by Patricia McKillip
A one-part fantasy novel. Unlike most everything i've seen before as it is it draws me in almost from the first word. The language flows smooth and poetic across the pages and sometimes it's even so full of metaphors it even makes you unsure of exactly what we're talking about here... Mostly, though, it's just plain beautiful, and it definately deserves your attention!
Ombria in Shadow features a city - Ombria - as one of it's main characters. A magical city it is, of a kind, with a whole unknown life that affect all it's citizens in varying degree and to their varying awareness... The Undercity is known by a few, and the Shadow city is but the stuff of legends.
In Ombria a transition starts when the ruler, prince Royce, dies and his only heir is but a child of five. His wife is long dead and his mistress - Lydea, the tavernkeep's daughter - is thrown out on the streets to fend for herself, for her life even. The heir-prince Kyel is left bereft of everyone he knows and is now surrounded only by strangers apart from his cousin - the late prince's bastard nephew Ducon - and nobody expects either of them to live long. The Black Pearl's - Domina Pearl's - long wait to take over the kingdom is now at an end as she is appointed regent for the young prince. She is an ancient sorceress - a relative of someone or other in the royal family - who should have died centuries ago but keeps herself alive in mystical ways.
In the Undercity lives Faey - a greater sorceress than Domina Pearl, who makes good business of supplying everyone who can pay with charms, magics and potions - even Domina Pearl.
Ducon - alive so far - is approached by various factions who wants to be rid of Domina Pearl and give the rule to him instead - preferably by killing prince Kyel. Faey's waxling apprentice is starting to become something more than wax and decides to meddle with some of the magics people have ordered from the sorceress. Lydea is drawn back to the palace where Prince Kyel resides all alone and in grave peril. Ducon feels himself drawn to the mysterious shadows of Ombria - a doorway here, a windowsill there - and feels compelled to draw them all. Domina Pearl plots and scheems for her own ends and hidden motives...
Mysterious and unique - poetic and compelling - this is a gem!
I give this book a 4 out of 5!
Posts
