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Darkborn #2
Lightborn
The second book in the Regency-flavored fantasy trilogy of magic and manners from the author of Darkborn .
The Darkborn aristocracy has rejected magic, viewing the pursuit of science as the only worthy goal. But Lady Telmaine Hearne does not have that luxury. She has kept her own powers secret, fearful of being ruined in society...until her husband Balthasar draws her into a conspiracy to protect the archduke and his brother against a magical enemy. But who will protect them from her?
The Darkborn aristocracy has rejected magic, viewing the pursuit of science as the only worthy goal. But Lady Telmaine Hearne does not have that luxury. She has kept her own powers secret, fearful of being ruined in society...until her husband Balthasar draws her into a conspiracy to protect the archduke and his brother against a magical enemy. But who will protect them from her?
340 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2010
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720 people want to read
About the author
Alison Sinclair
35 books82 followersAlison Sinclair is a science fiction and fantasy author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 16, 2016
Probably my favourite of the series. I really enjoyed the Darkborn/Lightborn world, but this was the book that absolutely gripped me. About two chapters in, I couldn't put it down and finished it in one day, which happens very rarely for me.
The characters are really well-done in this series, and Lightborn opened up the world. In Darkborn, we got to know Dr. Balthasar Hearne and his wife Telmaine, plus several members of the Darkborn world (which reads in a very Victorian way, with women kept out of the way of power, and married off and making babies as soon as possible). In Lightborn the world opened up to see what was happening on the other side of sunrise, and the light born court was simply fascinating. I loved Prince Fejelis and his relationship with his brother, and mother, plus the mage sport Tammorn. I have a soft spot for fantasy world politics, and the Lightborn court is super complicated. Plus there are the mages in their tower, and the mysterious Shadowborn running around up to no good. I really wanted to know more about the Shadowborn after this book!
Lightborn is mostly focused on Telmaine, who is a Darkborn lady trying to learn about this magic that she's tried to hide all her life, and Floria, the poison-taster who had been tied to Prince Isidore all her life - until a shadow born plot sees him killed, and hers is the hand suspected of the assassination. It's a slow, character-driven plot, with layers unpeeling to reveal complicated plots within complicated plots, but I admit that there's plenty of action here too. My only struggle was that sometimes in the action scenes I got a little lost, and wasn't quite sure who was doing what, or what was quite happening.
Overall: fantastic world-building, intricate characters, and a slower plot than most fantasy's, but well-worth the wait. If you're not keen on political driven fantasy mostly set in a city, this is probably not for you, but I think a lot of people would enjoy this.
The characters are really well-done in this series, and Lightborn opened up the world. In Darkborn, we got to know Dr. Balthasar Hearne and his wife Telmaine, plus several members of the Darkborn world (which reads in a very Victorian way, with women kept out of the way of power, and married off and making babies as soon as possible). In Lightborn the world opened up to see what was happening on the other side of sunrise, and the light born court was simply fascinating. I loved Prince Fejelis and his relationship with his brother, and mother, plus the mage sport Tammorn. I have a soft spot for fantasy world politics, and the Lightborn court is super complicated. Plus there are the mages in their tower, and the mysterious Shadowborn running around up to no good. I really wanted to know more about the Shadowborn after this book!
Lightborn is mostly focused on Telmaine, who is a Darkborn lady trying to learn about this magic that she's tried to hide all her life, and Floria, the poison-taster who had been tied to Prince Isidore all her life - until a shadow born plot sees him killed, and hers is the hand suspected of the assassination. It's a slow, character-driven plot, with layers unpeeling to reveal complicated plots within complicated plots, but I admit that there's plenty of action here too. My only struggle was that sometimes in the action scenes I got a little lost, and wasn't quite sure who was doing what, or what was quite happening.
Overall: fantastic world-building, intricate characters, and a slower plot than most fantasy's, but well-worth the wait. If you're not keen on political driven fantasy mostly set in a city, this is probably not for you, but I think a lot of people would enjoy this.
November 11, 2014
It’s tricky when a trilogy’s middle book is your favorite – how do you recommend something that in no way stands alone? But this was the book where the trilogy worked its magic on me, taking over my life for at least a week, and these days the books that can pull me in so thoroughly are few and far between. Still, it’s tempting to just call it magic because it's hard to explain why a book that would seem like a typical work of genre fantasy to most readers worked so well for me.
Lightborn picks up where Darkborn left off, but uses the risky technique of dividing the prior book’s point-of-view characters – now geographically distant and pursuing two distinct storylines – into separate books, so that this one focuses on events in the city and leaves Balthasar and Ishmael in the Borderlands for the sequel. In addition to Telmaine, we have three new POV characters: Floria (who turns out to be more food taster than assassin – to my relief, as assassins have been done to death in fantasy); Fejelis, a Lightborn prince; and Tam, a mage and Fejelis’s mentor. This volume also shifts from the prior book's tight focus on the protagonists’ adventures and romances to a larger story of political intrigue encompassing two parallel kingdoms.
And while the political intrigue might first seem all stylized dialogue and far too many new characters (Sinclair introduces characters willy-nilly in the last two books – more than she can use, which is a shame, since many are potentially fascinating), this is where the book shines. The Shadowborn, our requisite evil villains, are never very interesting, but the human conflict is, and there’s a lot of that: hardliners and peacemakers, mages and non-mages, Darkborn and Lightborn. The book’s best moments come from the inevitable conflict between two sympathetic groups who are fundamentally isolated from one another. Take, for instance, this ominous declaration:
“My lords . . . on the other side of sunrise there are powers we do not understand, powers that may exceed anything we can match, and whose motives are unclear.”
Standard fantasy speech . . . if it referred to the villains. Not only does it not, it could come from either Darkborn or Lightborn with equal right. It’s when these groups are pitted against one another, through the actions of a few warmongers and of well-intentioned people working with limited information, that we see genuine suspense and real consequences. This is the closest I’ve seen fantasy come to a portrayal of the lead-up to a modern war.
(It’s a shame Sinclair remembers by the third book who the villains are, and has Darkborn and Lightborn treat each other with a degree of trust and goodwill that, under the circumstances, would be extraordinary even among humans who can actually meet face-to-face. )
Otherwise, this is a fun fantasy book, with a swiftly-moving plot, entertaining characters and some unique worldbuilding. The introduction to Lightborn society is enjoyable; I especially liked the enchanted lights that function like solar panels. There’s a high number of interesting female characters who interact with one another, although the major players are primarily male. There are a few great character moments as our protagonists begin to come into their own. This is not great literature, and on several occasions characters' reactions to events make more sense viewed through the prism of plot than that of actual human psychology. But I started the third book right away, so this one must have done something right.
Lightborn picks up where Darkborn left off, but uses the risky technique of dividing the prior book’s point-of-view characters – now geographically distant and pursuing two distinct storylines – into separate books, so that this one focuses on events in the city and leaves Balthasar and Ishmael in the Borderlands for the sequel. In addition to Telmaine, we have three new POV characters: Floria (who turns out to be more food taster than assassin – to my relief, as assassins have been done to death in fantasy); Fejelis, a Lightborn prince; and Tam, a mage and Fejelis’s mentor. This volume also shifts from the prior book's tight focus on the protagonists’ adventures and romances to a larger story of political intrigue encompassing two parallel kingdoms.
And while the political intrigue might first seem all stylized dialogue and far too many new characters (Sinclair introduces characters willy-nilly in the last two books – more than she can use, which is a shame, since many are potentially fascinating), this is where the book shines. The Shadowborn, our requisite evil villains, are never very interesting, but the human conflict is, and there’s a lot of that: hardliners and peacemakers, mages and non-mages, Darkborn and Lightborn. The book’s best moments come from the inevitable conflict between two sympathetic groups who are fundamentally isolated from one another. Take, for instance, this ominous declaration:
“My lords . . . on the other side of sunrise there are powers we do not understand, powers that may exceed anything we can match, and whose motives are unclear.”
Standard fantasy speech . . . if it referred to the villains. Not only does it not, it could come from either Darkborn or Lightborn with equal right. It’s when these groups are pitted against one another, through the actions of a few warmongers and of well-intentioned people working with limited information, that we see genuine suspense and real consequences. This is the closest I’ve seen fantasy come to a portrayal of the lead-up to a modern war.
(It’s a shame Sinclair remembers by the third book who the villains are, and has Darkborn and Lightborn treat each other with a degree of trust and goodwill that, under the circumstances, would be extraordinary even among humans who can actually meet face-to-face. )
Otherwise, this is a fun fantasy book, with a swiftly-moving plot, entertaining characters and some unique worldbuilding. The introduction to Lightborn society is enjoyable; I especially liked the enchanted lights that function like solar panels. There’s a high number of interesting female characters who interact with one another, although the major players are primarily male. There are a few great character moments as our protagonists begin to come into their own. This is not great literature, and on several occasions characters' reactions to events make more sense viewed through the prism of plot than that of actual human psychology. But I started the third book right away, so this one must have done something right.
May 3, 2011
Lightborn by Alison Sinclair is the second installment in the Darkborn Trilogy. If you haven’t already read Darkborn, please go back and do so. Otherwise, you will miss a huge part of the plot and storyline.
Lightborn mainly follows Telmaine Hearne of the Darkborn who learned that she is a mage of a very high level, and Floria White Head of the Lightborn who is able to tell if food is poisoned or not. Floria has been friends with Telmaine’s husband Balthasar since they were children, much to the bemusement and annoyance of Telmaine.
Lady Telmaine, as a mage, is able to cast her thoughts into another person’s mind, influencing their wills, forcing sleep upon them, and able to walk unharmed through a burning building as she did while saving her own daughter in Darkborn.
Floria is also an assassin and this time around, she’s accused of killing Prince Isidor while being under ensorcellment of either a Shadowborn, or a very powerful mage within the Lightborn community. Floria flees and finds sanctuary among the Darkborn until she is able to return in order to save the new prince, Isidor’s son Fejelis.
For the uninitiated in this trilogy; 800 years ago a curse of magic proportions divided the races into Darkborn and Lightborn. Darkborn are condemned to perpetual darkness and are basically blinded at birth. They use Sonn, or what we would call radar, in order to get around and differentiate between people they are talking to.
The Dark have restricted the use of magic, and mages are considered outcasts, which puts Telmaine in a really difficult situation in this story. The Lightborn are condemned to perpetual light. Daylight burns the Darkborn, exactly like it does to vampires who aren’t part of the Twilight series. The Lightborn end up melted by the Darkness. The Lightborn rely heavily on magic and the Temple of the Mages for their survival.
The Lightborn court is rocked by the assassination, betrayal and a power play by the powerful Mages, including the prince’s own sister. The Darkborn find that they too, are under strain of constant threat when it appears as if someone or the Shadowborn, are trying to pull both courts into an all-out war by killing their rulers and Telmaine is put right in the middle of things after burning the archduke.
We are introduced to a new character that plays a huge role in the lives of Telmaine and Floria, Magister Tammorn. Tam is an outcast even among his own kind; the mages. Telmaine is forced to protect Lord Vladimir after she exposed her abilities while trying to save his life. (See Darkborn) Tam is also friends with the new prince of the Lightborn, which in the end, helps save his life and that of his brother.
This story is a pure fantasy, and not of the UF variety or the PNR variety. Sinclair takes the reader on a wild ride as we watch two very strong women come under constant attack, and fight for what they believe in; family, friends, and loyalty to their ruler. The characters are like pieces on a chess board; always moving. Yes, the ending does leave the story open for the conclusion which is called Shadowborn (06/07/2011).
Recommendation: Yes – Even though, at times, this book moves slowly, the action is consistent towards moving all the characters into conflict and resolution. The ending is exactly what it should be. An open dialogue to what I hope is an exciting conclusion to the storyline and a return of Balthasar and Ishmael who play absolutely no role in this installment.
Lightborn mainly follows Telmaine Hearne of the Darkborn who learned that she is a mage of a very high level, and Floria White Head of the Lightborn who is able to tell if food is poisoned or not. Floria has been friends with Telmaine’s husband Balthasar since they were children, much to the bemusement and annoyance of Telmaine.
Lady Telmaine, as a mage, is able to cast her thoughts into another person’s mind, influencing their wills, forcing sleep upon them, and able to walk unharmed through a burning building as she did while saving her own daughter in Darkborn.
Floria is also an assassin and this time around, she’s accused of killing Prince Isidor while being under ensorcellment of either a Shadowborn, or a very powerful mage within the Lightborn community. Floria flees and finds sanctuary among the Darkborn until she is able to return in order to save the new prince, Isidor’s son Fejelis.
For the uninitiated in this trilogy; 800 years ago a curse of magic proportions divided the races into Darkborn and Lightborn. Darkborn are condemned to perpetual darkness and are basically blinded at birth. They use Sonn, or what we would call radar, in order to get around and differentiate between people they are talking to.
The Dark have restricted the use of magic, and mages are considered outcasts, which puts Telmaine in a really difficult situation in this story. The Lightborn are condemned to perpetual light. Daylight burns the Darkborn, exactly like it does to vampires who aren’t part of the Twilight series. The Lightborn end up melted by the Darkness. The Lightborn rely heavily on magic and the Temple of the Mages for their survival.
The Lightborn court is rocked by the assassination, betrayal and a power play by the powerful Mages, including the prince’s own sister. The Darkborn find that they too, are under strain of constant threat when it appears as if someone or the Shadowborn, are trying to pull both courts into an all-out war by killing their rulers and Telmaine is put right in the middle of things after burning the archduke.
We are introduced to a new character that plays a huge role in the lives of Telmaine and Floria, Magister Tammorn. Tam is an outcast even among his own kind; the mages. Telmaine is forced to protect Lord Vladimir after she exposed her abilities while trying to save his life. (See Darkborn) Tam is also friends with the new prince of the Lightborn, which in the end, helps save his life and that of his brother.
This story is a pure fantasy, and not of the UF variety or the PNR variety. Sinclair takes the reader on a wild ride as we watch two very strong women come under constant attack, and fight for what they believe in; family, friends, and loyalty to their ruler. The characters are like pieces on a chess board; always moving. Yes, the ending does leave the story open for the conclusion which is called Shadowborn (06/07/2011).
Recommendation: Yes – Even though, at times, this book moves slowly, the action is consistent towards moving all the characters into conflict and resolution. The ending is exactly what it should be. An open dialogue to what I hope is an exciting conclusion to the storyline and a return of Balthasar and Ishmael who play absolutely no role in this installment.
June 21, 2014
It took me far too long to read Lightborn. I had to plod through it and I was really tempted to put it down several times.
Now I enjoyed Darkborn. I liked the premise, the world, and Balthasar. Now while the first two are the same, in Lightborn, we primarily follow Telmaine. At the end of Darkborn, we learned that she had powers. Following a character like that who was untrained and wanted to keep them secret, should have been an interesting journey. However, that's not what we got.
What we got was a lot of talking. Telmaine talked to the Master Spy as I like to call him, he talked to her, Telmaine spied on people who were talking, people talked about Telmaine, the Lightborn prince talked to his people, mages talked to each other, Floria talked to mages, and so on. And I did learn that talking, talking, and more talking can greatly add to the length of a book.
Just when I thought the plot would move forward, it would stop as everyone had to talk to each other. It made it feel as if nothing actually happened. I would say two or three major things did happen but they could have easily been squeezed in the third book or just glossed over. Anything would have been better than people talking about doing things but not actually doing things.
The only interesting thing of note was the meeting between Telmaine and Floria. There should have been more of that or maybe having Balthasar in the book at some point.
This book was so bad that I'm not sure if I want to finish the series. I would assume it should be better, but you never know. Balthasar was off in the border, which got mentioned several times, and that story would have been fun to follow.
Much like watching Episode III, I might read Shadowborn just to finish the series. I've already come this far...
Now I enjoyed Darkborn. I liked the premise, the world, and Balthasar. Now while the first two are the same, in Lightborn, we primarily follow Telmaine. At the end of Darkborn, we learned that she had powers. Following a character like that who was untrained and wanted to keep them secret, should have been an interesting journey. However, that's not what we got.
What we got was a lot of talking. Telmaine talked to the Master Spy as I like to call him, he talked to her, Telmaine spied on people who were talking, people talked about Telmaine, the Lightborn prince talked to his people, mages talked to each other, Floria talked to mages, and so on. And I did learn that talking, talking, and more talking can greatly add to the length of a book.
Just when I thought the plot would move forward, it would stop as everyone had to talk to each other. It made it feel as if nothing actually happened. I would say two or three major things did happen but they could have easily been squeezed in the third book or just glossed over. Anything would have been better than people talking about doing things but not actually doing things.
The only interesting thing of note was the meeting between Telmaine and Floria. There should have been more of that or maybe having Balthasar in the book at some point.
This book was so bad that I'm not sure if I want to finish the series. I would assume it should be better, but you never know. Balthasar was off in the border, which got mentioned several times, and that story would have been fun to follow.
Much like watching Episode III, I might read Shadowborn just to finish the series. I've already come this far...
June 9, 2010
The action really ramps up in this 2nd vol of Sinclair's trilogy. The first book introduced us to the world of Darkborn and Lightborn, with almost all of the action and intrigue occurring on the Dark side.
This second book introduces us to the major Lightborn--the rulers, the court and, most importantly, the mages.
The Lightborn court is rocked by the assassination, by magic, of the ruler. His eldest son, Fejelis, takes the reigns of power, but is not secure, at all. The Temple mages can't figure out how his father was killed (the lights failed, but why??). The rogue mages detect the taint of Shadowborn magic. But the Temple mages insist that Shadowborn are a myth.
On the Darkborn side of the city, there are also intrigues afoot and Telmaine Hearne (our heroine from the first book)is caught up in them.
The book starts slow, as we are introduced to the Lightborn court and brought up to date with happenings of the Darkborn court. But the pace accelerates as the city falls into chaos.
By the end of the book most of the main players from both books are all headed for the Borderlands, where the Shadowborn appear to be invading.
Wow. I can't believe I'll have to wait another year to find out how it all ends.
This second book introduces us to the major Lightborn--the rulers, the court and, most importantly, the mages.
The Lightborn court is rocked by the assassination, by magic, of the ruler. His eldest son, Fejelis, takes the reigns of power, but is not secure, at all. The Temple mages can't figure out how his father was killed (the lights failed, but why??). The rogue mages detect the taint of Shadowborn magic. But the Temple mages insist that Shadowborn are a myth.
On the Darkborn side of the city, there are also intrigues afoot and Telmaine Hearne (our heroine from the first book)is caught up in them.
The book starts slow, as we are introduced to the Lightborn court and brought up to date with happenings of the Darkborn court. But the pace accelerates as the city falls into chaos.
By the end of the book most of the main players from both books are all headed for the Borderlands, where the Shadowborn appear to be invading.
Wow. I can't believe I'll have to wait another year to find out how it all ends.
July 11, 2011
Hoping to get some of my questions answered in book 2 of the regency-like fantasy trilogy based on people separated by the sunrise or sunset I forced myself to finish Lightborn. Did I get my answers? No, not really. I may understand a little more about how much light or darkness can kill each race but that is about it. More characters were introduced in this volume of the series, while two major characters were completely absent! The new characters include a Lightborn mage of considerable power and the Lightborn court. Floria played a part, but her character was not developed as I thought it would be considering she was on the cover of the book. There was a lot of Telmaine and Vladimer on the Darkborn side. The story felt disjointed, it kept flipping back and forth from Light to Dark and from one POV to the next. There were tons of plot holes. The sad part is I am still going to read book three because some part of me still likes this story despite how much it frustrates me. And I keep hoping everything will come together in book three.
October 18, 2011
Continues where "Darkborn" left off. The attacks on the Hearne family have ensnared them into a struggle that may destroy both the Lightborn and Darkborn society. Lady Telmaine has been reluctantly conscripted by Lord Vladimer Plantageter to aid him in his investigations while her husband and Ishmael travel to the Borders to look into the idea that the Shadowborn are uprising. Still untrained in the powers that she has hidden all of her life, Telmaine becomes a wild card who could play a pivotal role as the leadership of both opposing factions changes in character but her powers may cause more damage than not. Floria White Hand's life is also spiraling out of control as she becomes a pawn in the power struggle for rulership of the Lightborn. A great read but no resolution at the end and little or no mention of Telmaine's husband Balthasar or of her mentor and more, Ishmael.
February 27, 2025
Answered my questions about how much light/darkness people could stand. Not enough Floria. Interesting new characters. I am strangely fond of Vladimer. I wish for once the revolutionary industrialists were not aided by a sympathetic royal.
January 30, 2016
It's so nice to read a fantasy that I just can't put down, and then for the sequel to be just as enjoyable as the first book of the series.
July 31, 2020
I really enjoyed Darkborn, and had very high hopes for this book. But I was extremely disappointed. The author took the most interesting character in the series and literally put her in a closet for most of the book. I think the premise of this world was very clever, but after the first book, I think the author lost her way.
February 20, 2018
This was a cannot-put-it-down type book.
February 21, 2018
a complicated read and the action scenes can be confusing, but the characters themselves? well they draw you into the world and keep you there.
June 19, 2019
Enjoyed this as much as the last book, though I did notice some typos. Overall my only issues with these books are formatting and editing issues. The story and pacing are tight and engaging.
June 10, 2021
Just as good as the first. Highly recommended to lovers of fantasy and magic.
January 12, 2015
Lichtgeboren hat, wie der Vorgänger auch, eine sehr kleine Schrift, lange Kapitel und ist in einer gehobenen Sprache geschrieben, wodurch ich wieder einmal nur sehr langsam voran gekommen bin.
Am Anfang ist Einiges verwirrend, wenn man Nachtgeboren schon vor einiger Zeit gelesen hat und somit auch nicht mehr genau alles im Gedächtnis hat. Jedoch gibt es nach einigen Seiten eine kleine Rückblende zur Auffrischung und auch im Laufe der Geschichte werden verschiedene Ereignisse wiederholt, so dass man sich an das wichtigste erinnern kann. Die Sprache besteht, grob gesagt, nur aus zwei Dingen: Detaillierte Beschreibungen - Umgebungen, Räume, Personen und Erklärungen, sowie Hintergrundgeschichten oder Anrisse dieser - und Dialogen, in denen man allerdings auch sehr viel über die momentane Lage, Personen und andere Sachen erfährt. Zudem kommen dann noch die Gedanken und Erinnerungen der jeweiligen Person, aus dessen Sicht man gerade liest. Man verfolgt die Handlung aus der Betrachtungsweise von vier Charakteren: Talmaine, Floria, Tammorn und Fejelis. Bis auf Talmaine sind alle lichtgeboren. Trotzdem spielt gerade sie als heimliche Protagonistin eine wichtige Rolle in der Handlung. So geht nicht nur ihre eigene Geschichte in diesem Band weiter, sie ist auch die einzige, durch die man weiß, was bei den Nachtgeborenen vor sich geht.
Als die Geschichte ungefähr ab Seite 150 über die Kurzbeschreibung hinausgeht, wurde das Buch nicht nur spannender, sondern Talmaine auch sympathischer. Da ich sie sowohl im ersten Band, als auch am Anfang dieses Bandes nicht sonderlich mochte, hätte ich nie und nimmer gedacht, dass ich für sie jemals ein paar kleine Tränchen vergießen werde. Aber auch die anderen Charaktere gefielen mir sehr gut - am meisten Tammorn. Die Figuren sich greifbar. Sie haben Ecken und Kanten und sind sehr tiefgründig.
Der Konflikt zwischen den Nachtgeborenen und Lichtgeborenen, das Mitgefühl für die Charaktere, das Interesse an dem Aufdecken und Erklären der Anschläge - es gibt viele Gründe, die dieses Buch sehr viel spannender gemacht haben als den Vorgänger. Ich war überrascht, dass die Reihe mich doch noch so mitreißen kann. Es bleiben noch viele Fragen offen, die hoffentlich endgültig im Abschlussband beantwortet werden.
Am Anfang ist Einiges verwirrend, wenn man Nachtgeboren schon vor einiger Zeit gelesen hat und somit auch nicht mehr genau alles im Gedächtnis hat. Jedoch gibt es nach einigen Seiten eine kleine Rückblende zur Auffrischung und auch im Laufe der Geschichte werden verschiedene Ereignisse wiederholt, so dass man sich an das wichtigste erinnern kann. Die Sprache besteht, grob gesagt, nur aus zwei Dingen: Detaillierte Beschreibungen - Umgebungen, Räume, Personen und Erklärungen, sowie Hintergrundgeschichten oder Anrisse dieser - und Dialogen, in denen man allerdings auch sehr viel über die momentane Lage, Personen und andere Sachen erfährt. Zudem kommen dann noch die Gedanken und Erinnerungen der jeweiligen Person, aus dessen Sicht man gerade liest. Man verfolgt die Handlung aus der Betrachtungsweise von vier Charakteren: Talmaine, Floria, Tammorn und Fejelis. Bis auf Talmaine sind alle lichtgeboren. Trotzdem spielt gerade sie als heimliche Protagonistin eine wichtige Rolle in der Handlung. So geht nicht nur ihre eigene Geschichte in diesem Band weiter, sie ist auch die einzige, durch die man weiß, was bei den Nachtgeborenen vor sich geht.
Als die Geschichte ungefähr ab Seite 150 über die Kurzbeschreibung hinausgeht, wurde das Buch nicht nur spannender, sondern Talmaine auch sympathischer. Da ich sie sowohl im ersten Band, als auch am Anfang dieses Bandes nicht sonderlich mochte, hätte ich nie und nimmer gedacht, dass ich für sie jemals ein paar kleine Tränchen vergießen werde. Aber auch die anderen Charaktere gefielen mir sehr gut - am meisten Tammorn. Die Figuren sich greifbar. Sie haben Ecken und Kanten und sind sehr tiefgründig.
Der Konflikt zwischen den Nachtgeborenen und Lichtgeborenen, das Mitgefühl für die Charaktere, das Interesse an dem Aufdecken und Erklären der Anschläge - es gibt viele Gründe, die dieses Buch sehr viel spannender gemacht haben als den Vorgänger. Ich war überrascht, dass die Reihe mich doch noch so mitreißen kann. Es bleiben noch viele Fragen offen, die hoffentlich endgültig im Abschlussband beantwortet werden.
October 19, 2010
Well. If Lady Telmaine Hearne thought that her adventures in Darkborn are over, and she can go back to being a respectable member of Darkborn society, she has another think coming. Because now she has Lord Vladimer's attention, all due to her ability in sensing the Shadowborn. Doesn't help that there were two Shadowborn assassins after her and Vladimer within the first ten pages of the book. Telmaine's story notwithstanding, Lightborn also introduces characters from the other side of the magical divide. And drama. Let's not forget the drama.
Specifically, the assassination of the Lightborn Prince, which puts an untried youth into a leadership position before he's ready, and thrusts Floria White Hand into the role of accused murderer. And so begins this dance, where some light and dark arm themselves against threats--real or perceived--from the other, whilst others either race to diffuse the tensions, or rush to pour oil into the fire. And all the while, a very select few are realizing with growing horror that the Shadowborn are real, and deadly.
I like this series from Alison Sinclair. I wonder where the story will go next, now that the Shadowborn have been introduced. There are hints here and there of their origin, but nothing very specific yet. Just enough to make you go "hmmm..." and whet your appetite for the next installment of this series full of political wrangling, opposite races, magic, and (of course) mayhem. Want to know more? Start with Darkborn. And join me as I travel along Lady Telmaine's road...
Specifically, the assassination of the Lightborn Prince, which puts an untried youth into a leadership position before he's ready, and thrusts Floria White Hand into the role of accused murderer. And so begins this dance, where some light and dark arm themselves against threats--real or perceived--from the other, whilst others either race to diffuse the tensions, or rush to pour oil into the fire. And all the while, a very select few are realizing with growing horror that the Shadowborn are real, and deadly.
I like this series from Alison Sinclair. I wonder where the story will go next, now that the Shadowborn have been introduced. There are hints here and there of their origin, but nothing very specific yet. Just enough to make you go "hmmm..." and whet your appetite for the next installment of this series full of political wrangling, opposite races, magic, and (of course) mayhem. Want to know more? Start with Darkborn. And join me as I travel along Lady Telmaine's road...
July 16, 2011
Lightborn does not disappoint. This sequel to "Darkborn" does as its title implies: Tells us the story of the Lightborn. In a society that was divided into two (or three?) groups by a powerful mage over 800 years previously, the two groups live side by side but rarely interact. One group, the Darkborn, is destroyed by light. The other, the Lightborn, is destroyed by dark. They can never co-exist in the same room. The Darkborn despise magic; the Lightborn rely on it. The first book dealt with the adventures of Balthasar Hearne and his wife Telmaine, as events knock on their door and sweep them up into political, magical, and racial changes. These changes seem to all point to the inhabitants of the borderlands, the mysterious Shadowborn. At the end of the first book, Balthasar and his ally Ishmael headed for the boarderlands. This book follows Telmaine and Balthasar's Lightborn neighbor, friend, ally, and master assassin Fiona Whitehand in their adventures. It introduces us to the ruling courts of both the Lightborn and the Darkborn. We discover much about the mages. But the Shadowborn remain a mystery and a threat. The third novel of this series (trilogy?) is titles, oddly enough, "Shadowborn" and is being added to my "To Read" list.
April 19, 2022
Vote: 3,75
Class: L-A3 (FP)
(second book of a Trilogy)
I can't remember how I came to this trilogy and I wasn't overly enthusiastic about the first book (it is not my genre: it's what we could maybe call a romantic-fantasy in a Victorian-fantasy setting). However I decided to read the second book and was greatly rewarded: the romance is less accentuated the fantasy side is much more developed with its beautiful and original setting.
The world (3,75) is a Victorian-fantasy world. Original, well described and coherent; the magical setting is great.
The characters (3,75) are good feeling ones and they grow more and more interesting. Convincing and true to themselves. I was only mildly disappointed by the fact that some of them were almost put in standby in this second installment.
Clearly there's more to come.
After the painstakingly slow beginning of the series the story (3,90) grow more interesting and fast pacing. It ends in a cliffhanger but that's to be expected.
The writing style (3,50) is good but sophisticated at times. Not a fast reading book (well, not for me at lest).
I'm growing quite fond of the characters and I really want to see how is all going to end: I'll read the sequel soon.
Class: L-A3 (FP)
(second book of a Trilogy)
I can't remember how I came to this trilogy and I wasn't overly enthusiastic about the first book (it is not my genre: it's what we could maybe call a romantic-fantasy in a Victorian-fantasy setting). However I decided to read the second book and was greatly rewarded: the romance is less accentuated the fantasy side is much more developed with its beautiful and original setting.
The world (3,75) is a Victorian-fantasy world. Original, well described and coherent; the magical setting is great.
The characters (3,75) are good feeling ones and they grow more and more interesting. Convincing and true to themselves. I was only mildly disappointed by the fact that some of them were almost put in standby in this second installment.
Clearly there's more to come.
After the painstakingly slow beginning of the series the story (3,90) grow more interesting and fast pacing. It ends in a cliffhanger but that's to be expected.
The writing style (3,50) is good but sophisticated at times. Not a fast reading book (well, not for me at lest).
I'm growing quite fond of the characters and I really want to see how is all going to end: I'll read the sequel soon.
July 24, 2010
Lightborn, the second book in the Darkborn trilogy really stepped it up a notch for me. I feel that Sinclair redeemed herself in my eyes with this second installment. Darkborn was a little over wordy, but beautifully written, it was also just boring until the last fourth of the book.
Lightborn has a lot more of the Lightborn world we become introduced to the prince and the inner workings of the court, whereas Darkborn was almost all Darkborn consisting of one particular family. We get to understand the differences better between the two. Lightborns love the mages and all that they can do, but Darkborns shun them (I would honestly like to know why but i think it's because they fear them.)
This book was incredibly better than the first for me. It consisted of more action. It was in general more interesting to read and I genuinely liked it. Although, Shadowborn will not be a book that I cannot wait for its release I will still eagerly read it to see how the final book concludes and combines the previous two.
Lightborn has a lot more of the Lightborn world we become introduced to the prince and the inner workings of the court, whereas Darkborn was almost all Darkborn consisting of one particular family. We get to understand the differences better between the two. Lightborns love the mages and all that they can do, but Darkborns shun them (I would honestly like to know why but i think it's because they fear them.)
This book was incredibly better than the first for me. It consisted of more action. It was in general more interesting to read and I genuinely liked it. Although, Shadowborn will not be a book that I cannot wait for its release I will still eagerly read it to see how the final book concludes and combines the previous two.
January 7, 2011
Well, I finished it. I didn't think I was going to make it. Parts of the book had me wanting to claw my eyes out with boredom or sheer confusion. The story was jerky and disjointed. Just when I figured out what was going on, there would be a time shift or perspective shift without even the courtesy of a break in the text. The actual worthwhile story didn't start until two-thirds of the way through the book. It took me the first third of the book to even remember what was going on in the series since it has been a while since I read the first book. The author didn't do a very good job of reminding the reader what the background story was and who the characters were. And while I get that Fejelis is supposed to be a hesitant speaker, did that really have to be indicated with an ellipsis before every bit of his dialog? And I could go my whole life without ever having to read the word "ensorcelled" again. The only reason this didn't get one star is that I am truly interested in what happens to Fejelis and Tam. But Telmaine can take a flying leap.
March 21, 2011
Another good one! :) I do have to admit that my mind was racing to keep up with the back-and-forth action and events, particularly in the last third of the book, (and sometimes, my mind ended up just spinning and moving on); but it was thoroughly enjoyable. The plot's complexity took time to digest (hence the occasionally-mind-boggling back-and-forth), and I enjoyed learning more about the Lightborn culture.
One thing that stood out to me in this book was the author's approach to balancing what happens to "the good guys" and "the bad guys," or making a distinction between wholly innocent and deliberate. Not only does she rarely make such stark divisions in the first place, but her characters are complex, and the way she handles events and their consequences makes me think. It also seems more realistic (perhaps) that way, more fairly portraying the actual tendencies and "whatever else" of human nature. Good thinking material, at least for me.
Hoping for a great reconciliation of the series' struggles, in book 3...
One thing that stood out to me in this book was the author's approach to balancing what happens to "the good guys" and "the bad guys," or making a distinction between wholly innocent and deliberate. Not only does she rarely make such stark divisions in the first place, but her characters are complex, and the way she handles events and their consequences makes me think. It also seems more realistic (perhaps) that way, more fairly portraying the actual tendencies and "whatever else" of human nature. Good thinking material, at least for me.
Hoping for a great reconciliation of the series' struggles, in book 3...
December 17, 2013
Written first for my blog Fire & Ice
I have to say I preferred Darkborn to this one a great deal actually. We do get to meet some new Characters and some that were lesser in the first book are brought forward more. However two of the main characters are pretty much not here at all and for me that was troubling. I have not been able to personally connect well with Telmaine so the story being mainly from her POV made it a little bit of a snooze fest for me. I wish I could blame it on my mood but I really do feel it was the book, it just was not as good. You do not get much answered either which is troubling. Personally when I am reading a series I think that each book in the series needs to build and give me some answers from the previous books questions, not just keep heaping questions on the pile.
So while this was not my favorite book I will read the third in the series and hope that I get the rest of my questions answered that way. All in all this one was a luke warm feeling for me.
I have to say I preferred Darkborn to this one a great deal actually. We do get to meet some new Characters and some that were lesser in the first book are brought forward more. However two of the main characters are pretty much not here at all and for me that was troubling. I have not been able to personally connect well with Telmaine so the story being mainly from her POV made it a little bit of a snooze fest for me. I wish I could blame it on my mood but I really do feel it was the book, it just was not as good. You do not get much answered either which is troubling. Personally when I am reading a series I think that each book in the series needs to build and give me some answers from the previous books questions, not just keep heaping questions on the pile.
So while this was not my favorite book I will read the third in the series and hope that I get the rest of my questions answered that way. All in all this one was a luke warm feeling for me.
November 18, 2012
The
Lightborn
has for some reason come into a fair amount of slack. Well I must admit that I found the book very well done. There weren't too many characters, they all revolved around the two courts and the factions within the courts. There were enough people to make the intrigues and plots work. No story that deals with interstate and cross-border politics could be told I think without going into as much detail.
I just loved the way the two sides, the Darkborn and the Lightborn are shown through Telmain and Flora. The two women are so different, but also loved by Baltasar. The Duke and his brother are both manipulating bastards, and yet they care for their people. Their love, their first love is their nation. I think that whole conversation with Vladimir really brought home what love was - for some it is home, husband and children, for others it is the state and keeping their people and ruler safe.
I just loved the way the two sides, the Darkborn and the Lightborn are shown through Telmain and Flora. The two women are so different, but also loved by Baltasar. The Duke and his brother are both manipulating bastards, and yet they care for their people. Their love, their first love is their nation. I think that whole conversation with Vladimir really brought home what love was - for some it is home, husband and children, for others it is the state and keeping their people and ruler safe.
August 14, 2010
This book took me awhile to get into. But once I was into it, I really liked it. Another fabulous cover. I'm excited to see what Shadowborn ends up looking like.
I really didn't like Lady Telmaine in the first book because I'm used to heroines that actually stand up for themselves and aren't afraid to use what power they have. So this book started out a little slow for me because I still didn't like her. However, a lot a things happen in this book and while she hasn't really changed, she has developed a backbone by the end of the story. I don't want to spoil anything with how. And the rest of the characters are really coming into their own also. The one person we really didn't see a lot of was Floria, but I expect that because of all the different lines the plot is following, we will see more of her in the next book.
I really didn't like Lady Telmaine in the first book because I'm used to heroines that actually stand up for themselves and aren't afraid to use what power they have. So this book started out a little slow for me because I still didn't like her. However, a lot a things happen in this book and while she hasn't really changed, she has developed a backbone by the end of the story. I don't want to spoil anything with how. And the rest of the characters are really coming into their own also. The one person we really didn't see a lot of was Floria, but I expect that because of all the different lines the plot is following, we will see more of her in the next book.
January 4, 2011
I was kind of surprised that two of the three protagonists from book one completely dropped off the face of the earth for this sequel. I was more surprised that after the first few chapters, I didn't really miss them. Telmaine was always my favorite anyway, and I cheered to see her coming into her own. I also enjoyed the further glimpses into her friends and family. I wish the breakneck pace of the book had slowed to allow for more development there.
I didn't find Lightborn culture quite as fascinating as Darkborn culture, but it was still interesting getting a closer look. I hadn't really thought through just how much more precarious their existence is, given the relative difficulty between artificially creating sunlight and darkness. It makes their embrace of magic understandable, though I was disappointed at how generic the magic ultimately was.
I didn't find Lightborn culture quite as fascinating as Darkborn culture, but it was still interesting getting a closer look. I hadn't really thought through just how much more precarious their existence is, given the relative difficulty between artificially creating sunlight and darkness. It makes their embrace of magic understandable, though I was disappointed at how generic the magic ultimately was.
November 12, 2013
The second book in Alison Sinclair's brilliant trilogy that had me enthralled from the very beginning and is set in a complex and intricately crafted fantasy world with a population divided by the sun is every bit as intriguing and captivating as book one. Expanding the reader's knowledge and understanding of this unique world, this part introduces several characters from the Lightborn court to round out the cast of fascinating characters whose interconnected fates we follow from alternating viewpoints and in moving the story filled with conspiracies, mysteries and magic along swiftly paves the way for what promises to be a thrilling conclusion in the final book, Shadowborn.
November 28, 2011
Absolutely loved Book 1 in this fantasy/victorianish/steampunkish series (Darkborn), this one not quite as much though still very good. I think perhaps because even though there was action, there were also somewhat convoluted stretches of palace intrigue.
This is truly not a novel to try without having read Book 1. Even for me, who read in order, I should ideally have reread the first as a refresher before going on to the second - not because I couldn't remember the characters (they are all wonderfully vivid) but because the dual society and its mirrored mores and taboos are so complex. This is definitely an author who does her readers the compliment of treating them like they have brains.
Really looking forward to Book 3 in which all loose ends are wound up!
This is truly not a novel to try without having read Book 1. Even for me, who read in order, I should ideally have reread the first as a refresher before going on to the second - not because I couldn't remember the characters (they are all wonderfully vivid) but because the dual society and its mirrored mores and taboos are so complex. This is definitely an author who does her readers the compliment of treating them like they have brains.
Really looking forward to Book 3 in which all loose ends are wound up!
May 3, 2011
I still can't decide if this series has a subtle and clever thematic layer, or if the author simply chose to use loaded terms it might have been better to avoid. It made me think a little of The City & The City, what with the two cultures in the same physical space who can't really acknowledge and interact with eachother.
I can see why Telmaine drives some people crazy, but to me she's the logical result of her culture. She seems very real and I am not bothered by her typicalness.
There is a complete lack of Balthasar and Ishmael in this book. I kind of missed them and wonder if the whole thing can really be wrapped up in a trilogy.
I can see why Telmaine drives some people crazy, but to me she's the logical result of her culture. She seems very real and I am not bothered by her typicalness.
There is a complete lack of Balthasar and Ishmael in this book. I kind of missed them and wonder if the whole thing can really be wrapped up in a trilogy.
February 19, 2015
Das Buch war - genauso wie der erste Teil - wumdervoll! Bin immer noch schwer beeindruckt von dieser neuartigen und detailreichen Welt und lese gern von der Lebensweise der Nachgeborenen, die uns Sehenden so fremd erscheint. Ich finde den Wechsel des thematischen Hauptaugenmerks auf die Lichtgeborenenseite sehr gelungen und mochte auch die neuen Charaktere, wie zB den jungen Prinzen. Die Entwicklung der Story war wie immer rasant aber nicht überstrürzt und unglaubwürdig und von vorne bis hinten spannend!! Man kann sich jetzt darüber streiten, ob das Ende wirklich so offen sein sollte - man bricht ja quasi mitten im Satz ab - mich zumindest motiviert es dazu, schnellstmöglich mit Schattengeboren an- und abzuschließen!
July 11, 2013
Two groups of people--some who can never leave the light and others who can never see it. There is intrigue in both palaces, and the Shadowborn are no longer myth. This is the middle story in the trilogy. It's a typical middle story where nothing is resolved, but the story moves on so that it can conclude. Lots of things are set in motion but little resolved. Conflict grows between the Lightborn and Darkborn. Someone is setting in motion war and destruction. While I enjoyed the story, I wished more had happened. Some threads started in the first book are completely ignored in this one--like the twins born that started the whole story. Like a lot of middle books, it stalls in parts. However, it's worth the read to get to the end, which I'm looking forward to.
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