The Demon Queen Attacks! To his own surprise, young Kellen, once the disappointing son of the great Mage who leads the City’s Mage Council, ...
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reviews
Feb 03, 2011
Melissa
rated it: 
To Light a Candle is the 2nd book in the Obsidian Trilogy. It is very important to read the first book before proceeding to this one, however, there are a few things you should know. Kellen is a knight-mage and has been ever since he was cast out of the High Mage city of Armathelieh by his father for practicing wild magic. Since then, he has found his sister, traveled to Elven territory, and helped save it at his own health's expense by destroying a dark keystone set by Demons (known as the Enda
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May 01, 2010
joby
rated it: 
A bit of a let down from the series opener.
The Good
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Depth: We get to learn significantly more about Elven culture that is far more nuanced than was portrayed in the first book -- and is usually depicted in other fantasy novels. You do get a bit tired of the tea references though...
Bad Guys: In the first book the authors went too far to ensure that the readers new that the bad guys are super-evil. In this book much of More...
The Good
----------------------------------------
Depth: We get to learn significantly more about Elven culture that is far more nuanced than was portrayed in the first book -- and is usually depicted in other fantasy novels. You do get a bit tired of the tea references though...
Bad Guys: In the first book the authors went too far to ensure that the readers new that the bad guys are super-evil. In this book much of More...
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Jan 20, 2010
Cheryl
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Aug 02, 2011
Lindsey
rated it: 
different from the valdemar series that mercedes lackey is so well known for. and a delightful change in pace from her usual stories. i love this author and own a good portion of her 100 or so published books. this particular series demands your attention and wrenches every emotion from you during your reading experience. this is a great series to start off with if you are unfamilar with her writing style, but with any series i would start at the beginning and this trilogy only gets better. so l
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Jan 06, 2010
Chris
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I did not put down a review for the first book so I will combine my thoughts here. I never thought one of my favorite characters in a book would be a unicorn. These first two books were a pleasant breath of fresh air from the normal fantasy. I love the way wild magic works and provides a balance not normally seen in most fantasy novels. It is also pleasant to see more of the other fantasy races (centaurs, unicorns, etc) rather than just see elves, dwarves, and halfings. I look forward to rea
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Jan 30, 2012
Angie
rated it:
Kellen Tavadon is now a Knight-Mage of Wild Magic and has a place in this world he didn't have before. Kellen destroyed the Black Cairn of Shadow Mountains with the help of Jermayan, Vestakia, and Shalkan. Now the journey back to Elven lands is hampered by all the rain. Idalia has an unpaid Mageprice for controlling the weatherthru the Elven lands. She's also come to a decision about her and Jermayan being together after saying no for so long of a time. Bringing Vestakia thru the Elven lands ha
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Jan 12, 2012
Brandon
rated it:
Lackey impresses once again with the second installment of the Obsidian Shadow Trilogy. All the characters return, and a few more show themselves, to create a rich fantasy world, and to create twists and turns in the plot.
Kellen Tavadon, or Kellen Knight-Mage, gains favor in the elven army as they continue to beat back Shadow Mountain. Strangely enough, Shadow Creatures and the Enemy's tainted beasts have been circumventing the Elven wards that would bar them from the lands, and it More...
Kellen Tavadon, or Kellen Knight-Mage, gains favor in the elven army as they continue to beat back Shadow Mountain. Strangely enough, Shadow Creatures and the Enemy's tainted beasts have been circumventing the Elven wards that would bar them from the lands, and it More...
Jul 18, 2011
X
rated it: 
I highly recommend reading The Outstretched Shadow first, as many things are assumed in this book, and I wished I had not waited so long after reading the first book to read this one.
In any event, it is hard to review, or rather to rate, To Light A Candle, but I am settling on 3 stars. The first half of the book was painfully slow, with more details of the Elven city, mage and Elven politics and the day-to-day activities of the characters than I cared to read about. The writing sty More...
In any event, it is hard to review, or rather to rate, To Light A Candle, but I am settling on 3 stars. The first half of the book was painfully slow, with more details of the Elven city, mage and Elven politics and the day-to-day activities of the characters than I cared to read about. The writing sty More...
Jun 24, 2009
Ashley
rated it:
This was the much more appealing book in the series. In it, we no longer need to have everything explained to us, and some of the bumps of having two authors have been smoothed out. The voice has taken its place, and Kellen feels much more believable. Whereas the first book had me frowning at how insincere and over-written Kellen's ignorance was, the second book seems to have fit him together with his history, his place in life, and where he's going -- appropriate, given that this is the book wh
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Jan 20, 2012
Count
rated it:
Like 'Empire,' this book is a series of down notes. Like 'Two Towers,' the Scooby gang finally unites, in time to split into working groups for the opening of the third book and come together for the climactic battle with Evil at the peak of the narrative arc.
Formulaic genre fiction with a long and distinguished tradition behind it, and damned well-executed at that. If there were a book that deserved not-quite four stars, but three-and-a-generous-fraction, this would be either it, or a More...
Formulaic genre fiction with a long and distinguished tradition behind it, and damned well-executed at that. If there were a book that deserved not-quite four stars, but three-and-a-generous-fraction, this would be either it, or a More...
Mar 10, 2010
Kelly
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book regardless of the fact that I had not read the first in the series.
Silly me has miss-placed the 3rd in the series, so it seems I'm forced t read a couple others in the meantime. Yet I know that I shan't forget any of the world let alone the characters no matter how many bok I read in the intern.
i will definitely look into more of Ms. Lackeys' works, let alone those of Mr. Mallory
Silly me has miss-placed the 3rd in the series, so it seems I'm forced t read a couple others in the meantime. Yet I know that I shan't forget any of the world let alone the characters no matter how many bok I read in the intern.
i will definitely look into more of Ms. Lackeys' works, let alone those of Mr. Mallory
May 04, 2009
MarsianMan
rated it:
Now Kellen knows he is a Knight-Mage and not just a really terrible Mage. He must join the Elven army and help steer the direction of the army to defeat the Endarkened. Another Mage is banished from his old city and survives.
Another great and just as compelling a read. I think I worked out for 2 solid hours and burned 1500+ calories because I didn't want to stop reading.
Another great and just as compelling a read. I think I worked out for 2 solid hours and burned 1500+ calories because I didn't want to stop reading.
Oct 09, 2009
Patrick
rated it:
Building Momentum
Similar with book 1 (The Outstretched Shadow) very Dragonlance/Forbidden Realms-y (you know, elves, dragons, wild magic, high magic, dark magic, goblins). The level of excitement was pretty level overall. It spiked though, a few times throughout the book, enough to keep me reading (an old "friend" of Kellen's visiting from the City... new developments in drama amongst Kellen's peeps).
Fairly good read, I'll be movin' on to the third...
Similar with book 1 (The Outstretched Shadow) very Dragonlance/Forbidden Realms-y (you know, elves, dragons, wild magic, high magic, dark magic, goblins). The level of excitement was pretty level overall. It spiked though, a few times throughout the book, enough to keep me reading (an old "friend" of Kellen's visiting from the City... new developments in drama amongst Kellen's peeps).
Fairly good read, I'll be movin' on to the third...
Jul 29, 2011
J
rated it:
The second of a fabulous trilogy. Talking unicorns with shameless sweet teeth, Elven magi, dragons, and the fight against the Endarkend, or ultimate evil demons that live within Obsidian Mountain. A corrupt assistant and the ruler of a city, mistakes made and fought for. Friends found, love thwarted (for now, at least.)
Sep 17, 2008
Mike
rated it:
This continues the story of a young boy searching for Father figures. He finds them everywhere, but as "brother-figures" instead of father. Lackey has a thing about fathers and the way they betray their children. To her, society is built upon the brotherhoods, not the chain of parent and child. Interesting subtext to a good plot. As always, her books are way too long. This book is 800 pages in the paperback edition. Tolkien's three books of the Lord of the Rings comes to just over that
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Mar 04, 2010
Shannon
rated it:
I normally find that the second book in a trilogy never truly matches up from the expectations of the first, but it is quite the opposite with this book. Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory really outdid themselves with the second book and I love it all the more for that reason.
Aug 16, 2009
Tella
rated it:
2nd in the series. really loved it. I think the character development really flies in this book. If you compare the Kellan at the end of this book to the kellan at the start of the first book, there is a HUGE difference. almost, like 2 different people now.
Jan 27, 2009
Leon
rated it:
Overall, it was an ok book with good characters. The story is a bit hard to get through and occasionally too many things going on at the same time that distracts from the main story arc. It took me longer than usual to get through because there were times that I had to just put the book down for a while.
I will eventually get to the last book of the series because I want to know what happens but I'm not rushing out to get the book.
I will eventually get to the last book of the series because I want to know what happens but I'm not rushing out to get the book.
Aug 03, 2011
This book was a very slow read for me mainly because of the places and characters lengthy hard to pronounce names. It took me about 100 pages to fully get into it, but that's when all the action started. I love the ending of this book!
Feb 11, 2009
Travis
rated it:
I think James Mallory really tempers Mercedes Lackey's writing. She still is a bit too descriptive of clothing and decoration for me, but there is a lot more depth in other areas of this book that make it a very good read.
Sep 02, 2011
Diane
rated it:
This book was so long, each chapter could have been a novella. I listened to it on audible so I got through it fairly fast. If I'd had to sit down and read it, I'd still be at it. It's truly of epic proportions. I enjoyed the journey. The characters grow and change and I felt like I was there. However, the elves were far too obsessed with tea!
Aug 06, 2011
Pat
rated it:
Ah, and it just gets better with this second book of the trilogy. Who will win the battle of the world? Stay tuned for book 3 of the Trilogy. Couldn't wait to finish this one and see what actually happens.
Jun 11, 2010
Horizon
rated it:
Check my review on the first book, because it applies to this one as well. Except for the fact that I was caught from beginning to end :) I enjoyed how the characters really developed more in this installment.
Feb 01, 2012
Sara
rated it:
This awoke some of the magic I loved in some of Lackey's older works. I'm definitely building investment in the characters, and I definitely wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
Feb 24, 2009
Petrina
rated it:
This was one of those books that I checked out from the library and had to have for my own collection. Thats how much I enjoyed it.
May 13, 2009
Jessica
rated it:
A superb sequel to the first book. The story is really fleshed out and critical points of the plot unfold beautifully. And the dragon!
Jun 15, 2009
Karen
rated it:
This second book in the Obsidian trilogy was decent but a little repetitive and it didn't feel like all that much happened.
Nov 26, 2008
Josh
rated it:
great book, I was up many a night reading this book till i fell asleap..... at like 3 in the morning. ;)
Nov 09, 2008
Sharon
rated it:
This is a great sequel to The Outstretched Shadow. It delves deeper into the mysteries of the many races and creeps darker into a world which could easily be torn from the light. Nothing is easy to any of the characters in this part of the series making it that much more interesting when you're wondering what they're going to do next. The story is fluid throughout and makes it very difficult to put the book down. An excellent addition to the Obsidian Trilogy.
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Jun 11, 2011
♆ Bookaddict
rated it:
Book 2 of the Obsidian series was difficult for me to read. I don't know if it was because she co-wrote it with a male writer. The story was drier for me and seemed to miss a little of that special magic from Ms. Lackey.
The story line was still very good. The world building was amazing. The detail and well thought out politics, people, creatures, good versus bad -- it was all very good. I just didn't take to this book as much. Still, I'll read all of them because I want to know w More...
The story line was still very good. The world building was amazing. The detail and well thought out politics, people, creatures, good versus bad -- it was all very good. I just didn't take to this book as much. Still, I'll read all of them because I want to know w More...
