From their home in the Vale of Lakes, a group of young traders embark on a quest to make their fortune. Carrying a cargo of ancient artefacts, their journey along the River Wynnd will take them into a world both strange and terrifying. They will meet extraordinary people, witness unforgettable events and discover something that will change their lives for ever. For the world is a far more complex place than the adventurers could have imagined. In the aftermath of a terrible war, political upheaval and family rivalries threaten to plunge the land into a new dark age. The past, it seems, is far from forgotten. And the consequences of that long-ago war are by no means played out. Look out for more information about this book and others on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk
From Publishers Weekly
In the land of Ayr two noble families, the Renn‚ and the Wills, fight for political advantage in this sprawling first volume in a new high fantasy series distinguished by intelligent characters and believable politics. The Renn‚ noblemen set out on a path of treachery, conceiving a plan to murder one of their own at the Westbrook Fair and, by so doing, frame the other family. The Wills plan an equally heinous act; they want to force a spunky young noblewoman to marry a handsome but subjugated prince, in order to produce an heir who'll be their puppet on the throne. Meanwhile, Tam, Fynnol and Baore, three young cousins of supposed peasant background, believing themselves far removed from the politics of the nobles, blithely set out from their sheltered homes in the Vale to make their fortunes. But when they encounter Alaan, a mysterious rogue with a charming demeanor, all their plans go awry. Supernatural forces cause paths and tributaries to mysteriously and unpredictably open, channeling the travelers into unforeseen lands and onto heretofore hidden islands, with hazardous results. Inevitably, all paths lead to the Westbrook Fair. Russell (River Into Darkness) so neatly interweaves the supernatural characters into the story that the magical elements seem an organic part of the history being made. This a perfectly plotted, beautifully written fantasy. Agent, Howard Morhaim. (Feb. 8)Forecast: With rights already sold to Germany and the U.K., for six figures each, as well as a strong blurbs from Stephen Donaldson, Robin Hobb and Janny Wurts, plus a three-city author tour, this novel looks to be on the fantasy fast track.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Two sons and a daughter were born to King Wyrr of Ayr. The Swans (as they were known) ended up either killing one another or disappearing to parts unknown. This first book in a new fantasy series starts more than a century after the war that was caused for lack of a successor to King Wyrr's throne. Running beneath a strained peace is a deep hatred between the royal houses of Renn‚ and Wills. Running through the land is a strange river as twisted as the plots hatched by the characters. Toren Renn‚ pushes for peace through diplomacy. His cousins plan to kill him using arrows stolen from the Willses. Elise Wills resists marriage arrangements concocted by relatives bent on amassing a war-size army. In the boondocks, Tam and his buddies strike out for adventure down the river to sell battlefield artifacts. Eventually, Tam realizes that he is on a quest to find answers about his dead father. Encounters with the mazelike river and its spirits conjure up feelings familiar to anyone who has been caught in the woods at twilight. Stories within stories are either revealed or hinted at in a tantalizing fashion. While there is a resolution to Toren's and Elise's predicaments, there are many questions left unanswered. Even with its remarkable depth, the book is fairly easy to follow. Once caught up in Russell's newly created world, readers will undoubtedly be eager to return for more.
Description:
From their home in the Vale of Lakes, a group of young traders embark on a quest to make their fortune. Carrying a cargo of ancient artefacts, their journey along the River Wynnd will take them into a world both strange and terrifying. They will meet extraordinary people, witness unforgettable events and discover something that will change their lives for ever. For the world is a far more complex place than the adventurers could have imagined. In the aftermath of a terrible war, political upheaval and family rivalries threaten to plunge the land into a new dark age. The past, it seems, is far from forgotten. And the consequences of that long-ago war are by no means played out. Look out for more information about this book and others on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk
From Publishers Weekly
In the land of Ayr two noble families, the Renn‚ and the Wills, fight for political advantage in this sprawling first volume in a new high fantasy series distinguished by intelligent characters and believable politics. The Renn‚ noblemen set out on a path of treachery, conceiving a plan to murder one of their own at the Westbrook Fair and, by so doing, frame the other family. The Wills plan an equally heinous act; they want to force a spunky young noblewoman to marry a handsome but subjugated prince, in order to produce an heir who'll be their puppet on the throne. Meanwhile, Tam, Fynnol and Baore, three young cousins of supposed peasant background, believing themselves far removed from the politics of the nobles, blithely set out from their sheltered homes in the Vale to make their fortunes. But when they encounter Alaan, a mysterious rogue with a charming demeanor, all their plans go awry. Supernatural forces cause paths and tributaries to mysteriously and unpredictably open, channeling the travelers into unforeseen lands and onto heretofore hidden islands, with hazardous results. Inevitably, all paths lead to the Westbrook Fair. Russell (River Into Darkness) so neatly interweaves the supernatural characters into the story that the magical elements seem an organic part of the history being made. This a perfectly plotted, beautifully written fantasy. Agent, Howard Morhaim. (Feb. 8)Forecast: With rights already sold to Germany and the U.K., for six figures each, as well as a strong blurbs from Stephen Donaldson, Robin Hobb and Janny Wurts, plus a three-city author tour, this novel looks to be on the fantasy fast track.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Two sons and a daughter were born to King Wyrr of Ayr. The Swans (as they were known) ended up either killing one another or disappearing to parts unknown. This first book in a new fantasy series starts more than a century after the war that was caused for lack of a successor to King Wyrr's throne. Running beneath a strained peace is a deep hatred between the royal houses of Renn‚ and Wills. Running through the land is a strange river as twisted as the plots hatched by the characters. Toren Renn‚ pushes for peace through diplomacy. His cousins plan to kill him using arrows stolen from the Willses. Elise Wills resists marriage arrangements concocted by relatives bent on amassing a war-size army. In the boondocks, Tam and his buddies strike out for adventure down the river to sell battlefield artifacts. Eventually, Tam realizes that he is on a quest to find answers about his dead father. Encounters with the mazelike river and its spirits conjure up feelings familiar to anyone who has been caught in the woods at twilight. Stories within stories are either revealed or hinted at in a tantalizing fashion. While there is a resolution to Toren's and Elise's predicaments, there are many questions left unanswered. Even with its remarkable depth, the book is fairly easy to follow. Once caught up in Russell's newly created world, readers will undoubtedly be eager to return for more.
Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.