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Darkborn #3
Shadowborn
From the author of Lightborn , the third book in a Regency- flavored fantasy series of magic and manners.
Magic dies with the mage, or so the Darkborn believe. That's why Lady Telmaine Hearne has been condemned to death for sorcery. She's escaped but is now bound with her mageborn allies for the Borders and war. Meanwhile, her husband, Balthasar, has learned of his family connection to the Shadowborn-and is fighting for survival and sanity as magic turns him against everything he holds dear.
Magic dies with the mage, or so the Darkborn believe. That's why Lady Telmaine Hearne has been condemned to death for sorcery. She's escaped but is now bound with her mageborn allies for the Borders and war. Meanwhile, her husband, Balthasar, has learned of his family connection to the Shadowborn-and is fighting for survival and sanity as magic turns him against everything he holds dear.
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2011
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About the author
Alison Sinclair
35 books82 followersAlison Sinclair is a science fiction and fantasy author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 27, 2011
After two books of setting up factions and mysteries, Shadowborn had a lot of loose ends to tie off. Unfortunately, I found its knot-work less than satisfying.
It's particularly frustrating because there's so many opposing goals within the Lightborn and the Darkborn, so many alliances being made and broken, that I don't really understand why the books needed the Shadowborn at all. There were plenty of other opportunities for conflict--human conflict, understandable conflict--that could have driven the plot.
But I was always reading these books for the characters, not for the plot. And in that respect . . . in that respect, this book exceeded my expectations and made me squee. I read lots of books with love triangles. It's hard to find YA fantasy without them these days. I know how they go: eventually, the girl picks one of them--if one of the guys doesn't die off first. And so when I came out of the first book loving Balthasar/Telmaine/Ishmael as an OT3, it was with the belief that this was about as likely to show up on-screen as Kirk/Spock. I braced myself for the inevitable end.
So, in summary: not a perfect book by any means, but I am willing to forgive a lot in something that hits my personal narrative kinks so well.
It's particularly frustrating because there's so many opposing goals within the Lightborn and the Darkborn, so many alliances being made and broken, that I don't really understand why the books needed the Shadowborn at all. There were plenty of other opportunities for conflict--human conflict, understandable conflict--that could have driven the plot.
But I was always reading these books for the characters, not for the plot. And in that respect . . . in that respect, this book exceeded my expectations and made me squee. I read lots of books with love triangles. It's hard to find YA fantasy without them these days. I know how they go: eventually, the girl picks one of them--if one of the guys doesn't die off first. And so when I came out of the first book loving Balthasar/Telmaine/Ishmael as an OT3, it was with the belief that this was about as likely to show up on-screen as Kirk/Spock. I braced myself for the inevitable end.
So, in summary: not a perfect book by any means, but I am willing to forgive a lot in something that hits my personal narrative kinks so well.
March 1, 2025
2025 reread
--
I liked the domestic fantasy of the first two volumes occurring in the interstices of epic fantasy, so it was really disappointing to me when this volume became all epic, all the time. I also had a hard time following some of the Shadowborn machinations, until they broke down into something ironically too simplistic. Tip: "Because s/he's crazy!" is not actually a good motivation for villains.
It's good the villains were mostly off-screen, given how poorly thought-out they were, but it's not good that several key character interactions also seemed to take place off-screen. Also, Sinclair's penchant for having characters fall in love at first sight continues to bewilder me.
--
I liked the domestic fantasy of the first two volumes occurring in the interstices of epic fantasy, so it was really disappointing to me when this volume became all epic, all the time. I also had a hard time following some of the Shadowborn machinations, until they broke down into something ironically too simplistic. Tip: "Because s/he's crazy!" is not actually a good motivation for villains.
It's good the villains were mostly off-screen, given how poorly thought-out they were, but it's not good that several key character interactions also seemed to take place off-screen. Also, Sinclair's penchant for having characters fall in love at first sight continues to bewilder me.
June 29, 2012
Conclusion of divided-species trilogy. This worked very well for me in some ways, and fell down significantly in others. Biggest fall: the storyline overlaps the previous book in the series. But I read _Lightborn_ a year ago and I just don't have the details to hand. The viewpoint characters here are explicitly far away from the previous batch, so they don't know what's going on, and this is part of the story. Nonetheless, the plot threads *do* pass occasionally, like trains in the night. (Literally, at one point.) When this happens I wind up noticing only belatedly and only what the narrative nudges me with, so all the fun of the intertwined plotting is lost. The titanic battle of magic at the end wound up kind of confusing, simply because all these threads came together and half of them were blurry. I know what *happened* -- it wasn't unclearly written -- I just wasn't in the moment.
This is the sort of storytelling where everyone goes through hell, and the sort of trilogy where the hell ramps up to a carefully orchestrated sequence of catastrophes. I like that in a trilogy. Plenty of variety (military assault, *then* kidnapping, *then* assassination -- take politics for granted as a running theme) and all very personal, both for the protagonists and antagonists. Many, many awesome people in these books. Then we finally get to *meet* the Shadowborn, and of course they and their problems are just as complex as the ones we've gotten familiar with.
Another good point: this series really gets across that your average semi-immortal semi-omnipotent sorcerer is *not* a healthy member of society. Last time I was theorizing the Lightborn nobility are nuts because they get assassinated three times a week and sometimes twice before breakfast. Here it's clear that the higher-level mages are just plain nuts, as a group. We're not talking genteel robed chuckleheads and Voldemort-style evil. By and large, they regard other people as toys -- *malleable* toys -- and hundreds of years is plenty of time to get into a rut.
This was my other problem with the book. The rationale for the setting was always "Mad Archmage Imogene cursed the entire population of the continent," which is an awesome premise because it's clearly *crap*. One, nobody gets that mad just because their daughter was killed; two, if you are you probably can't convince your whole mad-mage's guild and mad-sewing circle to join you in *enacting* the curse, especially when the backlash will certainly kill you all; three, revenge usually involves *horrible murder* and not, say, handcrafting two new species of human being who are perfectly adapted to their new lifestyles. (Vengeance curse comes with free sonar senses! Really? Plus the earlier books note that the Darkborn have zero incidence of congenital deafness; similarly the Lightborn and blindness. Stuff like that.)
So we get to the end, and -- spoiler -- the truth is that Imogene really *was* that crazy, after all. (Albeit also good at mind-control, which helped out with the sewing circle business.) This is a small disappointment amidst a generally satisfactory wrap-up, but I wish there'd been more to that. The *young* crazy Shadowborn mage is a great character, but everybody from the Elder Days (on-stage or in historical recollection) is to some degree an opaque plot contrivance.
This is the sort of storytelling where everyone goes through hell, and the sort of trilogy where the hell ramps up to a carefully orchestrated sequence of catastrophes. I like that in a trilogy. Plenty of variety (military assault, *then* kidnapping, *then* assassination -- take politics for granted as a running theme) and all very personal, both for the protagonists and antagonists. Many, many awesome people in these books. Then we finally get to *meet* the Shadowborn, and of course they and their problems are just as complex as the ones we've gotten familiar with.
Another good point: this series really gets across that your average semi-immortal semi-omnipotent sorcerer is *not* a healthy member of society. Last time I was theorizing the Lightborn nobility are nuts because they get assassinated three times a week and sometimes twice before breakfast. Here it's clear that the higher-level mages are just plain nuts, as a group. We're not talking genteel robed chuckleheads and Voldemort-style evil. By and large, they regard other people as toys -- *malleable* toys -- and hundreds of years is plenty of time to get into a rut.
This was my other problem with the book. The rationale for the setting was always "Mad Archmage Imogene cursed the entire population of the continent," which is an awesome premise because it's clearly *crap*. One, nobody gets that mad just because their daughter was killed; two, if you are you probably can't convince your whole mad-mage's guild and mad-sewing circle to join you in *enacting* the curse, especially when the backlash will certainly kill you all; three, revenge usually involves *horrible murder* and not, say, handcrafting two new species of human being who are perfectly adapted to their new lifestyles. (Vengeance curse comes with free sonar senses! Really? Plus the earlier books note that the Darkborn have zero incidence of congenital deafness; similarly the Lightborn and blindness. Stuff like that.)
So we get to the end, and -- spoiler -- the truth is that Imogene really *was* that crazy, after all. (Albeit also good at mind-control, which helped out with the sewing circle business.) This is a small disappointment amidst a generally satisfactory wrap-up, but I wish there'd been more to that. The *young* crazy Shadowborn mage is a great character, but everybody from the Elder Days (on-stage or in historical recollection) is to some degree an opaque plot contrivance.
November 11, 2014
** Spoilers for earlier books below **
I enjoyed this final book in the trilogy, though not as much as Lightborn. Using the first third of the book to catch up on a plotline that runs concurrently with the second book works fairly well, and though the ending is rushed and leaves some threads hanging, it isn’t as bad as I’d been led to believe.
This is the book that shifts the focus to fighting Shadowborn, but as a reader not crazy about action scenes I enjoyed these parts without feeling that the fighting dragged on too long. Unfortunately, characters tend to be blasé about events that ought to be horrifying; for instance, Telmaine never does seem to care much about the supposed best friend who took a bullet for her and died in her arms (presumably because the supposed best friend lacks plot importance), nor, despite their posturing at the end of the last book, are the Lightborn appropriately furious or frightened by faceless enemies attacking the heart of their power, in a way that threatens their survival as a people. Instead they simply take the opportunity to maneuver for advantage, presumably because author and readers know the Darkborn won’t repeat it and aren’t really trying to wipe them out. It is too bad the author felt this trilogy needed evil villains as an organizing principle, because far more interesting conflicts are brushed aside to make room for fighting them.
Still, I did enjoy these books. There are some very strong moments and unexpected plot twists, and somewhere along the way these characters endeared themselves to me. Sinclair is especially good at creating strong secondary characters: my favorites were Olivede, Phoebe, Farquhar, and Laurel. (Laurel is notable for being not only badass but also pregnant. Not for any plot-related reason, not to create some cheap tearjerker moment, but because while you wouldn't know it from most fantasy, people can't reproduce without sometimes being pregnant.) And I appreciate that despite the focus on it in the first book, the love quadrilateral doesn’t take over the story and that the author doesn’t pair everyone off at the end.
Overall, this is a fun fantasy trilogy that, while it has plenty of flaws, is still as good as many more popular works and deserves more attention than it gets. Not world-changing, but a good find and enjoyable while it lasted.
I enjoyed this final book in the trilogy, though not as much as Lightborn. Using the first third of the book to catch up on a plotline that runs concurrently with the second book works fairly well, and though the ending is rushed and leaves some threads hanging, it isn’t as bad as I’d been led to believe.
This is the book that shifts the focus to fighting Shadowborn, but as a reader not crazy about action scenes I enjoyed these parts without feeling that the fighting dragged on too long. Unfortunately, characters tend to be blasé about events that ought to be horrifying; for instance, Telmaine never does seem to care much about the supposed best friend who took a bullet for her and died in her arms (presumably because the supposed best friend lacks plot importance), nor, despite their posturing at the end of the last book, are the Lightborn appropriately furious or frightened by faceless enemies attacking the heart of their power, in a way that threatens their survival as a people. Instead they simply take the opportunity to maneuver for advantage, presumably because author and readers know the Darkborn won’t repeat it and aren’t really trying to wipe them out. It is too bad the author felt this trilogy needed evil villains as an organizing principle, because far more interesting conflicts are brushed aside to make room for fighting them.
Still, I did enjoy these books. There are some very strong moments and unexpected plot twists, and somewhere along the way these characters endeared themselves to me. Sinclair is especially good at creating strong secondary characters: my favorites were Olivede, Phoebe, Farquhar, and Laurel. (Laurel is notable for being not only badass but also pregnant. Not for any plot-related reason, not to create some cheap tearjerker moment, but because while you wouldn't know it from most fantasy, people can't reproduce without sometimes being pregnant.) And I appreciate that despite the focus on it in the first book, the love quadrilateral doesn’t take over the story and that the author doesn’t pair everyone off at the end.
Overall, this is a fun fantasy trilogy that, while it has plenty of flaws, is still as good as many more popular works and deserves more attention than it gets. Not world-changing, but a good find and enjoyable while it lasted.
July 10, 2012
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Darkborn. The next one – Lightborn – expanded on the characters and the plot, bringing in politics and tension. So I had high hopes for the conclusion, Shadowborn…
This one’s lighter on the characters I enjoyed in the previous two books – namely Lady Telmaine Hearne, her husband Dr. Balthasar Hearne, and Baron Ishmael di Studier. They’re here, don’t get me wrong – and with important roles to play. But with everything else going on the Lightborn nobles, the Shadowborn, and the mages all make a showing in this installment – which means less of my favorites. Because you can only fit in so many events and people into 358 pages…
There’s a lot of action and a lot of revelations, so much so that I went back and re-read a couple sections to keep my head straight. Not because I was ever confused, but more for the “oh yeah, that explains it” kind of clarification. The characters can be confounding in its numbers – especially as to who’s Lightborn, who’s Darkborn, and who’s Shadowborn. But the storyline is tight and doesn’t meander. All in all, a nice wrap-up to the series.
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
This one’s lighter on the characters I enjoyed in the previous two books – namely Lady Telmaine Hearne, her husband Dr. Balthasar Hearne, and Baron Ishmael di Studier. They’re here, don’t get me wrong – and with important roles to play. But with everything else going on the Lightborn nobles, the Shadowborn, and the mages all make a showing in this installment – which means less of my favorites. Because you can only fit in so many events and people into 358 pages…
There’s a lot of action and a lot of revelations, so much so that I went back and re-read a couple sections to keep my head straight. Not because I was ever confused, but more for the “oh yeah, that explains it” kind of clarification. The characters can be confounding in its numbers – especially as to who’s Lightborn, who’s Darkborn, and who’s Shadowborn. But the storyline is tight and doesn’t meander. All in all, a nice wrap-up to the series.
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
June 16, 2011
A very convoluted (by necessity)ending to a good fantasy story arc. The first book was the best(Darkborn) and this third one was the weakest.
The action overlaps that of Lightborn for the first hundred pages or so, that we might come up to speed on the action in the South involving Ishmael and Balthasar Hearne. And it is pretty much all action, as they fight the Shadowborn and their creatures. And that sets the tone for the rest of the book--lots and lots of action, a lot of it very confusing.
We bounce around the countryside and from POV to POV; there are many plot threads to follow as we work our way to the conclusion.
The big, big disappointment to me was finding out just what was the driving force of the Shadowborn. Oh really??
However, the final wrap up was realistic and satisfactory.
So all in all it was good--but it could have been fantastic. And that's a reason for disappointment.
The action overlaps that of Lightborn for the first hundred pages or so, that we might come up to speed on the action in the South involving Ishmael and Balthasar Hearne. And it is pretty much all action, as they fight the Shadowborn and their creatures. And that sets the tone for the rest of the book--lots and lots of action, a lot of it very confusing.
We bounce around the countryside and from POV to POV; there are many plot threads to follow as we work our way to the conclusion.
The big, big disappointment to me was finding out just what was the driving force of the Shadowborn. Oh really??
However, the final wrap up was realistic and satisfactory.
So all in all it was good--but it could have been fantastic. And that's a reason for disappointment.
November 27, 2011
This was a satisfactory ending to the trilogy. If I sound a little ambivalent, it is because I am. I'm not sure what I expected. Was the ending predicatable? I didn't predict it. I could see one possible outcome that I knew would annoy me. The book didn't go there. I think my biggest problem is dealing with/accepting beings who border on the omnipotent. I quess that it my only complaint with this novel. And it can't be a big complaint, because Ms. Sinclair handled it well. She did not opt for the happy ever after cliche-ic ending. Neither was it all dark. I was pleased that after all the all-powerful magical battle the ending was more down-to-earth. This trilogy is definately worth the time. The concept is rather unique and handled well.
July 5, 2017
This was a good book, but I found myself not able to follow all the storylines as well as I would have liked. There's a lot to try to follow. The writing wasn't as good as the first one, I thought. But a great ending to a great trilogy! Wish she would write more!
February 28, 2018
complicated but well worth the read and something about the ending left me hanging for more.... let's hope that there is more.
July 16, 2011
*Rating* 3.0
*Genre* Fantasy/Science Fiction
*Review*
Shadowborn, by Alison Sinclair, is the final book in the Darkborn Trilogy. Unfortunately, I am one of those who really didn't enjoy this story as much as the first two. It was a convoluted story that took the identity of something that appeared to have been thrown together in order to finish the series.
In summary, Ishmael and Balthasar Hearne are in the border lands trying to find out more about the sudden influx of Shadowborn incursions and disruptions that have put the Lightborn and Darkborn on the brink of all-out war.
There ends up being a war between the Shadowborn and those Darkborn trying to protect Stranhorne Manor from incursions including Ish, Balt and those intent on bringing Ish back to Minhorne to answer questions. For some reason, the Shadows only want the manor and something about the library which perhaps holds the history of the Shadowborn within.
This probably is the best part of the entire book as we get a first-hand look at the distorted former Darkborn that have been transformed into monsters. Ish ends up in the Shadows hands with a face to face meeting with the daughter of Imogen who Eight Hundred years before, cursed the Dark and Light because of her anger towards the mages. Both races have been living with the curse ever since.
Lady Telmaine has become a mage of significant powers, but they are uncontrollable at times. She now finds that her reputation and life are on the line. Darkborns aren’t supposed to be that powerful. She is also working in close proximity to Lord Vladimir after several Shadowborn tried to kill him. Telmaine does play an important role in the final outcome between two factions of the Shadowborn and of course, she has strong feelings for Ish even though she is married to Balt.
If you’ve read the previous two books then you know the Darkborn are near enough to be considered vampires. They are unable to be in the light for long before dying horribly. They also use a form of sonar to get around and know to whom they are speaking and dealing with since they have no eyes. The Dark are somewhat anti-technology unlike their Lightborn brethren, but they are able to sense when a Shadowborn is around them.
The Lightborn are the opposite from the Dark. They can’t go out at night without sufficient lights. They enjoy the use of magic and technology and basically run the city of Minhorne while the Dark are sleeping. The Lightborn are also having a tremendous power struggle between the Mages and the Prince of the Lightborn and have somehow determined that there is no such thing as Shadowborn interference happening in their city.
I am a fan of the struggle to hold Stranhorne which took up much of the first half of this story. After that, it was a matter of trying to piece together who would be coming out alive in the end. The Epilogue really puzzled me although anyone who has read this series from the first knows that eventually Ishmael would end up with the person he desires most.
I would recommend reading this series starting from Darkborn, and then Lightborn before trying this one. This book tries very hard to wrap things up in a nice little ball so that the reader is left satisfied. I’m not satisfied.
*Genre* Fantasy/Science Fiction
*Review*
Shadowborn, by Alison Sinclair, is the final book in the Darkborn Trilogy. Unfortunately, I am one of those who really didn't enjoy this story as much as the first two. It was a convoluted story that took the identity of something that appeared to have been thrown together in order to finish the series.
In summary, Ishmael and Balthasar Hearne are in the border lands trying to find out more about the sudden influx of Shadowborn incursions and disruptions that have put the Lightborn and Darkborn on the brink of all-out war.
There ends up being a war between the Shadowborn and those Darkborn trying to protect Stranhorne Manor from incursions including Ish, Balt and those intent on bringing Ish back to Minhorne to answer questions. For some reason, the Shadows only want the manor and something about the library which perhaps holds the history of the Shadowborn within.
This probably is the best part of the entire book as we get a first-hand look at the distorted former Darkborn that have been transformed into monsters. Ish ends up in the Shadows hands with a face to face meeting with the daughter of Imogen who Eight Hundred years before, cursed the Dark and Light because of her anger towards the mages. Both races have been living with the curse ever since.
Lady Telmaine has become a mage of significant powers, but they are uncontrollable at times. She now finds that her reputation and life are on the line. Darkborns aren’t supposed to be that powerful. She is also working in close proximity to Lord Vladimir after several Shadowborn tried to kill him. Telmaine does play an important role in the final outcome between two factions of the Shadowborn and of course, she has strong feelings for Ish even though she is married to Balt.
If you’ve read the previous two books then you know the Darkborn are near enough to be considered vampires. They are unable to be in the light for long before dying horribly. They also use a form of sonar to get around and know to whom they are speaking and dealing with since they have no eyes. The Dark are somewhat anti-technology unlike their Lightborn brethren, but they are able to sense when a Shadowborn is around them.
The Lightborn are the opposite from the Dark. They can’t go out at night without sufficient lights. They enjoy the use of magic and technology and basically run the city of Minhorne while the Dark are sleeping. The Lightborn are also having a tremendous power struggle between the Mages and the Prince of the Lightborn and have somehow determined that there is no such thing as Shadowborn interference happening in their city.
I am a fan of the struggle to hold Stranhorne which took up much of the first half of this story. After that, it was a matter of trying to piece together who would be coming out alive in the end. The Epilogue really puzzled me although anyone who has read this series from the first knows that eventually Ishmael would end up with the person he desires most.
I would recommend reading this series starting from Darkborn, and then Lightborn before trying this one. This book tries very hard to wrap things up in a nice little ball so that the reader is left satisfied. I’m not satisfied.
December 4, 2012
3.5 stars, bumped up to 4 on GR system
Reading Book 2 of the trilogy, I often caught myself wishing for a little more action to balance out the politics/intrigue portions. Well, Book 3 makes up for that and then some. It is almost all-action, all the time, on no less than three fronts. Ishmael and Balthasar were wonderful foils to one another, different from one another in many ways but each no less essential than the other to the survival of the dual society caught in crisis. It was easy to understand why Telmaine was so torn in her attraction to both.
So, lots to like about this conclusionary novel, but I felt like I was left with too many questions: (for those who don't want spoilers, look away now. for those who may have understood this better, it would be great if you could clarify for me):
- What happened to Vladimer? He was sent to the new land to do what, and how, and with whom?
- What happened to Floria? I get what was implied by Telmaine's arrival at the end, but: given that sections of Book 2 & 3 were devoted to her point of view, I wanted to know what she thought about developments firsthand.
- What happened to the Stranhornes? Disappeared from the narrative.
- the Lightborn and Darkborn societies were just that: societies, meaning with large populations spread across the lands. How is it that the Shadowborn seemed so extremely few in number? And what was the catalyst for all the extreme developments when the novel commenced, compared to the centuries before? I didn't understand the timing of the whole thing.
In case these questions would be answered in a follow-up novel, I'd be satisfied. But if this truly was the concluding book, I'm left feeling kind of restless even though the ride was a lot of fun.
Reading Book 2 of the trilogy, I often caught myself wishing for a little more action to balance out the politics/intrigue portions. Well, Book 3 makes up for that and then some. It is almost all-action, all the time, on no less than three fronts. Ishmael and Balthasar were wonderful foils to one another, different from one another in many ways but each no less essential than the other to the survival of the dual society caught in crisis. It was easy to understand why Telmaine was so torn in her attraction to both.
So, lots to like about this conclusionary novel, but I felt like I was left with too many questions: (for those who don't want spoilers, look away now. for those who may have understood this better, it would be great if you could clarify for me):
- What happened to Vladimer? He was sent to the new land to do what, and how, and with whom?
- What happened to Floria? I get what was implied by Telmaine's arrival at the end, but: given that sections of Book 2 & 3 were devoted to her point of view, I wanted to know what she thought about developments firsthand.
- What happened to the Stranhornes? Disappeared from the narrative.
- the Lightborn and Darkborn societies were just that: societies, meaning with large populations spread across the lands. How is it that the Shadowborn seemed so extremely few in number? And what was the catalyst for all the extreme developments when the novel commenced, compared to the centuries before? I didn't understand the timing of the whole thing.
In case these questions would be answered in a follow-up novel, I'd be satisfied. But if this truly was the concluding book, I'm left feeling kind of restless even though the ride was a lot of fun.
January 12, 2015
Im Groben geht es im abschließenden Band der Trilogie um den Konflikt und vor allem den Kampf zwischen den Schattengeborenen und den Nachtgeborenen und Lichtgeborenen. Die ersten Seiten liest man aus Ishmaels und Balthasars Sicht und wird prompt mit dem ersten Kampf überrascht. Der Zeitraum davor war zwar für meinen Geschmack etwas langatmig, aber dennoch recht interessant, da man unter anderem neue Charaktere kennenlernt. Super fand ich außerdem, dass man - wie im späteren Verlauf der Handlung auch - die wichtigen Momente aus Band zwei, wie beispielsweise der Angriff auf die Lichtgeborenen, aus der Sicht der nachtgeborenen Hauptfiguren erlebt hat, beziehungsweise ihre Gedanken und Reaktionen darauf.
Später liest man das Buch auch aus der Sicht von Telmaine und natürlich den lichtgeborenen Fejelis, Tammorn und Floria, was das ganze Buch sehr unterhaltsam gemacht hat.
Schattengeborenen hat mich zwar nicht so begeistert wie sein Vorgänger, jedoch hatte das Buch einige interessante und spannende Szenen zu bieten - vor allem am Ende ging es noch einmal richtig zur Sache. Es war zudem auch schön, endlich die ganze Hintergrundgeschichte zu den Schattengeborenen zu erfahren. Auch waren einige Schattengeborene sehr sympathisch und liebenswert.
Das Ende blieb relativ offen, allerdings hat man schon eine gewisse Ahnung, in welche Richtung die Geschichte weiter gehen könnte. Ich persönlich finde es nicht schlimm, denn so kann man sich als Leser selbst erdenken, wie das alles ausgeht.
Obwohl Schattengeboren nicht ganz so fesselnd war, habe ich mich während des Lesens total geborgen gefühlt, da ich so vertraut mit den Schreibstil und besonders den Charakteren war. Auch hat die Atmosphäre gestimmt. Es war ein geradezu magisches Lesevergnügen.
Später liest man das Buch auch aus der Sicht von Telmaine und natürlich den lichtgeborenen Fejelis, Tammorn und Floria, was das ganze Buch sehr unterhaltsam gemacht hat.
Schattengeborenen hat mich zwar nicht so begeistert wie sein Vorgänger, jedoch hatte das Buch einige interessante und spannende Szenen zu bieten - vor allem am Ende ging es noch einmal richtig zur Sache. Es war zudem auch schön, endlich die ganze Hintergrundgeschichte zu den Schattengeborenen zu erfahren. Auch waren einige Schattengeborene sehr sympathisch und liebenswert.
Das Ende blieb relativ offen, allerdings hat man schon eine gewisse Ahnung, in welche Richtung die Geschichte weiter gehen könnte. Ich persönlich finde es nicht schlimm, denn so kann man sich als Leser selbst erdenken, wie das alles ausgeht.
Obwohl Schattengeboren nicht ganz so fesselnd war, habe ich mich während des Lesens total geborgen gefühlt, da ich so vertraut mit den Schreibstil und besonders den Charakteren war. Auch hat die Atmosphäre gestimmt. Es war ein geradezu magisches Lesevergnügen.
December 9, 2012
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I didn't know this series before starting this one and I was very intrigued by the gorgeous cover. I must say that the three covers of this series have something magical. I was however a little afraid to start a fantasy book by the third volume. I had never tried to do something like that and I know that the fantasy stories are always something more complex than the other genres when you want to read in disorder. My verdict is that it’s really not a good idea to start with the last volume, I was completely lost, moreover, there are many POV throughout the story so it is very difficult to understand who they really are. However, I enjoyed all the characters and I tried to understand what they were doing.
The story is centered on a war between two clans. The persons we follow have all heard rumors about their allies, and these one aren’t really good. Each character will believe that their relatives are dead, changing the future events. I was quite surprised, while some people refuse to believe the death of their peers, others accept it with ease without trying to question the veracity.
I can’t, however, provide a real review of this volume as I didn't understand the plot. But I liked the basic idea and the change of perspective. I may need to try the first books to really know what is happening. Yet I enjoyed the characters of Ishmael and Balthazar and I'm curious to learn more about them.
My English review
I didn't know this series before starting this one and I was very intrigued by the gorgeous cover. I must say that the three covers of this series have something magical. I was however a little afraid to start a fantasy book by the third volume. I had never tried to do something like that and I know that the fantasy stories are always something more complex than the other genres when you want to read in disorder. My verdict is that it’s really not a good idea to start with the last volume, I was completely lost, moreover, there are many POV throughout the story so it is very difficult to understand who they really are. However, I enjoyed all the characters and I tried to understand what they were doing.
The story is centered on a war between two clans. The persons we follow have all heard rumors about their allies, and these one aren’t really good. Each character will believe that their relatives are dead, changing the future events. I was quite surprised, while some people refuse to believe the death of their peers, others accept it with ease without trying to question the veracity.
I can’t, however, provide a real review of this volume as I didn't understand the plot. But I liked the basic idea and the change of perspective. I may need to try the first books to really know what is happening. Yet I enjoyed the characters of Ishmael and Balthazar and I'm curious to learn more about them.
April 19, 2022
Vote: 3,70
Class: L-B1 (FP)
(final book of the 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 continue reading and was greatly rewarded: the romance is less accentuated, the fantasy side is much more developed with its beautiful and original setting.
The final book, while it has a satisfying ending, is not quite as good as the second: some scenes are a little confusing and sometimes it feels too slow.
The world (3,75) is a Victorian-fantasy world. Original, well described and coherent; the magical setting is great and it was given some thought.
The characters (3,50) are good feeling ones and they grow more and more interesting. Convincing and true to themselves. In the end they don't grow as I was wishing and expecting but all in all I found them quite satisfying.
After the painstakingly slow beginning of the series, the story (3,75) grow more interesting and fast pacing. The is quite good in regard of the main plot (it ties all the lose ends); less so in regard of the character development.
The writing style (3,50) is good but sophisticated at times. Not a fast reading book (well, not for me at lest).
I've liked this trilogy even if the amazing magical system could have been put to a better use, in my very personal opinion, without the Victorian romantic background and with a more fast pacing and simpler writing style.
Class: L-B1 (FP)
(final book of the 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 continue reading and was greatly rewarded: the romance is less accentuated, the fantasy side is much more developed with its beautiful and original setting.
The final book, while it has a satisfying ending, is not quite as good as the second: some scenes are a little confusing and sometimes it feels too slow.
The world (3,75) is a Victorian-fantasy world. Original, well described and coherent; the magical setting is great and it was given some thought.
The characters (3,50) are good feeling ones and they grow more and more interesting. Convincing and true to themselves. In the end they don't grow as I was wishing and expecting but all in all I found them quite satisfying.
After the painstakingly slow beginning of the series, the story (3,75) grow more interesting and fast pacing. The is quite good in regard of the main plot (it ties all the lose ends); less so in regard of the character development.
The writing style (3,50) is good but sophisticated at times. Not a fast reading book (well, not for me at lest).
I've liked this trilogy even if the amazing magical system could have been put to a better use, in my very personal opinion, without the Victorian romantic background and with a more fast pacing and simpler writing style.
November 15, 2012
I've always loved stories about divided groups of people, in this case the division between light and dark, and I think Sinclair makes it work well considering the somewhat Victorian fantasy setting she presents. Actually the Darkborn seem more Victorian and the Lightborn more medieval Italian, come to think of it. In any case, I love the meshing of the two groups and I loved how everything lead up to the war between these divided groups and the mysterious "Shadowborn," a group in between light and dark.
This series is a touch convoluted for its own good at times. Sometimes I had to reread pages just to ensure that I understood what Sinclair was trying to set up. I also found how she split the points of view to not work as well as it could, but that's more of an issue for the entire series. Still the characters are very wonderful, and I enjoyed the conflict a lot in Shadowborn. I loved the build up, but the ending fell quite flat for me (poor Isolde!) and it didn't feel like it provided any closure. The epilogue was just plain odd. I mean I loved the romance in this series, but something felt really off with how things were slapped together.
However, while the ending isn't perfect, there's an awesome world to discover with this series. The characters are always quite likeable and the urban elements blend really well with the romances that Sinclair steps up. Also, Ish and Bal, I heart you both. <3
This series is a touch convoluted for its own good at times. Sometimes I had to reread pages just to ensure that I understood what Sinclair was trying to set up. I also found how she split the points of view to not work as well as it could, but that's more of an issue for the entire series. Still the characters are very wonderful, and I enjoyed the conflict a lot in Shadowborn. I loved the build up, but the ending fell quite flat for me (poor Isolde!) and it didn't feel like it provided any closure. The epilogue was just plain odd. I mean I loved the romance in this series, but something felt really off with how things were slapped together.
However, while the ending isn't perfect, there's an awesome world to discover with this series. The characters are always quite likeable and the urban elements blend really well with the romances that Sinclair steps up. Also, Ish and Bal, I heart you both. <3
September 3, 2011
Having read all three Darkborn books, now I can say that while the series is intriguing, it is too convoluted. The world is not clearly developed and there are too many characters without a lot of substance. In each book we are introduced to new characters, while focusing less on subsequent characters. Eventually all the characters suffer and become diluted. Also the POV changes from chapter to chapter, as well as the setting. In on chapter it may be daylight in the Lightborn Court and the next it may be night at the Darkborn Court, throw in Shadowland and you get a real cluster.
That said, there is something that just makes you come back for more with these books. You are propelled to find out what is going to happen next, hoping to get a glimpse of what each character is doing.
I did enjoy the Darkborn Trilogy, but it frustrated the heck out of me. I liked the idea of it and some of the characters (Balthasar especially and Vladimir, not Telmaine) but really disliked the format/flow.
That said, there is something that just makes you come back for more with these books. You are propelled to find out what is going to happen next, hoping to get a glimpse of what each character is doing.
I did enjoy the Darkborn Trilogy, but it frustrated the heck out of me. I liked the idea of it and some of the characters (Balthasar especially and Vladimir, not Telmaine) but really disliked the format/flow.
July 29, 2014
I decided to read this series because my cousin had it and lent it to me. I had read fantasy before, and I enjoyed it. Darkborn and Lightborn were not bad books, but this one was hard for me to process.
Part of the problem was simply the concept that the Darkborn must be in total darkness or they die and the opposite for the lightborn. While I can understand the hypothetical concept, in reality this just seems to be an impossible feat. Even if the lightborn can be in shadow and be fine, the concept that any light can sicken and kill the darkborn makes their existence seem like it couldn't last long. Think about it, how often are YOU in complete darkness. PLUS, since they are said to be blind, how do they even know that it is dark. I know they have a special sense so they can "see" shapes and faces, but I still find it hard to believe.
That is not to say that the book doesn't have some good qualities, but after the start of the series and the first two books I have to say this one I found disappointing.
Part of the problem was simply the concept that the Darkborn must be in total darkness or they die and the opposite for the lightborn. While I can understand the hypothetical concept, in reality this just seems to be an impossible feat. Even if the lightborn can be in shadow and be fine, the concept that any light can sicken and kill the darkborn makes their existence seem like it couldn't last long. Think about it, how often are YOU in complete darkness. PLUS, since they are said to be blind, how do they even know that it is dark. I know they have a special sense so they can "see" shapes and faces, but I still find it hard to believe.
That is not to say that the book doesn't have some good qualities, but after the start of the series and the first two books I have to say this one I found disappointing.
August 20, 2013
This was excellent. I loved the conclusion to the trilogy. I adored the way Telmaine matured and become a mage of courage. Ishmael was marvellous and it was so interesting to see Baltasar and Floria come together. A very satisfying conclusion really. Because no matter what, the reasons for war are always the same, greed for land, hatred of one closest to you in strength, and that made sense with Emeya's madness. Very interesting.
I especially liked the way the story and setting reminded me of Tsarist Russian narratives, with elements of the Victorian steam era. The clothes, the reliance of trains for transportation, all made it a really interesting backdrop. I found all the minor characters so interesting too. Lysander Hearne was such a complex figure. Not really evil, just lacking in moral fibre and any sense of care for the wider world, but his selfishness makes sense as he was the pampered elder child. His ability to charm people here works because he is able to lure Ariadne away from Emeya, thus starting the Shadowborn war as it were.
I especially liked the way the story and setting reminded me of Tsarist Russian narratives, with elements of the Victorian steam era. The clothes, the reliance of trains for transportation, all made it a really interesting backdrop. I found all the minor characters so interesting too. Lysander Hearne was such a complex figure. Not really evil, just lacking in moral fibre and any sense of care for the wider world, but his selfishness makes sense as he was the pampered elder child. His ability to charm people here works because he is able to lure Ariadne away from Emeya, thus starting the Shadowborn war as it were.
August 23, 2011
Entertaining at first, but really lost it in the end.
What follows is some rambling thoughts, contains some minor spoilers, which I've hidden.
I really enjoyed the romantic tension between four of the main characters, it really is a complicated mess they are in, and there was no "clean" way to resolve it. The character's were actually very self aware of their situation too, and their dilemma never felt forced.
All told, the characters are great, the attention to detail on practicalities of the Lightborn and Darkborn was awesome, but the actual plot was a let down in the end.
What follows is some rambling thoughts, contains some minor spoilers, which I've hidden.
I really enjoyed the romantic tension between four of the main characters, it really is a complicated mess they are in, and there was no "clean" way to resolve it. The character's were actually very self aware of their situation too, and their dilemma never felt forced.
All told, the characters are great, the attention to detail on practicalities of the Lightborn and Darkborn was awesome, but the actual plot was a let down in the end.
October 17, 2011
Thoroughly enjoyable trilogy. AS wrote three books about 2 separate races the Lightnorn and The Darkborn. 800 years ago, a mage placed a huge cure on the world that separated the two people. The lightborn die if in the dark and the darkborn die if in the light. Centuries have passed and both races have adapted. The book is almost set in a turn of the century industrial age. Darkborn civilization is almost Victorian and lightborn civilization is similar to Medieval Italian society with intrigue, assassinations and dueling. The darkborn see with Sonn, something similar to sonar. Half of the books had no visual description yet it was descriptive and totally enjoyable. Darkborns can listen without being observed, but the moment they use sonar their cover is blown. It was interesting how both civilizations deal with a an earth shattering crisis.
May 21, 2014
I went into the conclusion of this brilliant fantasy trilogy with high expectations and was glad to see them fulfilled. Shadowborn definitely lives up to the promise of the first two books, adding yet another dimension to this already complex and fascinating world, upping the ante on the battles both magical and mundane and bringing together all the wonderfully fleshed out characters we've met in the previous installments along with more additions to the cast. While I'm sad to say goodbye to this unique and skillfully crafted world and its many intriguing inhabitants, the ending was absolutely satisfying and I'll be looking forward to reading more from this talented author.
December 22, 2013
First posted for Fire & Ice
I really hoped that the third book would remind me why I fell in love with the Darkborn series sadly it did not. Once again while it was not a terrible book it just was not that great and it could have been. In the end this series ended up being to convoluted and not able to sustain itself without coming off as just muddled. The characters that seemed so key in the first two books were nearly missing in this one as well, which left me confused and slightly upset as well.
So while this is not the worst series I have ever read it is certainly not the best. Some of the questions I wanted answered did get answered others did not. A lot of this one dragged as well, which it shouldn't have felt like it did because there was action. In the end this one jut leaves me feeling luke warm.
I really hoped that the third book would remind me why I fell in love with the Darkborn series sadly it did not. Once again while it was not a terrible book it just was not that great and it could have been. In the end this series ended up being to convoluted and not able to sustain itself without coming off as just muddled. The characters that seemed so key in the first two books were nearly missing in this one as well, which left me confused and slightly upset as well.
So while this is not the worst series I have ever read it is certainly not the best. Some of the questions I wanted answered did get answered others did not. A lot of this one dragged as well, which it shouldn't have felt like it did because there was action. In the end this one jut leaves me feeling luke warm.
March 29, 2012
I enjoyed the previous two installments more, probably just because I spent the latter half of the book getting whiplash between character changes and reconstructing the storyline in my head. My goodness... I couldn't put it down, but I wasn't always exactly sure what was going on, either. As the end of a trilogy, it did a decent job wrapping things up, although some tie-ups felt a little abrupt.
I can't put the blame solely on the author, though, since my reading style is very "light" - think scanning pages, especially where there's a very high word:action ratio. ;)
But it's definitely worth reading. The characters' complexity deepens, and there's A LOT of backstory filled in, for those who were feeling a little lost before. As much as it left my head spinning, I did enjoy it.
I can't put the blame solely on the author, though, since my reading style is very "light" - think scanning pages, especially where there's a very high word:action ratio. ;)
But it's definitely worth reading. The characters' complexity deepens, and there's A LOT of backstory filled in, for those who were feeling a little lost before. As much as it left my head spinning, I did enjoy it.
January 29, 2012
No idea why it took me six months to finish this book; every time I picked it up I was totally swept up by it, but when I put it down I was fine with stopping. Still very impressed by the world-building. After the first two books, I thought "how on earth is she going to wrap this up in one more book?" and the answer was
February 24, 2012
Now that I have finished this series, I have finally found out why the cures was put on the people. It was out of spite. A man was put under a spell to love a woman. When he was no longer under the spell then he left her. With a broken heart, then mother dear created the curse. Not just for one person but for a whole lot of people.
So this last book answered several questions. Like the Darkboorn, and the Lightborne can touch and not get hurt.....well in this last book they can. Also my question about the curse.
As this series did progress the books did get better, stranger but better.
So this last book answered several questions. Like the Darkboorn, and the Lightborne can touch and not get hurt.....well in this last book they can. Also my question about the curse.
As this series did progress the books did get better, stranger but better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2013
Loved this book, loved the series. The concept of the two types of people- those who can only survive with light, and those who can only survive without- living so closely together was greatly done.
I must say it didn't end how I expected, but I liked the ending nonetheless. It concluded the story while hinting at the future of the characters and as a reader, that's all I ask for. However, I was more interested in the newborn twins than was ever written about them, and about Bal and Floria than Ish and Telmaine, but whatevs.
It was great, I recommend it for anyone who likes fantasy.
I must say it didn't end how I expected, but I liked the ending nonetheless. It concluded the story while hinting at the future of the characters and as a reader, that's all I ask for. However, I was more interested in the newborn twins than was ever written about them, and about Bal and Floria than Ish and Telmaine, but whatevs.
It was great, I recommend it for anyone who likes fantasy.
January 11, 2016
The third and final book in the series.
The problem noted in book one are still present, but at least some of the natural mistrust is seen, but still not explained how/why the two groups who mistrust each other choose to reside together.
This one has a plot hole that still bothers me. a lot of issues resolved by a common practice that is not done in this case.
That being said, the writing is tight and the pace is excellent. The best of the three books, except for the last chapter and epilogue.
The problem noted in book one are still present, but at least some of the natural mistrust is seen, but still not explained how/why the two groups who mistrust each other choose to reside together.
This one has a plot hole that still bothers me. a lot of issues resolved by a common practice that is not done in this case.
That being said, the writing is tight and the pace is excellent. The best of the three books, except for the last chapter and epilogue.
August 13, 2011
The final chapter in this amazing series delivered much, but I cannot help feeling disatisfied with the ending. I wish there would have been a little more resolved or at least explained. I did like the end (epilogue not included) with Balthasar as the series began, a nice touch. Either way it was still an amazing book and I would highly reccomend this series to anyone looking for a unique fantasy story.
August 3, 2011
I had been looking forward to finishing this trilogy, as the first two books were great. So, when I saw the third has arrived, I was pretty excited and took the thing out in 2 days. Unfortunately, all that build up was kind of for nothing... the ending felt rushed, and it was kind of strange all around. The wrap up didn't really give closure. The first 70% was pretty great though. Still a worthwhile light read of a series if you're looking for something mindless.
May 3, 2012
This final book was interesting. The suspense was building up as the layers of mystery unfolded, but the climax was confusing for me unfortunately. (Translation to screen may be tough imo) It was an okay ending for me, but it did not answer the questions I had = the love square between the main characters. Since it's a trilogy, I wonder if Imogene's Curse will ever be ended. That would have been interesting. Overall, ok.
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