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Darwath #1
The Time of the Dark
A California medieval scholar is pulled into a far-off magical world—and a fight to save mankind—in this novel by a New York Times–bestselling author.As a student of medieval history, Gil Patterson is a woman familiar with dark stories. She knows well the Crusades, the Black Death, and the other horrors of the Middle Ages, but it is another kind of atrocity that has begun to haunt her dreams. She sees forces of evil assaulting a beleaguered kingdom, whose kind people are on the brink of annihilation, and awakes each morning in a cold sweat. Gil dismisses the dreams until a wizard appears in her apartment. He has crossed into her dimension, passing through the fraying fabric of the universe, to ask her help. For mankind to survive he must protect an infant prince, whom he plans to hide in Gil's world. The student of history is about to get much closer to evil than she ever imagined.
263 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 1982
About the author
Barbara Hambly
193 books1,497 followersaka Barbara Hamilton
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
November 19, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths Reviews.
Once, long ago, I recall walking through the Waldenbooks bookstore at my local mall, trying to find something new to read. After having crammed everything Middle-Earth related into my brain, I needed a new fix of epic fantasy adventure. Sure, I’d loved Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant books, read Moorcock, and begun The Belgariad with Eddings, but I was looking for something a bit different. And that is when I saw the cover of The Time of the Dark.
Obviously, my attention was caught by the image of a classic fantasy wizard – shadowy hood, long white hair, flowing beard, staff, and robes in the Gandalf mode – drinking a beer in a 1980-style kitchen. It struck me as a bit ridiculous. “Can’t be at all related to the story.” I thought to myself, as I stopped to read the description on the back.
But, you know what? After I read the cover blurb, I didn’t care about the fake cover anymore. Nope, this portal fantasy novel promised to give me something that my teenage mind adored: normal people from my time transported to a fantasy world under attack by man-eating creatures. A fantasy post-apocalyptic world is how I processed it. How could I not buy the book right there and then?
Once I paid, I immediately found myself a chair in the food court of the mall, impatient to get started reading (I was like that back in the day), and as soon as I started flipping pages, I was confronted by a nightmarish scene of a city being attacked by. . . Well, I didn’t know, because the main character didn’t know. What we both did know was that it was horrible; had to be since the people in this other world were terrified of it breaking out of a door. And, of course, right before the door was the wizard from the front cover, prepared to lay down his life as the first person to confront the monsters. But before the main character and I could see the fight for survival, Ingold Inglorion (that was his name I learned) sensed his ghostly peeping-tom and gently sent her back home to Earth.
Well, obviously, I was annoyed beyond belief at this point. Where was the fight? My god, I bought the book to see some good, old-fashioned sword fighting and magic using, not to have my narrator wake up in her apartment in southern California and go to work. I mean, we were standing in front of the door to what I assumed was the underworld! The bad guys were going to pour out and blood would flow. Why would the author leave out something so epic to make me follow along behind Gil Patterson, a graduate student!
But I went with it. Just the tantalizing scent of something familiar but exotic had me hooked, so I kept reading, learning about Gil’s life, her major (which I actually loved because I was a young history buff) and was nearly as surprised as she when we walked into her apartment kitchen to find Ingold Inglorion sitting there drinking a Budweiser.
The cover was not a flimsy sales pitch after all. It was straight from the story!
As Ingold finished his Bud and poured out the details of who he was, where he was from, and why he was in Gil’s apartment, I found myself further drawn under Ms. Hambly’s spell. The wizard’s explanation of his world and ours being so close together that people could pass back and forth between them got me interested, but as he began to talk of his land of Darwath and its fight to survive the rising of the Dark I became completely hooked.
A whole world on the verge of annihilation. A wizard saving the last prince of his country, a baby named Tir, by world jumping to escape from the terrible things that had erupted from that bound door and eaten a whole city of people; things that his land knew only as the Dark. Creatures of absolute blackness with cutting tentacles and tails that glide and fly through the night eating at will, snatching people up to return to the depths, and even able to suck a person’s mind clean, leaving them all but mindless automatons. And Tir was the only hope to save this other world from these killing machines; memories of the last time the Dark rose and how the ancients beat them back trapped somewhere in his subconscious, waiting to come out as he grew to manhood.
But Ingold knew that even on Earth he and Tir were not safe, not for long at least, because the Dark would pursue them relentless: determined to destroy the only hope of an entire world. So, he politely asked for Gil’s help and promised not to stay for long — before ultimately taking Gil and a mechanic named Rudy back to Darwath.
Oh, what a cruel, cruel woman Barbara Hambly was. This lead up to Gil actually reaching Darwath was so interesting, so deceptively simple and addictive that by the time the portal to Darwath opened, I already knew this would be an all-night read. And I fondly recall sitting up into the wee hours of the night at home that very night (I eventually had to leave the mall after all) following along behind my new friends.
Once in Darwath, Gil and Rudy find themselves right at the epicenter of the total collapse of civilization. Everywhere they look is death and destruction; pathetic but normal people desperately trying to cling to sanity in a situation of insanity. Naturally, the pair cling to Ingold, hoping to return home, and trying to survive while they also attempt to find a way to help these people and themselves in this unfamiliar world of swords, magic, treachery, and monsters. While they do this, the Dark become much more than some vague threat over the horizon but a wielder of silent death, waiting for the sun to go down so that they can descend through the darkness on silent wings and feed. And during it all, the stupidity of the powerful is on display, as they try to hold onto their vestiges of power and riches in the face of total collapse of society. When finally the survivors decided to gamble their lives by leaving everything behind to make a Trail of Tears-like journey across the wintry lands to an ancient “Keep”, I myself was huddled in the dark of my bedroom glad that there were no “Dark” on Earth.
Complex yet simple, horrific yet fantastical, powerful yet humbling, The Time of the Dark has it all. It is and always shall remain one of my favorite fantasy novels and series.
Once, long ago, I recall walking through the Waldenbooks bookstore at my local mall, trying to find something new to read. After having crammed everything Middle-Earth related into my brain, I needed a new fix of epic fantasy adventure. Sure, I’d loved Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant books, read Moorcock, and begun The Belgariad with Eddings, but I was looking for something a bit different. And that is when I saw the cover of The Time of the Dark.
Obviously, my attention was caught by the image of a classic fantasy wizard – shadowy hood, long white hair, flowing beard, staff, and robes in the Gandalf mode – drinking a beer in a 1980-style kitchen. It struck me as a bit ridiculous. “Can’t be at all related to the story.” I thought to myself, as I stopped to read the description on the back.
But, you know what? After I read the cover blurb, I didn’t care about the fake cover anymore. Nope, this portal fantasy novel promised to give me something that my teenage mind adored: normal people from my time transported to a fantasy world under attack by man-eating creatures. A fantasy post-apocalyptic world is how I processed it. How could I not buy the book right there and then?
Once I paid, I immediately found myself a chair in the food court of the mall, impatient to get started reading (I was like that back in the day), and as soon as I started flipping pages, I was confronted by a nightmarish scene of a city being attacked by. . . Well, I didn’t know, because the main character didn’t know. What we both did know was that it was horrible; had to be since the people in this other world were terrified of it breaking out of a door. And, of course, right before the door was the wizard from the front cover, prepared to lay down his life as the first person to confront the monsters. But before the main character and I could see the fight for survival, Ingold Inglorion (that was his name I learned) sensed his ghostly peeping-tom and gently sent her back home to Earth.
Well, obviously, I was annoyed beyond belief at this point. Where was the fight? My god, I bought the book to see some good, old-fashioned sword fighting and magic using, not to have my narrator wake up in her apartment in southern California and go to work. I mean, we were standing in front of the door to what I assumed was the underworld! The bad guys were going to pour out and blood would flow. Why would the author leave out something so epic to make me follow along behind Gil Patterson, a graduate student!
But I went with it. Just the tantalizing scent of something familiar but exotic had me hooked, so I kept reading, learning about Gil’s life, her major (which I actually loved because I was a young history buff) and was nearly as surprised as she when we walked into her apartment kitchen to find Ingold Inglorion sitting there drinking a Budweiser.
The cover was not a flimsy sales pitch after all. It was straight from the story!
As Ingold finished his Bud and poured out the details of who he was, where he was from, and why he was in Gil’s apartment, I found myself further drawn under Ms. Hambly’s spell. The wizard’s explanation of his world and ours being so close together that people could pass back and forth between them got me interested, but as he began to talk of his land of Darwath and its fight to survive the rising of the Dark I became completely hooked.
A whole world on the verge of annihilation. A wizard saving the last prince of his country, a baby named Tir, by world jumping to escape from the terrible things that had erupted from that bound door and eaten a whole city of people; things that his land knew only as the Dark. Creatures of absolute blackness with cutting tentacles and tails that glide and fly through the night eating at will, snatching people up to return to the depths, and even able to suck a person’s mind clean, leaving them all but mindless automatons. And Tir was the only hope to save this other world from these killing machines; memories of the last time the Dark rose and how the ancients beat them back trapped somewhere in his subconscious, waiting to come out as he grew to manhood.
But Ingold knew that even on Earth he and Tir were not safe, not for long at least, because the Dark would pursue them relentless: determined to destroy the only hope of an entire world. So, he politely asked for Gil’s help and promised not to stay for long — before ultimately taking Gil and a mechanic named Rudy back to Darwath.
Oh, what a cruel, cruel woman Barbara Hambly was. This lead up to Gil actually reaching Darwath was so interesting, so deceptively simple and addictive that by the time the portal to Darwath opened, I already knew this would be an all-night read. And I fondly recall sitting up into the wee hours of the night at home that very night (I eventually had to leave the mall after all) following along behind my new friends.
Once in Darwath, Gil and Rudy find themselves right at the epicenter of the total collapse of civilization. Everywhere they look is death and destruction; pathetic but normal people desperately trying to cling to sanity in a situation of insanity. Naturally, the pair cling to Ingold, hoping to return home, and trying to survive while they also attempt to find a way to help these people and themselves in this unfamiliar world of swords, magic, treachery, and monsters. While they do this, the Dark become much more than some vague threat over the horizon but a wielder of silent death, waiting for the sun to go down so that they can descend through the darkness on silent wings and feed. And during it all, the stupidity of the powerful is on display, as they try to hold onto their vestiges of power and riches in the face of total collapse of society. When finally the survivors decided to gamble their lives by leaving everything behind to make a Trail of Tears-like journey across the wintry lands to an ancient “Keep”, I myself was huddled in the dark of my bedroom glad that there were no “Dark” on Earth.
Complex yet simple, horrific yet fantastical, powerful yet humbling, The Time of the Dark has it all. It is and always shall remain one of my favorite fantasy novels and series.
December 11, 2014
Blog post with links at: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/...
A recent read of Those Who Hunt the Night led me to one of Hambly’s early series, The Time of the Dark. First published in 1982, it has the feel of many of the ‘crossworlds fantasy’ books so popular in that time period (Piers Anthony’s Apprentice Adept series, Terry Brooks’ Landover, Jack L. Chalker's Dancing Gods series, Stephen R. Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant, Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry, Andre Norton’s Witch World, to name ones I read). Hambly adds a refreshing touch in her trained historian’s viewpoint, as well as a fresher take on tired female tropes. If you are looking for classic portal fantasy, this is a great place to start.
Gil Patterson, a graduate student in medieval history, is troubled by realistic dreams with a powerful aura of impending doom. In one of the first dreams, a weather-beaten old man seems to see her, and in a subsequent dream, actually talks with her. One night, she wakes up and he is sitting at her kitchen table, and Gil starts to believe. The man, named Ingold, is a warrior and a wizard, able to cross between the two worlds, and is looking for an escape hatch for a special person from the growing terror of the Dark. When Ingold arrives at a safehouse in the California desert he crosses paths with Rudy, an artist trying to repair a broken-down car. Gil and Rudy choose to support Ingold and are drawn farther than they ever imagined.
The writing is vivid and does a nice job of creating the atmosphere of tension and danger. World-building was done well enough that I felt as if I was there. From one of Gil’s early dreams:
“The wind from the house increased, chilling her. She edged her way back toward the dark gate, feeling herself beginning to shiver, her feet icy on the marble pavement. The silence of the place was terrible; even the screaming flight of that first night would have been more welcome. Then she had been in a crowd, though unseen; then she had not been alone. Silent and terrible, the lurker waited on the threshold of that dark house, and she knew that she must flee for her life. She would not be able to waken out of this dream; she knew that she was already awake.”
It was entertaining, and I certainly read through to the end without my normal attention-deficit skimming used in reads that bore or annoy. Mostly, though, plotting feels rather genre standard, with some upgrades. Magical old man full of portents, undiscovered powers in the now-world recruits, uncanny progress adjusting to a new world, political animosity between the lord and his brother, a baby as savior, selfish religious leaders, the ‘Dark’ coming to devour humanity, etc. Hambly avoids the MacGuffin of ‘the journey back to the home world,’ so she deserves kudos there. Plotting was less world-scale than I expected, more of a survivalist focus, and while it doesn’t leave a cliffhanger ending in the personal sense, it is clear that the story is to be continued.
Characters are above average. Although Gil is a loner (of course), she has a great deal of knowledge to draw from, as well as her intuition. Surprisingly, however, she finds her physical skills are the ones in demand, a definite counter to stereotype. Rudy comes from a family-oriented, hard-scrabble background but works as an artist, again a more unusual take on the typical fantasy male stand-in. He’s the one that develops his emotional and intuition, which Gil takes on all new roles for her.
I wish I had found this series when it was first published in 1982; I would have loved it, far more than Brooks or Donaldson, which were filled with misogyny even a teenage girl could recognize. It’s definitely more accessible than Witch World, which was prone to sparse details, and less mythological-based than the Fionavar Tapestry, so it should appeal to readers who prefer more concrete details. Now, decades later, it feels above average for genre, if somewhat uninspired–but I suspect that is more because of my changing reader expectations for fantasy. I’ll be looking for the next book.
May 2, 2011
I made the mistake of reading this novel (and this series) after seeing the second Aliens movie (which is my favorite of all the Alien films). When I was younger, I read a lot Stephen King, but only because everyone else at school was reading it and it irritated my mother (or so I thought). After a couple of years on a steady diet of horror, I became bored and nothing was frightening or thrilling any longer.
I picked up The Time of the Dark, mostly because it was another story along the lines of Stephen R. Donaldson's Covenant series. At least the premises was similar: a contemporary person from our world is transported, in some inexplicable way, to a world in a different time and place, where magic is indigenous and a struggle for survival is imminent.
Hambly surprised me with her ability to thrill me, and even at times scare me. I would attribute this to her ability to make me care deeply for her characters. And when they were in danger, I was on the edge of my seat.
Hambly writes the most convincing and inspiring female characters of any author I've read.
May 2011 Update: Reread this (again) and updating my review for Fantasy Literature.
I picked up The Time of the Dark, mostly because it was another story along the lines of Stephen R. Donaldson's Covenant series. At least the premises was similar: a contemporary person from our world is transported, in some inexplicable way, to a world in a different time and place, where magic is indigenous and a struggle for survival is imminent.
Hambly surprised me with her ability to thrill me, and even at times scare me. I would attribute this to her ability to make me care deeply for her characters. And when they were in danger, I was on the edge of my seat.
Hambly writes the most convincing and inspiring female characters of any author I've read.
May 2011 Update: Reread this (again) and updating my review for Fantasy Literature.
July 18, 2022
Picture your typical portal fantasy (i.e. where people from our world enter a magical land of wizards and warriors), only filled with evil Lovecraftian creatures made of darkness itself that are hell-bent on destroying all life. The main character is a young woman from our Earth -- circa 1982 -- named Gil, who has nightly dreams of a strange medieval realm, and these dreams seem oddly realistic. She can clearly see that the people in this universe are in constant fear of some imminent threat, only she's unsure what it is until the wizard she always sees shows up in her real-life kitchen, asking for her help against the coming darkness.
In many ways it's a light and fun, trope-filled adventure, seemingly geared toward younger readers at times, though it's punctuated by moments of pure horror and creepy atmosphere that are very well done, especially for a fantasy novel. The characters aren't very deep here, but they're believable enough (other than the fact that Gil somehow becomes a master swordswoman almost immediately upon crossing over) to get the job done. Plus, this is only the first of a series -- one I'll likely be continuing since I already own the rest-- so that could change. I only wish I had discovered this (and Barbara Hambly in general) as a teen, as I'd always wished there were more novels out there that combined epic fantasy and horror. At least now I have more to look forward to.
3.5 Stars rounded up
In many ways it's a light and fun, trope-filled adventure, seemingly geared toward younger readers at times, though it's punctuated by moments of pure horror and creepy atmosphere that are very well done, especially for a fantasy novel. The characters aren't very deep here, but they're believable enough (other than the fact that Gil somehow becomes a master swordswoman almost immediately upon crossing over) to get the job done. Plus, this is only the first of a series -- one I'll likely be continuing since I already own the rest-- so that could change. I only wish I had discovered this (and Barbara Hambly in general) as a teen, as I'd always wished there were more novels out there that combined epic fantasy and horror. At least now I have more to look forward to.
3.5 Stars rounded up
October 14, 2009
This is a book I return to, again and again.
It is my comfort read: the book I pick up when I am too tired to read something new. That sounds odd given the subject matter, but within moments of picking it up, Hambly's prose is invisible to me and I am trudging down the road with the refugees, blinded by snow, freezing and wondering what's out there in the darkness....
I can recommend this book on so many levels. The characters are people you come to know, like friends. Their voices become familiar, their mannerisms comforting. The setting is rich and gritty, you can smell the animal dung, taste the bitter smoke on the breeze and hear the chitter of the dark as they float between the trees.
In many ways this is an archetypal fantasy book. It contains all the fantasy tropes, the wise mage and his apprentice, the warrior, the princess. Yet each of these is new and fresh, even ten years later. Each develops throughout the book, and the series as a whole, so that by the end we feel we've grown with them.
For the writers among you, especially those writing fantasy, this is a lesson in how it's done. The real challenge will be maintaining a critical view without getting lost in the story and waking up four hours later thinking, "where did the time go?"
There are so few books I read ten years ago that have stood the test of time. My tastes have changed and my standards have risen. This remains, though, one of my all time favourites. If you've never read fantasy and you want an introduction that will bring the genre sharply into focus and leave you hunting for more, this is a great place to start.
It is my comfort read: the book I pick up when I am too tired to read something new. That sounds odd given the subject matter, but within moments of picking it up, Hambly's prose is invisible to me and I am trudging down the road with the refugees, blinded by snow, freezing and wondering what's out there in the darkness....
I can recommend this book on so many levels. The characters are people you come to know, like friends. Their voices become familiar, their mannerisms comforting. The setting is rich and gritty, you can smell the animal dung, taste the bitter smoke on the breeze and hear the chitter of the dark as they float between the trees.
In many ways this is an archetypal fantasy book. It contains all the fantasy tropes, the wise mage and his apprentice, the warrior, the princess. Yet each of these is new and fresh, even ten years later. Each develops throughout the book, and the series as a whole, so that by the end we feel we've grown with them.
For the writers among you, especially those writing fantasy, this is a lesson in how it's done. The real challenge will be maintaining a critical view without getting lost in the story and waking up four hours later thinking, "where did the time go?"
There are so few books I read ten years ago that have stood the test of time. My tastes have changed and my standards have risen. This remains, though, one of my all time favourites. If you've never read fantasy and you want an introduction that will bring the genre sharply into focus and leave you hunting for more, this is a great place to start.
September 20, 2021
Obra entretenida y con varios elementos curiosos pero que tiene varias pegas que me impidieron disfrutar del todo esta historia.
La novela nos traslada a un mundo fantástico en el que unos seres oscuros han diezmado prácticamente a toda la población del reino. Los supervivientes, ahora refugiados, deben huir por su supervivencia hasta alcanzar un punto seguro para ellos. Nuestros protagonistas no pertenecen a ese mundo sino al nuestro, y son arrastrados allí por Ingold, un poderoso mago.
Lo extraño de la novela es que hubiera resultado mucho más creíble si los personajes principales no fueran de nuestro mundo. Ninguno de los dos (ni la estudiante de Tesis ni el motorista) parece encajar en este mundo pero logran pertenecer a él y adaptarse a esa locura de sangre y muerte a una velocidad de vértigo. Ella se convierte en guerrera y él en aprendiz de mago sin ningún problema, y a pesar de pasar todo el viaje al borde de la muerte, resuelven al final de la historia que casi que están mejor allí que en nuestro mundo (¿?)
Es una pena porque si la autora nos hubiera mostrado mejor su evolución o los hubiera convertido en personajes más carismáticos creo que me hubiera gustado mucho el libro. Ingold, el mago, es EL TÍPICO MAGO, pero eso no importa porque es maravilloso. Y la ambientación oscura, muy al estilo ESDLA pero realmente terrorífica, me ha encantado.
En fin, una historia entretenida pero que podría haber dado para más. Forma parte de una trilogía y no creo que siga con ella (más que nada porque está descatalogada y a precio bastante alto). Quería probar la pluma de la autora y me ha gustado pero es probable que esta no sea de sus mejores obras...
La novela nos traslada a un mundo fantástico en el que unos seres oscuros han diezmado prácticamente a toda la población del reino. Los supervivientes, ahora refugiados, deben huir por su supervivencia hasta alcanzar un punto seguro para ellos. Nuestros protagonistas no pertenecen a ese mundo sino al nuestro, y son arrastrados allí por Ingold, un poderoso mago.
Lo extraño de la novela es que hubiera resultado mucho más creíble si los personajes principales no fueran de nuestro mundo. Ninguno de los dos (ni la estudiante de Tesis ni el motorista) parece encajar en este mundo pero logran pertenecer a él y adaptarse a esa locura de sangre y muerte a una velocidad de vértigo. Ella se convierte en guerrera y él en aprendiz de mago sin ningún problema, y a pesar de pasar todo el viaje al borde de la muerte, resuelven al final de la historia que casi que están mejor allí que en nuestro mundo (¿?)
Es una pena porque si la autora nos hubiera mostrado mejor su evolución o los hubiera convertido en personajes más carismáticos creo que me hubiera gustado mucho el libro. Ingold, el mago, es EL TÍPICO MAGO, pero eso no importa porque es maravilloso. Y la ambientación oscura, muy al estilo ESDLA pero realmente terrorífica, me ha encantado.
En fin, una historia entretenida pero que podría haber dado para más. Forma parte de una trilogía y no creo que siga con ella (más que nada porque está descatalogada y a precio bastante alto). Quería probar la pluma de la autora y me ha gustado pero es probable que esta no sea de sus mejores obras...
July 8, 2016
This is excellent fun, a traditional portal fantasy of the sort I hadn’t read in years. As far as Hambly’s books go, I didn’t love it to pieces like The Ladies of Mandrigyn, it doesn’t turn tropes on their heads like Dragonsbane, and I doubt the characters will prove as memorable to me as in either of those books, but it’s an exciting adventure nonetheless.
The book has a bit of a slow start, as we meet two 20-somethings – Gil, a grad student, and Rudy, a motorcycle painter – living in southern California. But within a couple of chapters, they are transported to the medieval world of Darwath, which is under assault by amorphous beings known as “the Dark.” This is a short book, the start of a short trilogy, and Hambly successfully cuts to the chase: the Dark is not supposed to be a complex or comprehensible villain, but rather, to tap directly into primordial fears of the dark and the things that might be moving in it. It’s all about atmosphere, and as the characters struggle to survive and fend off unknown attackers, the atmosphere is excellent.
The characters themselves are familiar archetypes, though they get some respectable development that doesn’t always follow the stereotypes. Of the two protagonists, she becomes a warrior on Darwath (not your typical character arc for a female nerd), while he becomes a mage; he has a romance, while she doesn’t yet. And their adventures are certainly gripping, though to me the book loses some emotional resonance in following primarily Gil in the beginning, but primarily Rudy toward the end; as the stakes ramp up, we’re spending more time with the character we know less well. The plot, while exciting, also doesn’t bear much critical scrutiny. (Why doesn’t Ingold simply deposit Tir at the Keep on his way back from Earth, then go to Karst for everyone else?)
That said, this was a satisfying read, and although the story is far from over, there’s still a solid conclusion here: let that be a lesson to authors of series whose intermediate endings are determined more by page count than story flow. I would continue this series next time I’m looking for fun escapism.
The book has a bit of a slow start, as we meet two 20-somethings – Gil, a grad student, and Rudy, a motorcycle painter – living in southern California. But within a couple of chapters, they are transported to the medieval world of Darwath, which is under assault by amorphous beings known as “the Dark.” This is a short book, the start of a short trilogy, and Hambly successfully cuts to the chase: the Dark is not supposed to be a complex or comprehensible villain, but rather, to tap directly into primordial fears of the dark and the things that might be moving in it. It’s all about atmosphere, and as the characters struggle to survive and fend off unknown attackers, the atmosphere is excellent.
The characters themselves are familiar archetypes, though they get some respectable development that doesn’t always follow the stereotypes. Of the two protagonists, she becomes a warrior on Darwath (not your typical character arc for a female nerd), while he becomes a mage; he has a romance, while she doesn’t yet. And their adventures are certainly gripping, though to me the book loses some emotional resonance in following primarily Gil in the beginning, but primarily Rudy toward the end; as the stakes ramp up, we’re spending more time with the character we know less well. The plot, while exciting, also doesn’t bear much critical scrutiny. (Why doesn’t Ingold simply deposit Tir at the Keep on his way back from Earth, then go to Karst for everyone else?)
That said, this was a satisfying read, and although the story is far from over, there’s still a solid conclusion here: let that be a lesson to authors of series whose intermediate endings are determined more by page count than story flow. I would continue this series next time I’m looking for fun escapism.
October 28, 2009
3.5 stars. I almost gave this one four stars, but decided to stick with 3.5 as it just didn't pull me in like some of the other books I have read recently (The Warded Man by Peter Brett and Iron Sunrise by Charles Stross to name just two recent reads that I would highly recommend). That said, Barbara Hambly is an excellent writer and I will certainly read the next book in the trilogy.
September 30, 2012
Barbara Hambly's books do things for me which very few fantasy authors do.
First, she puts female characters in leading roles of strength, intelligence, and power. Even other female authors tend to continue relegating women to roles as side-interests to a story rather than the main starring role. Barbara Hambly isn't afraid to do that. She also fleshes out her ladies with multiple character traits, helping me to find bits and pieces of each one that I can empathize and relate to, unlike most wooden one-dimensional female roles.
This book does something else to me. It celebrates and validates my love of thinking. The main character in this story is a scholar. Another main character is a wizard, who makes it very clear early in the story, that being a wizard is not about magic so much as it is a love of knowledge and deep abiding curiosity. These are things I can relate to, they are the best way to define who I am and how I try to live my life. So instantly, Barbara Hambly takes us nerds, we geeks, we vilified and sarcastically lampooned people, and she makes us.... heroes. In The Time of the Dark Barbara is not afraid to look at the deeper side of human nature, philosophy, sophistry, and the meaning of civilization in terms which are easy to follow, but deeper than the Marianas Trench if you're willing to go where she leads you.
Another thing the Time of the Dark does which very few novels ever do for me any more is it surprises me. Whenever I feel I have a handle on the rules of this world, the general gist of the plot lines and even the sub plot lines, Barbara Hambly will throw you a surprise hairpin corkscrew turn in the road that you never saw coming. Personally, I love it when an author can surprise me. So many of the books I read for entertainment come off as so cliche'd and predictable that I tend to yawn my way through them. Not Barbara Hambly. She'll take you in directions you don't expect. Reading a novel about magic? Bet you didn't expect the laws of physics to show up! Watching a civilization be destroyed? How about that amazing advanced technological engineering?
Truly, the only bad thing I can say about this book or about Barbara Hambly as an author is... I'm jealous that she devotes her time to other genres sometimes too instead of this one alone!
Why is this a comfort book (series) for me? Well what woman feeling down and out would NOT feel amazingly inspired by the kick ass toughness and intelligence behind those silvery school-marm eyes of Gil-Shalos Patterson?!!
First, she puts female characters in leading roles of strength, intelligence, and power. Even other female authors tend to continue relegating women to roles as side-interests to a story rather than the main starring role. Barbara Hambly isn't afraid to do that. She also fleshes out her ladies with multiple character traits, helping me to find bits and pieces of each one that I can empathize and relate to, unlike most wooden one-dimensional female roles.
This book does something else to me. It celebrates and validates my love of thinking. The main character in this story is a scholar. Another main character is a wizard, who makes it very clear early in the story, that being a wizard is not about magic so much as it is a love of knowledge and deep abiding curiosity. These are things I can relate to, they are the best way to define who I am and how I try to live my life. So instantly, Barbara Hambly takes us nerds, we geeks, we vilified and sarcastically lampooned people, and she makes us.... heroes. In The Time of the Dark Barbara is not afraid to look at the deeper side of human nature, philosophy, sophistry, and the meaning of civilization in terms which are easy to follow, but deeper than the Marianas Trench if you're willing to go where she leads you.
Another thing the Time of the Dark does which very few novels ever do for me any more is it surprises me. Whenever I feel I have a handle on the rules of this world, the general gist of the plot lines and even the sub plot lines, Barbara Hambly will throw you a surprise hairpin corkscrew turn in the road that you never saw coming. Personally, I love it when an author can surprise me. So many of the books I read for entertainment come off as so cliche'd and predictable that I tend to yawn my way through them. Not Barbara Hambly. She'll take you in directions you don't expect. Reading a novel about magic? Bet you didn't expect the laws of physics to show up! Watching a civilization be destroyed? How about that amazing advanced technological engineering?
Truly, the only bad thing I can say about this book or about Barbara Hambly as an author is... I'm jealous that she devotes her time to other genres sometimes too instead of this one alone!
Why is this a comfort book (series) for me? Well what woman feeling down and out would NOT feel amazingly inspired by the kick ass toughness and intelligence behind those silvery school-marm eyes of Gil-Shalos Patterson?!!
February 21, 2024
A horror/fantasy novel that didn't quite pull me in as much as I had hoped. The writer did a good job both describing and blending Lovecraftian creatures into the setting, but once all the characters are together, the story jumps around quite a bit. I didn't realize until the final chapter that this all took place over a month.
That said, I'll probably be reading book two. This seemed to just be setting everything up for what's to come. Still good, but could have been better.
That said, I'll probably be reading book two. This seemed to just be setting everything up for what's to come. Still good, but could have been better.
August 26, 2020
Unusual blend of fantasy and horror, with two (80s) contemporary characters persuaded to help in a last ditch struggle against Lovecraftian type monsters in another parallel world. This series has it all: magic, warriors, monsters, edge of the seat suspense, political struggles, romance. Flawed characters and the non obvious e.g. who ends up paired with whom. I first read it a long time ago and have re-read it a few times since, latest re-read August 2020.
July 27, 2019
I first started reading Hambly by reading her fantasy. Though, this book was not one of the ones I first read. As I got older, I think in many ways, her historical fiction is a bit better. Just a bit. Not that the fantasy is bad or anything.
The Time of the Dark does combine both history and fantasy. Two people from our world cross the void into a fantasy world that is losing to the very, very bad things. One of those people, Gil, is getting her PhD in history and so we get the history prof's reaction to seeing, well, basically history. Gil's experience is interesting because she at first seems special, but then not, and becomes something other than what you will think.
The other person, Rudy, is more traditional, and at times a bit annoying for he keeps referring to Gil as cold, but I'm not entirely sure why, outside of the fact that she isn't his type.
While there are pretty of women supporting characters, the women do not really talk to each other. Which was strange.
The parts with the dark are really well done.
The Time of the Dark does combine both history and fantasy. Two people from our world cross the void into a fantasy world that is losing to the very, very bad things. One of those people, Gil, is getting her PhD in history and so we get the history prof's reaction to seeing, well, basically history. Gil's experience is interesting because she at first seems special, but then not, and becomes something other than what you will think.
The other person, Rudy, is more traditional, and at times a bit annoying for he keeps referring to Gil as cold, but I'm not entirely sure why, outside of the fact that she isn't his type.
While there are pretty of women supporting characters, the women do not really talk to each other. Which was strange.
The parts with the dark are really well done.
November 6, 2007
Similar to the Windrose Chronicles, a young educated woman from our world is thrust into a medieval world of magic and danger. She, a chance-met biker named Rudy, and the greatest magician of the realm travel together to defeat the mysterious Dark beings that are rapidly destroying life and civilization as they know it. I really liked how aware some of the characters were that their society was teetering on the brink of losing its knowledge, art and hard-won cohesion. The more insightful were very afraid, not only of the Dark, but that they would be pushed back into the keeps that dotted the realm and stop prizing anything beyond survival. Despite that consideration, which I don’t think I’ve seen outside of the better Arthurian tales, this was not a great book. I wasn’t interested in any of the main characters, and I found The Dark far too nebulous to be threatening.
November 19, 2017
Definitely enjoyed this. Slow start, but picked up in the middle. Moving on to the next instalment now. There's some mystery surrounding the creatures and the history of that world.
I like Ingold - he's just like Gandalf. I keep hearing his lines in Sir Ian McKellen's voice. I like the scholarly woman becomes a sword-fighter, and the aimless bodywork painter .
If you watched the movie Pitch Black, these creatures seems to follow the bioraptors' description. Brrr! Creepy. Something is up with these guys, and I really want to find out.
I like Ingold - he's just like Gandalf. I keep hearing his lines in Sir Ian McKellen's voice. I like the scholarly woman becomes a sword-fighter, and the aimless bodywork painter .
If you watched the movie Pitch Black, these creatures seems to follow the bioraptors' description. Brrr! Creepy. Something is up with these guys, and I really want to find out.
December 5, 2021
"She had waked up. She was no longer dreaming. She was still there."
The first fantasy novel by a renowned author. Published 1982, Hambley shows the right stuff from the beginning. The fantasy cast and setting owe so much to Tolkien it’s a wonder she didn't owe him royalties.
“If you choose deliberately to disregard the evidence of your own senses, it’s your problem, not mine. I am what I am... ” “You are not!”
Most of the characters shamelessly ripped from Tolkien, but the point of view characters are earth humans, who give the story an every man perspective and effective sounding board for the epic fantasy.
“But believe me, if I’d known what it was all about, I’d still be running. Betrayed into heroism.”
Quibbles: Many, but minor. After correctly explaining how rare glass would be, she has a glazed window in a woodshed. Every time Medda is mentioned, some form of “disapproval” graces the sentence. We got it.
“You narrow hope when you define it.”
Concludes the first tale while setting hooks for future installments, which seems beyond many of her contemporaries. Good read.
“Yes. I believe that nothing happens randomly, that there is no such thing as chance. How could there be?”
The first fantasy novel by a renowned author. Published 1982, Hambley shows the right stuff from the beginning. The fantasy cast and setting owe so much to Tolkien it’s a wonder she didn't owe him royalties.
“If you choose deliberately to disregard the evidence of your own senses, it’s your problem, not mine. I am what I am... ” “You are not!”
Most of the characters shamelessly ripped from Tolkien, but the point of view characters are earth humans, who give the story an every man perspective and effective sounding board for the epic fantasy.
“But believe me, if I’d known what it was all about, I’d still be running. Betrayed into heroism.”
Quibbles: Many, but minor. After correctly explaining how rare glass would be, she has a glazed window in a woodshed. Every time Medda is mentioned, some form of “disapproval” graces the sentence. We got it.
“You narrow hope when you define it.”
Concludes the first tale while setting hooks for future installments, which seems beyond many of her contemporaries. Good read.
“Yes. I believe that nothing happens randomly, that there is no such thing as chance. How could there be?”
May 18, 2011
The Time of the Dark has a general premise that I find intriguing. I like books whose plot features a person from modern day being transported to another world. Therefore, I snapped up this book. I was not disappointed.
The Plot
A graduate student named Gil (I think it's short for Gillian, so it's pronounced "Jill") dreams about a faraway place being attacked by indescribable and dark creatures.
It turns out that this land actually exists in another universe and she and an inadvertent tag-along named Rudy, a mechanic, are transported by the wizard Ingold to the world of Darwath.
The Good
I really enjoyed the fact that the whole novel's plot revolved around refugees fleeing the destruction of their way of life to a stronghold, kind of like Helms Deep in The Two Towers. These are not square jawed heroes valiantly fighting a battle...they are desperate survivors striving to stay alive.
The characters are well written also. They are interesting and evoke a certain amount of pathos in the reader. They also progress and develop over the course of the novel, which is good also.
The Not-So-Good
I think that the lead female protagonist, Gil, became a little too good with a sword a little too quickly. Rudy progressed with his skills a little more realistically, I think.
As others here who have read the book, I found that the main antagonists, the creatures known only as The Dark, were a little too nebulous to be frightening. I don't know if this was by design or some omission on the part of the author. I suspect the former. I couldn't really understand why The Dark, whose natural habitat is deep underground, would want to invade the surface. The reason seems to be "for food" but it doesn't make sense that a creature that evolved deep underground would view creatures that live way way outside its habitat as its main source of food.
I hope that the answers to these questions will be answered in the subsequent books, which I intend to read.
Conclusion
The Time of the Dark is a good read if you're a fan of the genre. I don't know if I'd recommend it to someone who is not a fan of fantasy, though.
The Plot
A graduate student named Gil (I think it's short for Gillian, so it's pronounced "Jill") dreams about a faraway place being attacked by indescribable and dark creatures.
It turns out that this land actually exists in another universe and she and an inadvertent tag-along named Rudy, a mechanic, are transported by the wizard Ingold to the world of Darwath.
The Good
I really enjoyed the fact that the whole novel's plot revolved around refugees fleeing the destruction of their way of life to a stronghold, kind of like Helms Deep in The Two Towers. These are not square jawed heroes valiantly fighting a battle...they are desperate survivors striving to stay alive.
The characters are well written also. They are interesting and evoke a certain amount of pathos in the reader. They also progress and develop over the course of the novel, which is good also.
The Not-So-Good
I think that the lead female protagonist, Gil, became a little too good with a sword a little too quickly. Rudy progressed with his skills a little more realistically, I think.
As others here who have read the book, I found that the main antagonists, the creatures known only as The Dark, were a little too nebulous to be frightening. I don't know if this was by design or some omission on the part of the author. I suspect the former. I couldn't really understand why The Dark, whose natural habitat is deep underground, would want to invade the surface. The reason seems to be "for food" but it doesn't make sense that a creature that evolved deep underground would view creatures that live way way outside its habitat as its main source of food.
I hope that the answers to these questions will be answered in the subsequent books, which I intend to read.
Conclusion
The Time of the Dark is a good read if you're a fan of the genre. I don't know if I'd recommend it to someone who is not a fan of fantasy, though.
April 30, 2008
This one was a free, promotional copy of the first in the Darwath Trilogy, in order to hype the "new" (at the time I got it, back in 1996) book in the same realm. A fantasy, of a type I generally enjoy, wherein our real world in some way collides or connects with some other realm of possibility. In this case, the realm of Darwath, a sort of parallel world. Darwath is rather medieval (carts and horses, nobles and peasants, castles and kings). But it has magic, and it has The Dark. It had a good pace, but somehow it all felt very superficial... like a scratch on the surface. It wasn't until the very end of the book that I felt, "Aha! We're finally getting somewhere!" And, of course, that was the end. I'm not sure I'm hooked enough to read more. Dunno. Maybe... unh, maybe not.
November 20, 2020
I enjoyed it as I read it, but I'm not sure I'll read the rest of the series.
June 7, 2011
I just reread this after it has set on my shelf for a good 10 years since my last read and I was very pleased with how it has held up. The story moves along crisply with little time wasted but it doesn't move so fast that you don't build an appreciation and empathy for the main characters. The best thing though is Barbara Hambly writes with enough grit to satisfy the realist in me but she also brings in enough emotion and drama so the story elevates above the mundane drama of the daily lives of the characters. I am always conscious of the big picture while staying rooted in the day to day. This is a staple of the kind of epic fantasy I enjoy reading and I am glad I picked this up to reread again.
September 5, 2023
I haven't reread this since the last time, which was way back in 2014. This series is the first that Hambly got published and, in my opinion, are still the best she's ever written. That was confirmed again for me this time through.
The great thing about rereading something that you know really well is that you know the big story points but have forgotten enough of the smaller twists that then surprise you with pleased recognition. The last time this happened to me is talked about below.
=========
I saw this trilogy has been bundled for the Kindle and realized just how many years it had been since I'd read this book, which I used to reread all the time.
It begins with a wonderful premise. What if you've been having a series of recurring dreams, set in a strange world, where you're in the middle of a panicking crowd all running from an ineffable horror? Then, one night, you wake up and you are in the middle of the city. It's no dream. It's real.
That's what happens to medieval scholar Gil Patterson. Where Barbara Hambly takes the adventure from there is a great ride.
You wouldn't normally think of a comfort book as one where you are fleeing with refugees from amorphous enemies (the Dark) in a parallel universe, where it is always freezing and there is never enough food, where you may never get home again because that might let the Dark into your own world ... but there you go. This is a much loved story that I fell back into last night, thinking "why has it been so long?"
Partly this is because I love Barbara Hambly's early books. This, as I just discovered, was her first. Gil, Rudy, Ingold, the Ice Falcoln, are all well drawn characters. They are realistic, imperfect heroes, just as the villains are sometimes people we can understand and relate to, despite the fact that one loves to hate them.
My mind is smoothed to the contours of their world and their struggles. I am really enjoying rediscovering the bits I'd forgotten, such as seeing just how Hambly built in the the underlying story logic through tiny details that show up very early int he book.
Overall this is really a great adventure and world to visit. I'm glad the Kindle reminded me that these actual books were waiting on my shelf.
The great thing about rereading something that you know really well is that you know the big story points but have forgotten enough of the smaller twists that then surprise you with pleased recognition. The last time this happened to me is talked about below.
=========
I saw this trilogy has been bundled for the Kindle and realized just how many years it had been since I'd read this book, which I used to reread all the time.
It begins with a wonderful premise. What if you've been having a series of recurring dreams, set in a strange world, where you're in the middle of a panicking crowd all running from an ineffable horror? Then, one night, you wake up and you are in the middle of the city. It's no dream. It's real.
That's what happens to medieval scholar Gil Patterson. Where Barbara Hambly takes the adventure from there is a great ride.
You wouldn't normally think of a comfort book as one where you are fleeing with refugees from amorphous enemies (the Dark) in a parallel universe, where it is always freezing and there is never enough food, where you may never get home again because that might let the Dark into your own world ... but there you go. This is a much loved story that I fell back into last night, thinking "why has it been so long?"
Partly this is because I love Barbara Hambly's early books. This, as I just discovered, was her first. Gil, Rudy, Ingold, the Ice Falcoln, are all well drawn characters. They are realistic, imperfect heroes, just as the villains are sometimes people we can understand and relate to, despite the fact that one loves to hate them.
My mind is smoothed to the contours of their world and their struggles. I am really enjoying rediscovering the bits I'd forgotten, such as seeing just how Hambly built in the the underlying story logic through tiny details that show up very early int he book.
Overall this is really a great adventure and world to visit. I'm glad the Kindle reminded me that these actual books were waiting on my shelf.
March 16, 2009
I love this book. Obviously: I gave it five stars. It is not literature, but it is a very fine book; especially for a first time novel in the fantasy/horror genre written in the 1970's and published in the early 80's.
Specific, I know. But it's a really fun book.
The main crux of the story is two modern day American people in their twenties being sucked into an alternate universe on another world that is very swords-and-sorcery medieval; a world that is at the beginning of a war with these.... things. Sort-of gelatinous and occasionally humanoid darkness-things. With teeth. It's hard to describe and get it right. These things are scary when you read about them. While I can't (apparently) describe them properly in words, I can see them clearly in my mind and the picture ain't pretty.
So these two people are Gil, a cold, logical, academic-type from a wealthy background working on her doctorate in history, and Rudy who is a big, tough biker/small time felon and artist from a poverty stricken background.
Yes, stock characters. But what the author does with them is surprising and not at all stereotypical. they DON'T fall in love with the people they are "supposed" to, according to genre convention; they DON"T end up drawn to particular parts of life that characters like them always seem to in these books. That sort of thing. It's a reason I like it.
Another reason I like it is the third main character: Ingold Inglorian. He is my favorite wizard-type character ever. I like him better than Gandalf and Merlin: I kid you not. He's a very powerful wizard, but not "all powerful" (the magic system in the book doesn't allow for such a concept), but he's also a hell of a swords man. He would be played by Sean Connery from twenty years ago. He's clever and kind and thoroughly flawed. Great character.
The rest of the series is pretty good, too. It's full of intrigue and action and a leeetle romance. And horror. And magic. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes that sort of thing.
Specific, I know. But it's a really fun book.
The main crux of the story is two modern day American people in their twenties being sucked into an alternate universe on another world that is very swords-and-sorcery medieval; a world that is at the beginning of a war with these.... things. Sort-of gelatinous and occasionally humanoid darkness-things. With teeth. It's hard to describe and get it right. These things are scary when you read about them. While I can't (apparently) describe them properly in words, I can see them clearly in my mind and the picture ain't pretty.
So these two people are Gil, a cold, logical, academic-type from a wealthy background working on her doctorate in history, and Rudy who is a big, tough biker/small time felon and artist from a poverty stricken background.
Yes, stock characters. But what the author does with them is surprising and not at all stereotypical. they DON'T fall in love with the people they are "supposed" to, according to genre convention; they DON"T end up drawn to particular parts of life that characters like them always seem to in these books. That sort of thing. It's a reason I like it.
Another reason I like it is the third main character: Ingold Inglorian. He is my favorite wizard-type character ever. I like him better than Gandalf and Merlin: I kid you not. He's a very powerful wizard, but not "all powerful" (the magic system in the book doesn't allow for such a concept), but he's also a hell of a swords man. He would be played by Sean Connery from twenty years ago. He's clever and kind and thoroughly flawed. Great character.
The rest of the series is pretty good, too. It's full of intrigue and action and a leeetle romance. And horror. And magic. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes that sort of thing.
December 9, 2019
I’d only ever read Star Trek books by this author. And a good bunch of them. Several of which I actually liked well enough. I occasionally like seeing what authors who write in other people’s universes are like in their own created universes. Oddly this never seems to work, both ways (as in, there are authors I’d read and really enjoyed books by who I then spot they’d written one or more Star Trek books, invariably, I’ll hate their Star Trek books (or other media-tie-in book); or I’ll love the media-tie-in author, but never like anything they write in their own created universes. There are exceptions. See: Timothy Zahn).
I picked up the omnibus edition of this series. I think it contains three or more of the books. I’d figure I’d dive in, read all three books, and use that as a minor basis to see if I’d pick anything else up by this author (including media-tie-in novels, since I kind of stopped reading those kinds of books by her as well).
It’s been six months since I read this first book in the series. I apparently rated it 3 stars. The description tells me nothing. I’m trying very hard and I cannot find in my brain even the foggiest recollection of what this book is about. Which, I suppose, in its own way says something about the book, eh?
Oh, right. Read a lengthier book description. Right, this is the one that had a wizard appear with a child and asks for help. Or leaves the child with her. Or something. I remember that, but I don’t remember anything else about the book.
Rating: 3
December 9 2019
I picked up the omnibus edition of this series. I think it contains three or more of the books. I’d figure I’d dive in, read all three books, and use that as a minor basis to see if I’d pick anything else up by this author (including media-tie-in novels, since I kind of stopped reading those kinds of books by her as well).
It’s been six months since I read this first book in the series. I apparently rated it 3 stars. The description tells me nothing. I’m trying very hard and I cannot find in my brain even the foggiest recollection of what this book is about. Which, I suppose, in its own way says something about the book, eh?
Oh, right. Read a lengthier book description. Right, this is the one that had a wizard appear with a child and asks for help. Or leaves the child with her. Or something. I remember that, but I don’t remember anything else about the book.
Rating: 3
December 9 2019
May 25, 2009
The first time I read this book I was in my early twenties. I found the Dark were quite frightening, however rereading it in my thirties the Dark didn't alarm me at all. In fact I felt sympathetic towards them.
The thing I like about the trilogy is the mystery involved; why have the Dark risen, why do they want Ingold, will memories reveal the secret to defeating them, and how are ancient magical artifacts used against them?
I didn't mind the training in combat and magic. The theory behind the magic wasn't bad, however the combat could have been better researched to seem more plausible and interesting.
Alot of the political struggles create tension, however at times get a little old. The "goodies" can seem to do no wrong, whereas the "baddies" tend to be unrealistically shallow which became slightly trite. I am being a little pedantic there. Romance parts, I tended to skirt over. i'm not one for schmulz.
All in all "The Time of the Dark" is quite fast paced, multi-layed, and retains reader interest. As with the rest of the books in the trilogy a reasonably rich world is created, but most of all the mysteries kept me turning pages. The occasional breakthroughs are tantalizing. One of the most readable Fantasy trilogies out there. A few holes in it, but enjoyable none-the-less.
The thing I like about the trilogy is the mystery involved; why have the Dark risen, why do they want Ingold, will memories reveal the secret to defeating them, and how are ancient magical artifacts used against them?
I didn't mind the training in combat and magic. The theory behind the magic wasn't bad, however the combat could have been better researched to seem more plausible and interesting.
Alot of the political struggles create tension, however at times get a little old. The "goodies" can seem to do no wrong, whereas the "baddies" tend to be unrealistically shallow which became slightly trite. I am being a little pedantic there. Romance parts, I tended to skirt over. i'm not one for schmulz.
All in all "The Time of the Dark" is quite fast paced, multi-layed, and retains reader interest. As with the rest of the books in the trilogy a reasonably rich world is created, but most of all the mysteries kept me turning pages. The occasional breakthroughs are tantalizing. One of the most readable Fantasy trilogies out there. A few holes in it, but enjoyable none-the-less.
December 15, 2013
Years ago, for Christmas, I received a giant stack of fantasy books. They were all new (a luxury for my family at the time) and the whole Darwath trilogy was in there. I was hooked on this book from the opening scene, and I've read all of them several times since.
It was one of the first stories I read that was fantasy but without the 'shiny epic' feel. It's grounded in a twentieth century reality that makes the magic and monsters more vivid. Hambly's heroes tend to be the misfits, outcasts, and underdogs and they're engaging characters. I'll put Ingold Inglorion up as one of the great wizards of all time. Like Gandalf except he'd help you work on your car.
Hambly's fantasy world is built with an historian's sense of how a medieval/semi-feudal society would look with functioning magic in it. That realism applies to the action and weapons, and she avoids overused tropes and my personal pet peeves. Specifically women warriors. In Hambly's world, women kick-butt, but they also get broken noses, sword calluses, scars, and muscled forearms from practicing. No waif-fu here. In my view that makes Gil-Shalos' journey from a history student in California, to a Guard of the realm of Dar all the more satisfying. But you have to read all three books to see her final showdown!
It was one of the first stories I read that was fantasy but without the 'shiny epic' feel. It's grounded in a twentieth century reality that makes the magic and monsters more vivid. Hambly's heroes tend to be the misfits, outcasts, and underdogs and they're engaging characters. I'll put Ingold Inglorion up as one of the great wizards of all time. Like Gandalf except he'd help you work on your car.
Hambly's fantasy world is built with an historian's sense of how a medieval/semi-feudal society would look with functioning magic in it. That realism applies to the action and weapons, and she avoids overused tropes and my personal pet peeves. Specifically women warriors. In Hambly's world, women kick-butt, but they also get broken noses, sword calluses, scars, and muscled forearms from practicing. No waif-fu here. In my view that makes Gil-Shalos' journey from a history student in California, to a Guard of the realm of Dar all the more satisfying. But you have to read all three books to see her final showdown!
September 27, 2009
I first read this series in (cough) 1986 at the age of 14 or so and it gripped me and scared me witless in equal measures. Rereading it as an adult, it doesn't scare me quite as much, but it's still a wonderful series with well drawn characters including one of the best gandalf-type wizards in contemporary fantasy, all the better because he is NOT infallible.
I think one of the best dynamics in this particular world is the uneasy relationship between the church and the wizard community and the way that the state falls between the two. None of your Harry Potter-type back-room government shenanigans here as the wizards are considered to be the agents of the devil by the church, yet they are not condemned by the state.
The Dark of the title are a protoplasmic being that have "risen" from their lairs. The whole of this series asks the question why? Why did the Dark rise and what can be done. The way that Hambly deals with this is fascinating as it's not just a "humans good, unpleasant people-killing protoplasmic beast bad" situation.
Despite the "real-world" sections of this book being very obviously set in the 1980s, the series does not suffer from feeling too dated by this. I highly recommend the series.
I think one of the best dynamics in this particular world is the uneasy relationship between the church and the wizard community and the way that the state falls between the two. None of your Harry Potter-type back-room government shenanigans here as the wizards are considered to be the agents of the devil by the church, yet they are not condemned by the state.
The Dark of the title are a protoplasmic being that have "risen" from their lairs. The whole of this series asks the question why? Why did the Dark rise and what can be done. The way that Hambly deals with this is fascinating as it's not just a "humans good, unpleasant people-killing protoplasmic beast bad" situation.
Despite the "real-world" sections of this book being very obviously set in the 1980s, the series does not suffer from feeling too dated by this. I highly recommend the series.
March 10, 2019
Scholar Gil and painter/biker Rudy get pulled through a Portal to help a wizard hold off the Dark.
I so love this book (and the series). I vividly remember reading this for the first time back in high school. It was my 'emergency book' - the one you haul around in your purse for months just in case you're ever without a book (I'm not the only one who does that, right?). I started it about a half hour before the school bus came and it was torture to put it down.
The characters are a delight: a strong female character (strong in mind, who becomes strong in body), a wary, kid-friendly biker, and the best named wizard in creation: Ingold Inglorion. I had a serious crush on Ingold. I was delighted that the book held up so well on this re-read. I've probably read it four times, but it's been at least ten years since the last one. I frequently skim-read descriptive paragraphs, but not in this one. Barbara Hambly does a wonderfully creepy job of pulling you in - lashing snow, straggling refugees, howling winds, miles to go, and the Dark descend to kill. If you've never read it, sink into this great story. I'll be re-reading the second one now!
I so love this book (and the series). I vividly remember reading this for the first time back in high school. It was my 'emergency book' - the one you haul around in your purse for months just in case you're ever without a book (I'm not the only one who does that, right?). I started it about a half hour before the school bus came and it was torture to put it down.
The characters are a delight: a strong female character (strong in mind, who becomes strong in body), a wary, kid-friendly biker, and the best named wizard in creation: Ingold Inglorion. I had a serious crush on Ingold. I was delighted that the book held up so well on this re-read. I've probably read it four times, but it's been at least ten years since the last one. I frequently skim-read descriptive paragraphs, but not in this one. Barbara Hambly does a wonderfully creepy job of pulling you in - lashing snow, straggling refugees, howling winds, miles to go, and the Dark descend to kill. If you've never read it, sink into this great story. I'll be re-reading the second one now!
April 24, 2012
This is a great fantasy series that occasionally made me go oooooo over a turn of phrase or simile. (they were THAT good). I kept thinking that some of the things she said were so perfect that they should be idioms. But this is still a fun, scary fantasy read...just right for the beach or late at night on the sofa. Lots of characters to love and to hate but all with good motivations for being the way they are. (read the whole series and you will see what I mean.) Ingold is a cooler version of Gandalf and Gil becomes what all historians probably secretly wish they were. (not saying here...just read it)
December 1, 2023
Not much to say about this one. As a portal fantasy it was kind of insubstantial, but fun enough. I liked the characters, even though the leads felt like they were mostly serving as insert characters and the plot didn’t revolve around them at all. Ultimately the story was very simple and mostly consisted of being chased, but the background worldbuilding was a bit more complex. I tuned out during a few exposition heavy sections though. Another thing that bothered me was the romance between Gil and [redacted for spoilers] because of the age gap and lack of romantic chemistry. It Really caught me off guard, but other than that I liked Gil’s character. Ironically I liked Rudy’s romance a lot — so the romance in this book is a very mixed bag.
Anyway, this story had some interesting ideas and likable characters. I doubt I’ll think about it often, but I enjoyed the time I spent.
Anyway, this story had some interesting ideas and likable characters. I doubt I’ll think about it often, but I enjoyed the time I spent.
May 9, 2021
Written 40 years ago, the strong female characters help it feel more recent. One of them may be a representation of the author, both graduate students of history. The first book of a series, with a larger story that is unresolved.
The story starts in the main characters dreams of a fantasy world in trouble. Dreams are reality, on the other side of a portal soon used by the main characters. During the late 70s and early 80s, there were many stories written with this theme. Another trope used often then was that the main characters can't go home again, at least not yet. Here the reason fits with the larger story of an evil Dark - nebulous creatures who can drain their victims mindless.
The characters are key here on both sides of the portal, and their reactions to this world are the story of this first book. Similar to Star Wars and Tolkien, a battle has been won against the enemy, but the war is far from over. The remaining two books in the trilogy were published the following year, so I have confidence the author has a good plan for the larger story.
Two additional books and a few short stories are available, all published more than 10 years after the initial trilogy. Not sure when I will tackle them, but I plan to read books 2 and 3 fairly soon.
The story starts in the main characters dreams of a fantasy world in trouble. Dreams are reality, on the other side of a portal soon used by the main characters. During the late 70s and early 80s, there were many stories written with this theme. Another trope used often then was that the main characters can't go home again, at least not yet. Here the reason fits with the larger story of an evil Dark - nebulous creatures who can drain their victims mindless.
The characters are key here on both sides of the portal, and their reactions to this world are the story of this first book. Similar to Star Wars and Tolkien, a battle has been won against the enemy, but the war is far from over. The remaining two books in the trilogy were published the following year, so I have confidence the author has a good plan for the larger story.
Two additional books and a few short stories are available, all published more than 10 years after the initial trilogy. Not sure when I will tackle them, but I plan to read books 2 and 3 fairly soon.
July 11, 2011
Much as I have always loved Barbara Hambly's work, I've not read the Dawarth books until now. Mainly because I had the last two of the initial trilogy and was waiting until I found the first one to read them. I eventually found it, but by then my to-read shelf had grown a life of its own and I just never pulled this one out. Until now.
And I was not disappointed. As always, Ms. Hambly spins a darn good tale, with action and suspense a-plenty. Though most of the book is set in an alternate world of kings, castles, wizards and creatures of the dark, it begins in modern day (well, modern to the time the book was published in the early 1980's) California, where Gil Patterson, a graduate student in history has been having dreams of a land far removed from her own. One evening, she wakes to find the wizard Ingold Inglorion in her kitchen. He has traveled from the alternate world, seeking a refuge against the day he must bring the only heir to the throne of his land through the Void between the worlds to escape the attacking Dark, an evil force which had lain dormant for thousands of years and was now waking to attack. Gil agrees and when the final attack commences, Ingold brings the baby Prince with him across the Void. They meet a young drifter, Rudy Solis and he and Gil are drawn back with Ingold to the wizard's world, where they will be trapped unless they and the survivors of the Prince's devastated realm can figure out a way to defeat the Dark.
One of my favorite things about Ms. Hambly's books has always been the characters, and they don't disappoint here. Rudy is likable, despite his somewhat flip attitude at times, Gil develops in character along with her newly found ability with a sword, Ingold is at once mysterious and powerful as well as gentle and shows a true sense of humor. Even the lesser characters leave their mark: the warrior known as the Icefalcon is aloof and fascinating, the arms master of the King's guard, Gnift, would put any drill sergeant to shame, and the young Queen Minalde is quiet and shy at first, but as fiercely protective of her son as any mother.
There are times where the story seems put on temporary hold for some background filling and building, but that's not unusual in a first of a trilogy story, and the lags are never too long before the action picks up again. The main conflict of this story is nicely resolved at the end, but leaves much to be told before the bigger story is done. And it leaves me eager to press on and read more.
And I was not disappointed. As always, Ms. Hambly spins a darn good tale, with action and suspense a-plenty. Though most of the book is set in an alternate world of kings, castles, wizards and creatures of the dark, it begins in modern day (well, modern to the time the book was published in the early 1980's) California, where Gil Patterson, a graduate student in history has been having dreams of a land far removed from her own. One evening, she wakes to find the wizard Ingold Inglorion in her kitchen. He has traveled from the alternate world, seeking a refuge against the day he must bring the only heir to the throne of his land through the Void between the worlds to escape the attacking Dark, an evil force which had lain dormant for thousands of years and was now waking to attack. Gil agrees and when the final attack commences, Ingold brings the baby Prince with him across the Void. They meet a young drifter, Rudy Solis and he and Gil are drawn back with Ingold to the wizard's world, where they will be trapped unless they and the survivors of the Prince's devastated realm can figure out a way to defeat the Dark.
One of my favorite things about Ms. Hambly's books has always been the characters, and they don't disappoint here. Rudy is likable, despite his somewhat flip attitude at times, Gil develops in character along with her newly found ability with a sword, Ingold is at once mysterious and powerful as well as gentle and shows a true sense of humor. Even the lesser characters leave their mark: the warrior known as the Icefalcon is aloof and fascinating, the arms master of the King's guard, Gnift, would put any drill sergeant to shame, and the young Queen Minalde is quiet and shy at first, but as fiercely protective of her son as any mother.
There are times where the story seems put on temporary hold for some background filling and building, but that's not unusual in a first of a trilogy story, and the lags are never too long before the action picks up again. The main conflict of this story is nicely resolved at the end, but leaves much to be told before the bigger story is done. And it leaves me eager to press on and read more.
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