain people died, I didn't feel too badly, because I hardly knew them at all.
The twist at the end was interesting, but made me laugh more than wince. Poor Oliver. He should've known better. But if Frost died I will be quite angry.
This was a good continuation to The Myth Hunters, but it wasn't as good as the first book. I didn't feel as much attachment to the characters. Kitsune got a lot of new development, but Frost was so busy playing Mr. Silent Leader that I was scrambling to remember what he was like from the first book. And what was with the Sandman in about one paragraph? I liked this book, but I'm hoping the third one will be more like the first than the second. Recommended.
September 20, 2010
While not as good as the first book in this series, this installment is still pretty damned good. It suffers from two pretty big flaws, though, in my opinion:
1) My personal perception of the world Golden has created-- I was completely blown away in the first installment at how imaginative the world beyond the Veil was described. By book two, I had gotten over it. It wasn't as imaginative. Is this because I had experienced it already and knew what to expect? Or is it because Golden sort of skimps on the details in order to make room for the larger story he's telling? I haven't really decided.
2) Golden's bar might have been set a little too high-- There is simply too much going on in this book. It starts out simply enough- a direct conitnuation of where book one leaves off, in fact- but by page one hundred we have our cast of characters split into three different parties. Frost and the Borderkind are searching for Ty'Lis. Olive and Kitsune are searching for Collette. Halliwell and Julianna are searching for Oliver. Then, we add in Collette herself and her attempts to escape from the Sandman's castle. There's a lot going on and it bogs the book down. Not to mention the need to switch to one of the other parties just as something exciting is about to happen.
With all of that said, I have to admit that I was pretty well riveted. Yes, the book slows down a bit in various spots, but Golden knows how to step it up a notch or two without letting on that he's done it. This installment sets up the next PERFECTLY and I look forward to seeing how all of this ends.
1) My personal perception of the world Golden has created-- I was completely blown away in the first installment at how imaginative the world beyond the Veil was described. By book two, I had gotten over it. It wasn't as imaginative. Is this because I had experienced it already and knew what to expect? Or is it because Golden sort of skimps on the details in order to make room for the larger story he's telling? I haven't really decided.
2) Golden's bar might have been set a little too high-- There is simply too much going on in this book. It starts out simply enough- a direct conitnuation of where book one leaves off, in fact- but by page one hundred we have our cast of characters split into three different parties. Frost and the Borderkind are searching for Ty'Lis. Olive and Kitsune are searching for Collette. Halliwell and Julianna are searching for Oliver. Then, we add in Collette herself and her attempts to escape from the Sandman's castle. There's a lot going on and it bogs the book down. Not to mention the need to switch to one of the other parties just as something exciting is about to happen.
With all of that said, I have to admit that I was pretty well riveted. Yes, the book slows down a bit in various spots, but Golden knows how to step it up a notch or two without letting on that he's done it. This installment sets up the next PERFECTLY and I look forward to seeing how all of this ends.
September 25, 2007
Warning: This review contains spoilers
Spoiler space to protect those who do not want to see any spoilers. I really wish they'd get some kind of cut so I wouldn't have to type a bunch of meaningless stuff to take up space so that people could avoid spoilers.
I enjoyed the book and thought it was a good sequel to Myth Hunters. The characters continue to be interesting, though I confess I wasn't thrilled with what the changes in Haliwell's character.
The book was good until about the last chapter when suddenly the villain breaks about every rule in the Evil Overlord List which was very disappointing. At least when it happens in The Dresden Files Harry makes a snappy comment about the fact that the villain is doing it. In this book you just want to roll your eyes and say "Really? You're going to gloat and tell me all the ins and outs of your evil plan? Have you never read a book or seen a movie?"
So, good book until the last chapter which is just atrocious. I have no idea if this is supposed to be a series or a trilogy but the end of this book definitely had me thinking it was going to be a trilogy, complete with the requisite weak second book/movie.
Spoiler space to protect those who do not want to see any spoilers. I really wish they'd get some kind of cut so I wouldn't have to type a bunch of meaningless stuff to take up space so that people could avoid spoilers.
I enjoyed the book and thought it was a good sequel to Myth Hunters. The characters continue to be interesting, though I confess I wasn't thrilled with what the changes in Haliwell's character.
The book was good until about the last chapter when suddenly the villain breaks about every rule in the Evil Overlord List which was very disappointing. At least when it happens in The Dresden Files Harry makes a snappy comment about the fact that the villain is doing it. In this book you just want to roll your eyes and say "Really? You're going to gloat and tell me all the ins and outs of your evil plan? Have you never read a book or seen a movie?"
So, good book until the last chapter which is just atrocious. I have no idea if this is supposed to be a series or a trilogy but the end of this book definitely had me thinking it was going to be a trilogy, complete with the requisite weak second book/movie.
February 2, 2009
Bringing the tale closer to its conclusion, The Borderkind possesses a darker and more determined tone than the previous novel.
As Oliver becomes more accustomed and resigned to his new surroundings, we witness a transformation. Through the tasks set before him, Oliver is driven to embrace the warrior persona he's been forced to adopt, finding that he's far better suited to this role than he ever imagined.
However, despite fierce challenges, new foes, vast conspiracies, and his separation from his friends, Oliver still retains the empathetic and honorable nature that made him such a wonderful hero from the beginning.
Christopher Golden continues to expand upon the world of legend, while at the same time granting us a clearer look as to what's going on in the ordinary world in the wake of Oliver's disappearance. The activities in the mundane world grow in importance in The Borderkind.
Overall, this installment is wonderful, with an ending that will have you reaching automatically for the third and concluding novel of the series.
As Oliver becomes more accustomed and resigned to his new surroundings, we witness a transformation. Through the tasks set before him, Oliver is driven to embrace the warrior persona he's been forced to adopt, finding that he's far better suited to this role than he ever imagined.
However, despite fierce challenges, new foes, vast conspiracies, and his separation from his friends, Oliver still retains the empathetic and honorable nature that made him such a wonderful hero from the beginning.
Christopher Golden continues to expand upon the world of legend, while at the same time granting us a clearer look as to what's going on in the ordinary world in the wake of Oliver's disappearance. The activities in the mundane world grow in importance in The Borderkind.
Overall, this installment is wonderful, with an ending that will have you reaching automatically for the third and concluding novel of the series.
November 25, 2008
This second book in the Veil series was a wonderful continuation of the story that we began in 'The Myth Hunters'. We follow Oliver Bascombe as he continues on his journey to survive and try to figure out what his place is on this side of the veil. He joins Frost and the other Myths in their attempt to discover who has sent the Hunters out to kill the Borderkind. Oliver discovers that his sister has been kidnapped by the Sandman and is being held as bait. But why is Oliver so important to this battle? We learn more about Oliver and his sister and the place they have in this epic battle.
Looking forward to finishing the story with 'The Lost Ones' which went on sale April 2008.
Looking forward to finishing the story with 'The Lost Ones' which went on sale April 2008.
February 25, 2011
I really wish I could rate by half stars...
I give this one a 3.5. I like the characters a lot and the story is getting really intense. The first book was all wide eyed amazement. This one is a lot tougher, a lot harder. They have a mission to complete and it's not an easy one. It seems like there's death and heartache around every corner. I'm truthfully not sure where it'll go from here. I'll be watching for "The Lost Ones" when I hit up the used book stores and sales. I'm interested to see where it all leads.
I give this one a 3.5. I like the characters a lot and the story is getting really intense. The first book was all wide eyed amazement. This one is a lot tougher, a lot harder. They have a mission to complete and it's not an easy one. It seems like there's death and heartache around every corner. I'm truthfully not sure where it'll go from here. I'll be watching for "The Lost Ones" when I hit up the used book stores and sales. I'm interested to see where it all leads.
November 29, 2015
This was a wonderful book, and I absolutely loved it. I found this one better than the 1st. The 1st book in the beginning was full of a lot of descriptive scenes, which are okay, and needed, but a bit to long for my taste. This 2nd book just dived into it. I felt as each paged turned I was right along with the travelers and what a journey it is. If this is your genre...this series will have you glued to the pages. It is, however, not a book to be read OUT of series order. The 1st being called The Myth Hunters.
June 21, 2007
I picked this up and was dismayed to discover that once again I had grabbed a "second book in a series" off the new fiction shelf. But I decided once I read the back that I would give it a try. It worked (although I must immediately go and find the first book!) Scary and fantastic, mythical creatures, but with English detectives and normal characters mixed in. A new twist on what is "behind the veil."
September 24, 2008
I am torn - what Golden does well in this book he does very well - and the concepts and story are fun. But it's got issues with pointlessness and incoherent motivation. Characters are introduced just to betray or be betrayed or die and they never have a chance to develop or actually DO anything, and it's annoying. With more depth, this could have been a good book.
January 6, 2010
Great continuation of the series. Beware the sandman. The story had me hooked from the first book. Strangely enough, I found this book before I found the first book - The Myth Hunters. The jacket flap intrigued me and had me grab the first book, after which I devoured this book and waited impatiently for the third book!
January 2, 2010
These stories just keep getting better and better. Golden manages to instill the plot and the characters with the right amount of complexity. He finds the perfect balance between fantastical and farcical. There's just the right touch of intensity and the characters have just the right amount of sympathetic moments so you can really get into the story instead of observing.
March 8, 2008
2nd book in the series. I like it enough that I'll probably check out some of his other series once I get myself almost sort of maybe nearly caught up on the 42 series I'm currently actively reading. Its a wonder I don't get more confused.
July 21, 2008
Part 2 in The Veil trilogy, not as good as the first and third installments in my opinion, but that could be because I read it so quickly and don't remember it as well. However, there was plenty of action and adventure in this one.
February 24, 2009
The middle part to the trilogy by Christopher Golden has that "middle" feel to it (kinda like Empire Strikes Back) - the story moves, the characters grow, and we're left with a cliffhanger to wrap things up. A good read.
April 4, 2009
A continuation from The Myth Hunters, The Borderkind it picks up right where Hunters left off. It is fast paced and again pull you in. Naturally, it leaves you feeling satisfied, and also wanting more~
November 17, 2010
A joyless adventure. The world created is cool. The backstory is great. But I just did not enjoy reading this story. There was no sense of fun for me. I don't mean like, haha fun. It just wasn't pleasurable.
April 21, 2012
Second book in a series. Too much slogging through an alternate reality trying to get to a destination while fighting off the bad guys. It reminded me of Two Towers by Tolkien and I found myself shouting "Get to the castle already" about half-way through the book.
February 11, 2013
I liked the concept. I would love to see this book as a graphic novel or a website developed to give some background on all the myths Golden introduces. Sometimes the fight became confusing because new characters were introduces. The research on these series is amazing.
August 8, 2007
Decent. Good ideas though the execution is not as fantastic as I'd like.
February 9, 2008
The only thing I truly disliked about this book was the ending: I hate cliffhangers. It was a little slow going at points, but that wasn't too bad.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews