Silverhand

The Arcana #1

by Morgan Llywelyn, Michael Scott

Losing his mother in a magical display by the evil Duet brother-and-sister team, young Caeled is called upon to fulfill a prediction that he will become the savior of his people. Reprint.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Historical Fiction

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Morgan Llywelyn (born 1937) is an American-born Irish author best known for her historical fantasy, historical fiction, and historical non-fiction. Her fiction has received several awards and has sold more than 40 million copies, and she herself is recipient of the 1999 Exceptional Celtic Woman of the Year Award from Celtic Women International.

Reviews

[Arnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silverhand galvenais varonis Caeled grāmatai sākoties ir vien 13 gadus jauns puisis, kad ļaunu un cietsirdīgu valdītāji– dvīņu brālis un māsa Lares un Sarel, kuriem pašiem ir vien 18 gadi, par savu maģijas spēju un to spēku eksperimentu mērķi izvēlas nelielu pierobežas Ward Point pilsētu. Nejauša laime vai Izredzētā varoņa liktens pieskāriens, bet Keiledam vienīgajam no visiem palaimējas palikt dzīvajos.

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...

[theangrygoblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I breezed through this book without even realizing how much I was listening to at a time. It was gross, creepy, graphic, disturbing, and sometimes just plain weird. And I quite enjoyed it, this blend of Irish myth and post apocalyptic life.
I think many of the negative reviews stem from people being put off by the graphic violence and the fact that the series is yet unfinished. It’s a pity because it’s certainly a compelling read. I will definitely be picking up the second book even if it does end on a cliffhanger. 4 star read for me

[Ronna-laine Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was an introduction to the writings of Michael Scott but I am very familiar with Morgan Llyewelyn. The big disappointment with this novel is the fact that it is part of a series that unfortunately doesn't continue. For some reason, the authors have not continue with the story, so the books ends but is unfinished!!!!

[Becca Secor · Rating 1 out of 5]

These stories were sickeningly intriguing and compelling to read. I wished that I would put them down and out of my mind because much of the content was intensely disturbing. Yet, I continued to read them with a fever. The evilness of the minds of men and the struggle of good over evil is the continuing theme in these sci-fi fantasy crazinesses. Can't really call them "GOOD" but I did read them all.

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Arcana Book 1 (goes with Silverlight) I really enjoyed these books, but they seemed to get swallowed up, there's another series out there very similar by a prominent author I'm forgetting at the time, sorry. Any way, I did like these, good quest books. I need to find the rest, sometime.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great sci-fi novel, but when you get to the end and go to pick up the sequel it's a massive disappointment. For some reason, the sequel was never published. So, if you can't stand a cliffhanger that lasts for-ever, maybe don't read this book.

[Brent Mcdougal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the premise of the book, but the second one took a nosedive and there are no plans for a third one so I would recommend a different book. I quite enjoyed The Last Prince of Ireland by the same author

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, just a bit different, a post apocalyptic apocalyptic novel, if this makes any sense! Not great literature, but certainly held my interest.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Arcana series by Morgan Llywelyn and Michael Scott. Llywelyn and Scott have set this novel, their first collaboration, in a semi medieval fantasy world. This concocted realm serves them exceptionally well as they layer shades of gray into the politics of their heroes while doing devilishly evil things with their amoral villains. Some of the most compelling evil magicians to appear in current fantasy are the Duet, a brother and sister team who use their incestuous relationship to raise evil magic and control the powerful Voids. Youthful hero Caeled loses his mother in the wake of one such display. As the stunned boy wanders away from his devastated village, he is rescued by a Seeker who believes he may be the Spoken One, a prophesied hero who will be able to wield the magical implements of the Arcana. But before the Seeker can safely deliver Caeled to his superiors, the pair are attacked by a weredog and the boy loses his hand. The Seeker takes him to the monks of Baddalaur where he is healed from his injuries. The monks use long dormant technologies to construct a prosthetic silver hand for the youth. It is constructed from knowledge long thought to be lost and holds great mystical power. They decide to educate him and train him to be able to battle the evil of the Duet. The years go by and finally the Duet attack and destroy the monks of the Baddalaur. Caeled then sets out to seek the Arcana with which he can hopefully destroy the Duet. This book is a good read but it does contain graphic violence as well as incestuous sex between the brother and sister that are the Duet.

[Tsuki Vanesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had some cool concepts (the voids, the aethera, the recreating of a functional hand, the post-apocalyptic setting, the werecreatures) but especially as the book came to a close, the hero just stumbled upon his "quest items" and so it was kinda of like "what was the point of this?" Some of the concepts needed more explaining. I didn't mind the incestuous twins, but the prudish message did kind of annoy me.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as it came out and I find that had I done a review then it would have been 5 stars. Reading it again now I find it didn't stand up as well as I thought it would. I think it's also because this series was never finished so the books are a bit detracting for me

[Topher · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had expected better from Morgan Llywelyn. This was derivative and boring. Not need to bother with the rest of the series.

[Giles Lowery · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. pretty good with a fair amount of surprises/abrupt offing of characters. Didn't feel compelled enough to read the 2nd after finding out the series was never completed

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised at the raw potential shown in these books. This was a very strong start to what could have been a true classic in the medieval fantasy genre... although it wasn't exactly medieval. Caeled comes from a post-apocalyptic world plagued by monsters and voids that consume and destroy anything they come into contact with.

The world was once inhabited by a "superior race" referred to as the Elders, a people with technology so advanced that any remnants of it are regarded as magic by the people in the current world. This combination of science and confusion creates a fascinating world of superstition, with some astounding scientific feats pockmarked with problematic gaps in knowledge.

The consistent character development and moral complexity of this novel kept me up at night until I devoured the last page. Truly a gem in its genre

[Nime Clem · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's smashingly absorbing!

[Kate Burgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joint authors -- Michael Scott's contribution makes this a must read.

[Alek · Rating 5 out of 5]

quite capturing

[Beth Revers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling read with interesting plot twists. Adult in themes.

[Angie Lisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book - I wish she would have finished the series!

[Jessi Sawyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5