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Shadowlands #1
Silver's Edge
Unwillingly Entwined…
There is more danger than usual in the Otherworld of the Sidhe and the mortal world of the Shadowlands. An unlikely group of conspirators—both mortal and Sidhe—plot to overthrow both thrones. They have stolen the silver caul that protected the borders between the realms—and set into motion a most perilous war….
A Blacksmith's Daughter, A Sidhe Lady, A Mortal Queen
Three women stand against the encroaching evil. All they have is a girl's love for her father, a lady's for her queen—and a queen's for her country. Nessa, Delphinea and Cecily are each driven by a personal destiny, yet share a fierce sense of love, justice and determination to protect what is theirs. Will the spirit and strenght of these women be enough to turn back the tide of the goblin hordes waiting to overrun the kingdoms?
Perhaps. But the battle must still be fought….
There is more danger than usual in the Otherworld of the Sidhe and the mortal world of the Shadowlands. An unlikely group of conspirators—both mortal and Sidhe—plot to overthrow both thrones. They have stolen the silver caul that protected the borders between the realms—and set into motion a most perilous war….
A Blacksmith's Daughter, A Sidhe Lady, A Mortal Queen
Three women stand against the encroaching evil. All they have is a girl's love for her father, a lady's for her queen—and a queen's for her country. Nessa, Delphinea and Cecily are each driven by a personal destiny, yet share a fierce sense of love, justice and determination to protect what is theirs. Will the spirit and strenght of these women be enough to turn back the tide of the goblin hordes waiting to overrun the kingdoms?
Perhaps. But the battle must still be fought….
544 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
14 people are currently reading
834 people want to read
About the author
Anne Kelleher
38 books123 followersBorn and raised at the South Jersey shore, Anne holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University in Medieval Studies and has studied English language and literature at the University of Connecticut and Storytelling and Oral Traditions at the Institute for Graduate Studies. The mother of four, Anne now resides in Connecticut and Hawaii. Find out more at www.annekelleher.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 9, 2014
Despite being worn out by the many long descriptions (some of them admittedly rich and lush) and very annoyed at the constant sexualisation of every single character, I found the plot itself drew me in and grew on me. Not a stand alone novel by any means (alas) like many first in a fantasy series it ends with no resolution whatsoever and is designed purely as a vehicle to the next novel. Without being completely sure whether I will persist with the next book, I feel like the book was worth reading despite these flaws.
One thing I really loved was the agency of the female characters. None of them is a victim. They are more likely to rescue than be rescued. Even Cecily who has a pathetic desire to cling to Kian and be rescued has a touch of the queen about her (which he quite rightly relates to more than her victim whining). So the whining is part of her being flawed (ie well-rounded as a character) and therefore works. As the book continues you see there is more and more respect accorded to females and female ways of knowing. My only issue with that is the way gender is polarized and essentialised within this. However it is a lovely slap in the face for anyone who would dismiss "old wives tales".
I do think there is a heterosexual bias for all that there are chinks in the heterosexuality of the book.
I really hate Cadwyr. I think we are supposed to hate him and OH! I do. Most other characters I have some sympathy for but I admit my allegiances shifted somewhat throughout the book (which is well done by the writer)I never for a second felt anything but hate and disgust for Cadwyr though. It's hard to get 4 stars out of me so...I surprised myself by thinking that despite all my criticisms.
One thing I really loved was the agency of the female characters. None of them is a victim. They are more likely to rescue than be rescued. Even Cecily who has a pathetic desire to cling to Kian and be rescued has a touch of the queen about her (which he quite rightly relates to more than her victim whining). So the whining is part of her being flawed (ie well-rounded as a character) and therefore works. As the book continues you see there is more and more respect accorded to females and female ways of knowing. My only issue with that is the way gender is polarized and essentialised within this. However it is a lovely slap in the face for anyone who would dismiss "old wives tales".
I do think there is a heterosexual bias for all that there are chinks in the heterosexuality of the book.
I really hate Cadwyr. I think we are supposed to hate him and OH! I do. Most other characters I have some sympathy for but I admit my allegiances shifted somewhat throughout the book (which is well done by the writer)I never for a second felt anything but hate and disgust for Cadwyr though. It's hard to get 4 stars out of me so...I surprised myself by thinking that despite all my criticisms.
October 19, 2014
I loved this book! Such a great story line...reminds me of lord of the rings!
October 5, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this. In some ways, I feel like it deserves 4 stars, but then, there was so much about it that makes me give it only 2.
This should have been a story that I would have loved to read, but I didn't. Some parts were just so predictable. I understand that originality can be hard, but there are some aspects that are written so often, it's like beating a dead horse. I guess I just am overtired of picking up book after book with the same ideas/plots written in nearly all the same way.
With that said, it was a very involved and complex story which surprised me. The writing was very mature and easy to read. Like I said, I feel that this really earns more of a 3 or 4 star rating. Sadly, I am in an ornery mood so it's getting stamped with 2 stars.
It's set up for a sequal but I won't be reading it. I didn't care enough for any of the characters or relationships to bother finding out how it ends. I probably could accurately guess it anyway. Unless, the author throws in a good twist....but I'll never know it. Lol.
Fantasy readers would probably like it but it contains a LOT of adult content so I wouldn't be suggesting it to any minors. Heck, I don't even suggest it to adults since I personally don't like reading such nonsense.
This should have been a story that I would have loved to read, but I didn't. Some parts were just so predictable. I understand that originality can be hard, but there are some aspects that are written so often, it's like beating a dead horse. I guess I just am overtired of picking up book after book with the same ideas/plots written in nearly all the same way.
With that said, it was a very involved and complex story which surprised me. The writing was very mature and easy to read. Like I said, I feel that this really earns more of a 3 or 4 star rating. Sadly, I am in an ornery mood so it's getting stamped with 2 stars.
It's set up for a sequal but I won't be reading it. I didn't care enough for any of the characters or relationships to bother finding out how it ends. I probably could accurately guess it anyway. Unless, the author throws in a good twist....but I'll never know it. Lol.
Fantasy readers would probably like it but it contains a LOT of adult content so I wouldn't be suggesting it to any minors. Heck, I don't even suggest it to adults since I personally don't like reading such nonsense.
November 12, 2019
It took me a ridiculously long time to read, not because it was bad but because it’s a long book and I simply just didn’t have the time or energy to dedicate to it. Here we are nearly two years later and I’ve done the thing.
Anne Kelleher’s writing is an acquired taste. Her prose is descriptive and archaic, but not in a bad way. She writes her books like she’s lore master recounting an ancient tale. Her characters are surprisingly fleshed out despite the number of perspectives throughout. She never info dumps but rather mentions little things here and there that all weave together to form a complete story and history. If you like Celtic inspired high fantasy that takes its time, I recommend this duology and the prequel before them.
Be warned though, there are many casual references to sex and gory violence, so if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing, you might want to find another book to read.
Anne Kelleher’s writing is an acquired taste. Her prose is descriptive and archaic, but not in a bad way. She writes her books like she’s lore master recounting an ancient tale. Her characters are surprisingly fleshed out despite the number of perspectives throughout. She never info dumps but rather mentions little things here and there that all weave together to form a complete story and history. If you like Celtic inspired high fantasy that takes its time, I recommend this duology and the prequel before them.
Be warned though, there are many casual references to sex and gory violence, so if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing, you might want to find another book to read.
October 4, 2017
Enjoyed this book much more than I expected, mainly for the well written women who were involved in what was going on in the story. I was less interested in the romance parts of the book but the romance was more like just enough in the book to also sell it as romance.
This book is one of the first books I've carried out of the house to continue to read through the day in a very long time.
This book is one of the first books I've carried out of the house to continue to read through the day in a very long time.
December 24, 2023
Sorry Mz Kelleher, I gave it a couple of chapters but I just couldn't handle the style and the endless exposition packed into every description. If there's a plot in there somewhere as some reviewers state, I'm not prepared to wade through this turgid mess to get to it. Not for me I'm afraid.
did-not-finish-or-start
July 15, 2021DNS 7/15/2021
February 3, 2024
I enjoyed the plot line but it took me a long time to understand the world building. Still a good read.
December 14, 2024
3.5 stars. I was both fascinated & intrigued. I also have a love/hate relationship with this book. But I am eager to read more.
March 12, 2015
3.5 out of 5 stars
Initial Thoughts: Pretty decent start. I will admit that I'm not loving all the characters but the way the three different plotlines overlapped kept me hooked. One POV will slowly approach a climax moment and then the story will switch to a different POV. Definitely worth a try!
Full Review:
In the world of Shadowland, there is an uneasy peace between the human realm and the Otherworld. For the last couple generations, the two worlds have coexisted in peace after the last devastating war after the Sidhe and the humans came together to build the Silver Caul. Now the Sidhe Queen is getting ready to birth her first child and heir and her power that strengthens the caul and barriers around the worlds will be at its weakest point. It's the perfect moment that the Goblin King has been waiting for. The moment draws closer as the Queen's due date approaches, the barriers weaken, and the goblins prepare for an attack.
I have not read a fairy book in so long I didn't know what to exactly expect when coming into this book. The book follows three different perspectives but multiple plot lines that just weave together at the end to create this grand finale. The alternation between the plots helped to keep the story moving and build the anticipation throughout the book. There were so many moments when I wanted to groan in frustration because one plotline was just nearing an important moment when it suddenly switched to the another plotline. The horde of goblins which represent the enemy in the story was not really presented as a very clear threat. While they were scary and ominous, I couldn't exactly feel the fear that everyone else in the story was feeling. However, I did like how the story started and ended with in the Goblin King's perspective, it helped to set the mood in the beginning and create a pretty suspenseful ending.
Like I mentioned before, this story follows three specific female protagonists who all have incredible strong ties to loyalty. There's Nessa who is headstrong and loyal to her father. She's willing to do anything to save him after he disappears and a dead goblin shows up in the village river. It's hinted throughout the book that she's gifted and will play a huge role in the next book, but she doesn't really do much other than passing some news and making some weaponry. But nonetheless, I'm excited to see what she will bring the story. Another protagonist is Delphinea, a Sidhe lady who arrives at the Faerie Court bringing bad news. She's probably the most interesting one out of the there and actually started off as really naive, but her loyalty (again) stays strong as she navigates her way through the corrupted court. I wish we got more of her side of the story, more of the Sidhe side of the story in general because it was probably my favorite to read. Lastly we have Cecily, a mortal queen, who sadly is probably my least favorite character. I can't exactly place why, but I just could not get myself to like her. Sure I sympathized with her plight, but out of all the protagonists, she came off the weakest. She's still true in heart and intention, but she is portrayed as a very lady-like character which when compared to the others just didn't work for me.
On top of the goblin threat, there's also the human enemy. Cecily and her husband are fighting a rebellion against the Fool King and his foreign wife. The king is a bit slow in mind and his wife and her people are slowly taking over the government. I actually liked King Hoell, he was really innocent and childish, but still a good person. His wife, Queen Merle, seemed to be the one running everything and I feel like the rebellion against her is completely useless. I loved the little peeks we got at her culture and her predictions of the future through the cards and the little sections we got from their perspectives made them seem like good people. The rebellion should just unite with the king and queen to fight the real enemy instead of each other...
The entire plot is full of court intrigue, especially on the Sidhe part which is incredibly interesting. There were characters whom I thought I wouldn't like and then completely changed my mind when true intentions are revealed. There's also a subtle, very very subtle romance that doesn't overrun the story's true course which I did enjoy. Little spoiler, but does anyone sense something going between Artmiour and Nessa because I ship it!
Overall, this is really interesting story with an intriguing plot that weaves in and out and keeps you engaged throughout the story. Definitely check it out if you're looking for something a little different in terms of faery books because it's a bit bloodier than I expected for sure.
Read my reviews at:
https://extreemeobsessed.blogspot.com
Initial Thoughts: Pretty decent start. I will admit that I'm not loving all the characters but the way the three different plotlines overlapped kept me hooked. One POV will slowly approach a climax moment and then the story will switch to a different POV. Definitely worth a try!
Full Review:
In the world of Shadowland, there is an uneasy peace between the human realm and the Otherworld. For the last couple generations, the two worlds have coexisted in peace after the last devastating war after the Sidhe and the humans came together to build the Silver Caul. Now the Sidhe Queen is getting ready to birth her first child and heir and her power that strengthens the caul and barriers around the worlds will be at its weakest point. It's the perfect moment that the Goblin King has been waiting for. The moment draws closer as the Queen's due date approaches, the barriers weaken, and the goblins prepare for an attack.
I have not read a fairy book in so long I didn't know what to exactly expect when coming into this book. The book follows three different perspectives but multiple plot lines that just weave together at the end to create this grand finale. The alternation between the plots helped to keep the story moving and build the anticipation throughout the book. There were so many moments when I wanted to groan in frustration because one plotline was just nearing an important moment when it suddenly switched to the another plotline. The horde of goblins which represent the enemy in the story was not really presented as a very clear threat. While they were scary and ominous, I couldn't exactly feel the fear that everyone else in the story was feeling. However, I did like how the story started and ended with in the Goblin King's perspective, it helped to set the mood in the beginning and create a pretty suspenseful ending.
Like I mentioned before, this story follows three specific female protagonists who all have incredible strong ties to loyalty. There's Nessa who is headstrong and loyal to her father. She's willing to do anything to save him after he disappears and a dead goblin shows up in the village river. It's hinted throughout the book that she's gifted and will play a huge role in the next book, but she doesn't really do much other than passing some news and making some weaponry. But nonetheless, I'm excited to see what she will bring the story. Another protagonist is Delphinea, a Sidhe lady who arrives at the Faerie Court bringing bad news. She's probably the most interesting one out of the there and actually started off as really naive, but her loyalty (again) stays strong as she navigates her way through the corrupted court. I wish we got more of her side of the story, more of the Sidhe side of the story in general because it was probably my favorite to read. Lastly we have Cecily, a mortal queen, who sadly is probably my least favorite character. I can't exactly place why, but I just could not get myself to like her. Sure I sympathized with her plight, but out of all the protagonists, she came off the weakest. She's still true in heart and intention, but she is portrayed as a very lady-like character which when compared to the others just didn't work for me.
On top of the goblin threat, there's also the human enemy. Cecily and her husband are fighting a rebellion against the Fool King and his foreign wife. The king is a bit slow in mind and his wife and her people are slowly taking over the government. I actually liked King Hoell, he was really innocent and childish, but still a good person. His wife, Queen Merle, seemed to be the one running everything and I feel like the rebellion against her is completely useless. I loved the little peeks we got at her culture and her predictions of the future through the cards and the little sections we got from their perspectives made them seem like good people. The rebellion should just unite with the king and queen to fight the real enemy instead of each other...
The entire plot is full of court intrigue, especially on the Sidhe part which is incredibly interesting. There were characters whom I thought I wouldn't like and then completely changed my mind when true intentions are revealed. There's also a subtle, very very subtle romance that doesn't overrun the story's true course which I did enjoy. Little spoiler, but does anyone sense something going between Artmiour and Nessa because I ship it!
Overall, this is really interesting story with an intriguing plot that weaves in and out and keeps you engaged throughout the story. Definitely check it out if you're looking for something a little different in terms of faery books because it's a bit bloodier than I expected for sure.
Read my reviews at:
https://extreemeobsessed.blogspot.com
March 31, 2018
The storyline is intricately woven together in a deep and winding story. I like that it focuses on female character POV's, although bits of the story are unusual and quite memorable. I prefer stories that aren't harlequin-esque (I can use my own imagination for rated-X encounters, thank you very much) and this one tended to dip into those scenes a bit more than my preference. I'd be interested in checking out the rest of the series, though. Compelling storyline with imaginative and detailed characters.
September 14, 2009
Samhain is soon approaching. The time of year when the human world and the Sidhe world or the Otherworld have their boarders thinned. A magical time of year that is celebrated by both the humans and the Sidhe.
This year however, an odd occurrence has happened. The Sidhe Samhain and the human Samhain coincide on the same day. No one, not even the immortal Sidhe can remember this happening in all of history. It could not have come at a worse time either. The Great Silver Caul, or magical net that keeps the boarders between worlds solid has been stolen from the great palace in the Otherworld. Not only that, but the humans are gearing up for a war, something that could weaken the boarders even more and spill out the vicious goblin horde into their lands.
Three women have been thrown together in extraordinary circumstances. Nessa, a simple blacksmith's daughter who only longs to find her father who she believes was lost in the Otherworld, Delphinea, a noble Sidhe woman who finds her queen's life endangered and a stumbles onto a plot to overtake the Sidhe throne, and Cecily, a human queen who must defend her country against the vicious wolves who have come knocking on her door.
Together these unlikely allies must come together to solve the same problem: protect their worlds and the ones they love.
I was super excited to read "Silver's Edge". High fantasy at its max, what could be better? Unfortunately I was pretty disappointed. It had all the high fantasy characteristics I was excited about, elves (Sidhe), goblins, different worlds, wars, kidnappings, etc. But unfortunately the high fantasy could not save the plot...or lack thereof.
That was my main gripe about "Silver's Edge." Where was the plot? Ya, OK, I got that they had to save the sliver caul and make the world better, while stopping a war and yadda yadda, but the cover boasted that the women would have to work together to get this to happen...I never got to the part where that happened. I kept waiting for it and waiting for it and when I was finally more than ¾ of the way through and there was no indication that any of the three women would be getting together, I finally gave up (which I HATE doing by the way).
Really, there were three books happening in "Silver's Edge." Three completely different plots that just happened to take place in the same settings, it was more than a little irritating I have to admit. I loved the Sidhe world Kelleher created and I thought she could have done a lot with it. Maybe I just didn't get far enough, but ...sigh. "Silver's Edge" just left me drained imagination-wise.
There were just so many characters and different plots to keep track of. It started to make my head spin. Once again my husband (who has to be the world's fastest speed reader) finished "Silver's Edge" and taunted me that I would be sorely disappointed with the ending if I didn't own the second book to start right away. Instead of thinking: "oh awesome, it's a series!" my first thought was: "Oh Good God, I'll have to read another one?" After that thought came along, I gave up "Silver's Edge" as a bad job.
I wanted to like "Silver's Edge," it has all my normal "wants" in fantasy books, but it just didn't do it for me. I had to put it away with a feeling of utter let-down and deflation. The best way I could describe "Silver's Edge" would be with a single word I used earlier in this review: Sigh.
This year however, an odd occurrence has happened. The Sidhe Samhain and the human Samhain coincide on the same day. No one, not even the immortal Sidhe can remember this happening in all of history. It could not have come at a worse time either. The Great Silver Caul, or magical net that keeps the boarders between worlds solid has been stolen from the great palace in the Otherworld. Not only that, but the humans are gearing up for a war, something that could weaken the boarders even more and spill out the vicious goblin horde into their lands.
Three women have been thrown together in extraordinary circumstances. Nessa, a simple blacksmith's daughter who only longs to find her father who she believes was lost in the Otherworld, Delphinea, a noble Sidhe woman who finds her queen's life endangered and a stumbles onto a plot to overtake the Sidhe throne, and Cecily, a human queen who must defend her country against the vicious wolves who have come knocking on her door.
Together these unlikely allies must come together to solve the same problem: protect their worlds and the ones they love.
I was super excited to read "Silver's Edge". High fantasy at its max, what could be better? Unfortunately I was pretty disappointed. It had all the high fantasy characteristics I was excited about, elves (Sidhe), goblins, different worlds, wars, kidnappings, etc. But unfortunately the high fantasy could not save the plot...or lack thereof.
That was my main gripe about "Silver's Edge." Where was the plot? Ya, OK, I got that they had to save the sliver caul and make the world better, while stopping a war and yadda yadda, but the cover boasted that the women would have to work together to get this to happen...I never got to the part where that happened. I kept waiting for it and waiting for it and when I was finally more than ¾ of the way through and there was no indication that any of the three women would be getting together, I finally gave up (which I HATE doing by the way).
Really, there were three books happening in "Silver's Edge." Three completely different plots that just happened to take place in the same settings, it was more than a little irritating I have to admit. I loved the Sidhe world Kelleher created and I thought she could have done a lot with it. Maybe I just didn't get far enough, but ...sigh. "Silver's Edge" just left me drained imagination-wise.
There were just so many characters and different plots to keep track of. It started to make my head spin. Once again my husband (who has to be the world's fastest speed reader) finished "Silver's Edge" and taunted me that I would be sorely disappointed with the ending if I didn't own the second book to start right away. Instead of thinking: "oh awesome, it's a series!" my first thought was: "Oh Good God, I'll have to read another one?" After that thought came along, I gave up "Silver's Edge" as a bad job.
I wanted to like "Silver's Edge," it has all my normal "wants" in fantasy books, but it just didn't do it for me. I had to put it away with a feeling of utter let-down and deflation. The best way I could describe "Silver's Edge" would be with a single word I used earlier in this review: Sigh.
July 22, 2016
This is a greatly detailed book with many worlds and numerous characters in all three worlds. Figuring out what is going on is easier than figuring out all the characters, who is who, where they are and how everyone is related.
We have the Shadowlands where the mortals reside. This includes Cecily (one of the three important females), her husband, Donner, and her lover Kian...these are some of the good guys. So of course, we also have bad guys...Donner's heir, Cadwyr is the lone human one. On the other side of the land, we have Nessa (another of the important females), her father Dougal who is missing presumably in Faerie. Her friend Griffin who is a blacksmith and enslaved by Cadwyr.
The world of Sidhe is more complex and dangerous for all mortals. Delphinea (the last of the important females) thinks the land of Faerie is being poisoned by the Silver Caul and goes to court to try to get help. Queen Alemandine is pregnant and presumably dying. Her twin sister, Vinaver is a wicked woman and plotting the death (rebirth?) of Sidhe. Artimour is their half human half sibling who is involved in the defenses of Sidhe. Finuviel is Vinaver's son and a wicked man as well who is plotting to dethrone Alemandine and become King of Sidhe.
And last but not least, the Wastelands filled with treacherous and dangerous Goblins whose King is Xerruw who also is plotting the takeover of Sidhe for himself.
Because all that isn't quite enough going on, Samhain is coming. This is the time of year (halloween for us humans) when the veil between all worlds is so thin, being can cross over. The Silver Caul is supposed to keep the goblins from wreaking havoc on the mortals but it is failing. What happens to all the plots if the Caul fails completely?
It sounds complicated as hell and it is but well worth the read. The female characters are spectacular and the male consorts are great as well. Even the bad guys are portrayed well. Cadwyr is the only character that I hated on sight and I hope his plots fail.
We have the Shadowlands where the mortals reside. This includes Cecily (one of the three important females), her husband, Donner, and her lover Kian...these are some of the good guys. So of course, we also have bad guys...Donner's heir, Cadwyr is the lone human one. On the other side of the land, we have Nessa (another of the important females), her father Dougal who is missing presumably in Faerie. Her friend Griffin who is a blacksmith and enslaved by Cadwyr.
The world of Sidhe is more complex and dangerous for all mortals. Delphinea (the last of the important females) thinks the land of Faerie is being poisoned by the Silver Caul and goes to court to try to get help. Queen Alemandine is pregnant and presumably dying. Her twin sister, Vinaver is a wicked woman and plotting the death (rebirth?) of Sidhe. Artimour is their half human half sibling who is involved in the defenses of Sidhe. Finuviel is Vinaver's son and a wicked man as well who is plotting to dethrone Alemandine and become King of Sidhe.
And last but not least, the Wastelands filled with treacherous and dangerous Goblins whose King is Xerruw who also is plotting the takeover of Sidhe for himself.
Because all that isn't quite enough going on, Samhain is coming. This is the time of year (halloween for us humans) when the veil between all worlds is so thin, being can cross over. The Silver Caul is supposed to keep the goblins from wreaking havoc on the mortals but it is failing. What happens to all the plots if the Caul fails completely?
It sounds complicated as hell and it is but well worth the read. The female characters are spectacular and the male consorts are great as well. Even the bad guys are portrayed well. Cadwyr is the only character that I hated on sight and I hope his plots fail.
May 1, 2011
This is a very dark book. It starts slow, lot of leisurely narrative. The premise/basis of the whole story is finally stated at the bottom of page 86 "What if - what if it's the (Silver) Caul that's poisononing the land? If it's the Caul that's weakening (Sidhe Queen) Alemandine?"
The Silver Caul was created by a Sidhe queen's magic and a human blacksmith's craft to erect and hold a barrier to keep the mortal Shadowlands, the Sidhe lands and the goblin lands separate. No one could travel between them. But the barrier weakens, soon to fail altogether. A goblin is found floating dead in a human lake. A human blacksmith goes missing into the goblin lands. A human girl wanders into Sidhe territory with the goblin head trying to warn them of the danger - and ask for help to find her missing father. Only to find the self-centered Sidhe more wrapped up in Court intrigues than worries about their role in the greater scheme of things.
This was a good read with solid world-building and very real, well-rounded characters - both good and bad. It's long, and sometimes takes a less direct approach when I as a reader just wanted to get to the point already. I could definitely sypathize with Nessa's plight - the Sidhe drove me nuts, too. Didn't much care for the vapid Queen. But the Sidhe maiden Delphinea was wonderful. The only one with sense!
The Silver Caul was created by a Sidhe queen's magic and a human blacksmith's craft to erect and hold a barrier to keep the mortal Shadowlands, the Sidhe lands and the goblin lands separate. No one could travel between them. But the barrier weakens, soon to fail altogether. A goblin is found floating dead in a human lake. A human blacksmith goes missing into the goblin lands. A human girl wanders into Sidhe territory with the goblin head trying to warn them of the danger - and ask for help to find her missing father. Only to find the self-centered Sidhe more wrapped up in Court intrigues than worries about their role in the greater scheme of things.
This was a good read with solid world-building and very real, well-rounded characters - both good and bad. It's long, and sometimes takes a less direct approach when I as a reader just wanted to get to the point already. I could definitely sypathize with Nessa's plight - the Sidhe drove me nuts, too. Didn't much care for the vapid Queen. But the Sidhe maiden Delphinea was wonderful. The only one with sense!
dnf
December 31, 2022I just didn't get far enough into this one to get it completed. I have so many other books I want to read and I'm just not inspired to put in the work on it.
I really thought I would like this. The premise was good and my kind of 'thing'. But it was really slow going. Reading isn't as easy for me as it used to be and I now tend to work on the concept of an effort/reward ratio. If I have to put in too much effort for too little reward, I'm not always going to stick at it. I think that's what happened in this case. The characters were fine, the setting was fine, the plot had potential, but I just didn't feel I was getting enough back for the effort it was taking. The discovery that it was the first of two was also off-putting as that seemed to double the effort required without necessarily increasing the reward.
I've felt a lot of the Luna books have a lot of potential and good ideas, but after this one, I'm a little leery of buying them. They cost significantly more, and my budget is reduced these days. They're also not found in our library system. I think I'll wait for more reviews and comments on future releases before I take the risk on buying.
[Copied across from Library Thing; 25 September 2012]
I really thought I would like this. The premise was good and my kind of 'thing'. But it was really slow going. Reading isn't as easy for me as it used to be and I now tend to work on the concept of an effort/reward ratio. If I have to put in too much effort for too little reward, I'm not always going to stick at it. I think that's what happened in this case. The characters were fine, the setting was fine, the plot had potential, but I just didn't feel I was getting enough back for the effort it was taking. The discovery that it was the first of two was also off-putting as that seemed to double the effort required without necessarily increasing the reward.
I've felt a lot of the Luna books have a lot of potential and good ideas, but after this one, I'm a little leery of buying them. They cost significantly more, and my budget is reduced these days. They're also not found in our library system. I think I'll wait for more reviews and comments on future releases before I take the risk on buying.
[Copied across from Library Thing; 25 September 2012]
August 6, 2007
Read 8/4-8/5/07
Silver's Edge tells the interwoven story of Nessa, a blacksmith's daughter, Cicely, an unhappy dutchess and Delphinea, a Sidhe lady-in-waiting in their efforts to save the mortal Shadowlands and the Sidhe Faery from destruction. Tinged with Celtic mythology, Silver's Edge is a pleasant
fantasy novel, if somewhat scattered and derivative. A strong second half leaves me hopeful for the second novel, Silver's Bane.
Genre : Fantasy
Rating : 8.25
Publication : 2004
Where From : the library
Reason : interesting blurb
Silver's Edge tells the interwoven story of Nessa, a blacksmith's daughter, Cicely, an unhappy dutchess and Delphinea, a Sidhe lady-in-waiting in their efforts to save the mortal Shadowlands and the Sidhe Faery from destruction. Tinged with Celtic mythology, Silver's Edge is a pleasant
fantasy novel, if somewhat scattered and derivative. A strong second half leaves me hopeful for the second novel, Silver's Bane.
Genre : Fantasy
Rating : 8.25
Publication : 2004
Where From : the library
Reason : interesting blurb
January 14, 2016
This wasn't as good as I was expecting. Not a lot of attachment formed with the characters, and the writing was at first forced, then bland. The style of the author is the kind that is unreliable. ..that is, rather than posing a puzzle or mystery, she just blatantly says one thing, then later Cotradicts it. Like, characters don't evolve, they just suddenly do what's easiest for the plot. Say someone wrenched and stabbed right in the heart? nah, just a graze. it's readable, but just not polished.
Read
July 30, 2011I wanted this to be good, I really, really did. Its not. I can see the premise and it has potential but falls flat. It is very one dimensional, and just blah. Very hop skippy around as well. Characters and setting shift from paragraph to paragraph with out any breaks or chaptering. The potential is there, just didn't happen for me. And I thought it would be a good trilogy. *sigh*
December 4, 2011
Hmm, pretty standard Celtic fantasy fare, really. Some interesting ideas here and there (e.g. the interdependence of the three lands), but neither plotting, nor world-building, nor characterisation ever really cohered into anything special. That said, it was easy to read, and I *do* want to know what happens next.
January 3, 2013
The first book of my first fantasy series. This was a nice place to start for a person intimated by the genre. I dreaded the idea of 1000+ page books filled in lineage charts, long names, and maps. The story had a good balance between complexity, history, and romance. I really enjoyed the world and characters. I was very excited for the next book in the series.
July 31, 2013
The book was decent enough to keep me turning the page, but I felt it almost tried to do too much for what I was expecting. I also had not realized it was the first in a series, which was disappointing. I grabbed it thinking I would get to read the whole story. However, it was interesting enough for me to now be pursuing the sequel.
February 5, 2008
Annie Kelleher delivers a lush and wondrous tale, rich in folklore and mythology with vibrant characters on an impossible quest. Her use of gaelic gives the story a wondrous appeal.
For readers who like strong heroines it is a fine read.
For readers who like strong heroines it is a fine read.
May 25, 2008
This is a fairly mediocre fantasy romance. The author has clearly read too many books on sex magic. There were a few interesting characters/pairings, but overall it was too complicated. I was briefly tempted to try to read the sequel, but now I'm ambivalent.
June 24, 2008
good enough to read the next in the series since i borrowed it from the library. good enough, also, to buy it if i had bought the first one. however, not good enough to run out and get the next one when i finished.
to-read-later
June 24, 2008Eh. It couldn't hold my interest past the first two chapters in the time I had it checked out of the library. Maybe I'll try it again later -- it looked like it might be getting into at least a few unusual angles on faerieland.
May 11, 2010
My bigest complaint with this book was that I didn't know it was the first book in a series. It ended with a rather cliffhanger ending that left me going "what just happened?"
The book was much different than I expected, and was a fantastic story. I'm just left hanging...
The book was much different than I expected, and was a fantastic story. I'm just left hanging...
June 1, 2010
I loved this epic fantasy. It is magical and the world is positively enchanting. It was so full of intrigue that I couldn't put it down. This is the series that really brought me into the world of fairies and started my obsession with Luna books.
August 12, 2012
"This is a fairly mediocre fantasy romance. The author has clearly read too many books on sex magic."
This. From previous review.
Very easy read, certainly enjoyable in that beach summer book kind of way. But nothing special. Your typical elves and humans Celtic fantasy book.
This. From previous review.
Very easy read, certainly enjoyable in that beach summer book kind of way. But nothing special. Your typical elves and humans Celtic fantasy book.
April 1, 2008
Excellent read - epic fantasy
May 22, 2009
I loved this series and the world in it. I remember when I first saw this book- before the other books came out, I thought this was a "must consider" for any fantasy lover. :)
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