Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Dark Age (The Ancient Future #1)

by Traci Harding (Goodreads Author)

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 1,033 ratings · 77 reviews

The white light surrounded her, exuding from the ground within the circle. The mist rose towards the sky to form a billowing cloud. From within the largest stone a ball of blue light steadily made its way towards her.

Late one evening, a car accident leaves Tory - a daughter of a prominent history professor - stranded near a ring of stones in the English countryside. She re...more

Paperback, 560 pages

Published October 1996 by Voyager Online Australia (first published 1996)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Best Heroine in a Fantasy Book

105th out of 666 books — 1,004 voters

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning

The Best Time-Travel Romance Novels

94th out of 276 books — 1,870 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,728)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 10, 2013 Eunice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trime-tavel

pros:
* fast paced (there was always something happening in each paragraph)
* ancient Wales, need I say more?
* hot guys - all incredibly fit
* fascinating idea and story-line
* unicorns
* easy to read

cons:
* using a broken-fake-ye-olde English when characters are supposedly speaking Old Welsh
* minor grammatical errors (maybe not errors per se, but a weird choice of words/syntax/punctuation)
* unicorns?!?!
* when Harding clarified terms, she'd put them in brackets afterwards (like this) instead of usin...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 12, 2011 Juliette added it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 18, 2008 Marte Patel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Die-hard mythical sci-fi fans who don't need their books to be well-written

Shelves: sci-fi

I got this book as a present, which makes it a little more difficult laying into it. I will therefore try and be balanced:

GOOD
It was interesting.
It was easy to read (despite clocking in at 672 pages).
It was different from what I usually read.

BAD
The pretend-use of the Brythanic language really grated on me and made the book more difficult to read (all the characters speak English, but with 'thee', 'thou', 'dost' and 'thine' thrown in - argh!).
It's appallingly badly written.
The whole New Age spiri...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 11, 2012 Mike rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: needs-editing

Truly awful. Mary Sue, uh, I mean, Tory is at the same time conveniently one of the few modern speakers of early medieval Welsh, a black belt in martial arts - and a shallow, ignorant idiot who the author would have us believe is a great woman of destiny.

The editing is terrible, but then, the manuscript probably started out worse (hard though that is to believe). There aren't many good places to go when you start out with an author capable of using, or misusing, two 17th-century English words (...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 30, 2011 Melanie rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Blondes/Twilight fans/Mills & Boon 'historical' fans

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, my-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I am wary of time-travel books at the best of times. At the worst - well, books like The Ancient Future (even the title makes me cringe) slip under the radar. (Oh, the lure of half-off books at the Salvos.)

The first thing that strikes one as odd about this book is the language, the constant use of 'thee's and 'thou's and 'art's which are no doubt only employed to help the author distinguish between the use of english and welsh in the dialogue. For me, it was ridiculous, and confusing anyway. Ne...more I am wary of time-travel books at the best of times. At the worst - well, books like The Ancient Future (even the title makes me cringe) slip under the radar. (Oh, the lure of half-off books at the Salvos.)

The first thing that strikes one as odd about this book is the language, the constant use of 'thee's and 'thou's and 'art's which are no doubt only employed to help the author distinguish between the use of english and welsh in the dialogue. For me, it was ridiculous, and confusing anyway. Needless old-fashioned language that wasn't even accurate at all, so why employ its use?

The actual style of the novel was simplistic at best - it read like a Mills & Boon novel, the way it almost listed every little fact in painful detail, or not enough detail. It didn't dwell on aspects of the plot, of the universe, of the characters (dear LORD HELP US) which could have been enhanced to make the novel that much better (it was really truly lacking).

And perhaps the most offensive thing (to this reader at least) the story tried to bind together ridiculous elements into a not at all believeable tale. The most important thing about a fantasy novel is that it has to be at least a little easy to believe. One wants to think that it could happen to them, as easily as it did the character in the novel - but mixing martial arts and the dark ages? Not to mention Harding had to go that extra bit further and add time-travelling immortals to the mix. I wasn't buying it, and neither should you.

It seemed (almost unbearably painfully so) that the author was just pressing together things she happened to like a whole lot, into a novel that had nothing in the way of a pleasing cohesion of themes (if it was sophisticated enough for themes, which I doubt in any case). Please, aspiring authors out there, write what you love - but not like this...in any way but this.

And one last thing. PEOPLE REACT TO THINGS. They don't just accept time-travelling warrior-women from the future - SERIOUSLY. They don't just welcome them into the fold. They don't leave them alone (you pretended like people were going to act like ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS WITH SELFISH DESIRES before you projected what you wanted men to be like onto your characters, Harding, don't lie) after a few rejections, hell, they just take what they want in the dark ages. They don't accept new, world-changing laws when some queen (OF NO PROVEN NOBILITY) appeares out of NOWHERE and demands women have a better chance at life. NOT. POSSIBLE. Even in a fictional Dark Ages (DARK FREAKING AGES, not happy-go-lucky-we-only-had-one-real-battle-oh-there-were-saxons-ey?-let's-frolick-on-the-beach!-Ages) it's just not possible. No matter how many (small, insignificant) facts about history you threw into that tripe, it doesn't make up for the fact that it's just not right.

I almost want to change my rating from 2 to 1 star, but there were small things that I (admittedly, would have liked better if they were better written, elaborated on, and plotted out more) enjoyed. The story of Maelgwn's parents was interesting, and the angst of his brother an ACTUAL PROBABLE thing that would have happend. I also would have liked the whole Maelgwn/Miles thing to have been elaborated on, not glossed over as TBA when she reappears once Maelgwn is dead in 500AD, but there you have it, I don't know what happens in book 2 and 3.

4.5/10(less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 21, 2012 Jill Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to meet Traci Harding at Somerset Literary Festival a few years ago. She was giving a session with Kim Wilkins and another author. Being that Science Fiction/Fantasy/Gothic Horror is my favourite genre, I was fascinated to hear Traci explain her writing techniques. I was heartened by the fact that she was dyslexic and not highly educated and often writes with heavy metal music playing!

This book is an amazing adventure and as intriguing as its title, and it is the first bo...more I was fortunate enough to meet Traci Harding at Somerset Literary Festival a few years ago. She was giving a session with Kim Wilkins and another author. Being that Science Fiction/Fantasy/Gothic Horror is my favourite genre, I was fascinated to hear Traci explain her writing techniques. I was heartened by the fact that she was dyslexic and not highly educated and often writes with heavy metal music playing!

This book is an amazing adventure and as intriguing as its title, and it is the first book of a trilogy, a series I can’t wait to immerse myself in. Traci did say at Somerset that she based many of her characters on pieces of her family and friends characteristics, drawing on the unique relationships she knows intimately. I’m certain all authors draw on their own experiences to create a realistic fabric to a tale but in this case the backdrop is so remarkable the relationships create an intense and wonderful world.

Essentially, this story is about Tory Alexandra, a solitary woman who is grieving the untimely death of her brother. Her car breaks down near some ancient monolithic stones dating back to Stonehenge era when England was still a clan based and feudal system. She is forced to stop for the night without realizing that she is part of history and that a vortex will send back in time to the Dark Ages. She meets Prince Maelgwn who is in her own history books as a King of England with a powerful effect on the unification of the clans. Tory becomes trainer to the Prince in martial arts and the ways of the future world. With dark magical enemies and Merlin the Kings confidant who aids them both in the battle to secure their own clan and unite with others. Maelgwn nearly does not triumph and Tory pays a huge price for bearing the Prince a future King of England. In the Dark Ages Tory Alexander becomes the link between past, present and future that saves the Kingdom and changes the history books forever.

This is a difficult book to summarize in brief as it is complex. The characters are very strong and leave a deep sense of longing in the reader to continue the tale. This I will happily do with the balance of the Trilogy in ‘An Echo in Time - Atlantis’ and ‘Masters of Reality – The Gathering’. For those of you who love to loose yourself to satisfying characterization and complex cause and effect tale this series will be a must read.
(less)

like · see review

Aug 07, 2008 Amber Craig rated it 5 of 5 stars

I got given this book from a friend of my parents before they moved overseas and I threw it on the bookshelf for a while. When I got the chance to read it I loved it and I've since re-read it quite a few times. I love the storyline and I love the characters!

4 likes · like · see review

Jun 23, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vamps-n-fantasy, bishop-harding-harris, favourite-books

Read these series about twice a year just because I love these books so much. The story is amazing, the journey the characters are on is wonderful, and I still laugh, smile and cry... each and every time I read these books!

1 like · like · see review

Dec 10, 2010 Becci rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-d-sell-my-family-to-keep, know-by-heart

fantastic mix of history and action with just a little spirituality thrown in.
Great scifi and realistic characters
One of the best "Arthurian" stories

1 like · like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Irene rated it 3 of 5 stars

The beginning was good in my opinion: fast paced and interesting if very unlikely and unrealistic.
[As for example her arriving and them instantly believing she's not a witch by her winning a fight (a woman against a knight mind you) and showing her technology from the future....someone else see the irony?]
However as the story progressed i felt that it was too long and it dragged quite a bit, even if i undestand the author's intention of walking us through the mithology of the century, it does...more

like · see review

Jan 03, 2013 Carla Khoo rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is the gateway to a memorable series of action packed, page turning adventure. I don't know what to say here to motivate you to read it other than, if you if you consider yourself a female fantasy lover, YOU MUST read these. Traci has a way of making you adore the characters - to the point where you get that delicious sense of loss when you finish a book. The good news on that note is that Traci is still powering ahead and if you kick off with this one, you still have many more adventu...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 01, 2011 Joybell rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book first came to my attention as a very young teen, and I was instantly enthralled. The elements of time travel, metaphysics and romance captured my attention. It was my first taste of fantasy that was 'easy-to-swallow'. In fact, I begged my best friends boyfriend to let me borrow the additional books in the series and I was captivated all over again.

As an adult, reading it all over again the book is quite flawed in the typical ways - one dimensional characters, unrealistic (yes, I know i...more This book first came to my attention as a very young teen, and I was instantly enthralled. The elements of time travel, metaphysics and romance captured my attention. It was my first taste of fantasy that was 'easy-to-swallow'. In fact, I begged my best friends boyfriend to let me borrow the additional books in the series and I was captivated all over again.

As an adult, reading it all over again the book is quite flawed in the typical ways - one dimensional characters, unrealistic (yes, I know it's fantasy, but even the realistic parts were unrealistic!). It almost reads like a movie script, which I believe was the intent of Traci Harding when she wrote it.

The main character, Tory, is so perfect she makes me feel a bit unwell. She's amazingly beautiful (OK, I can handle that), is an expert in tae-kwan-do, brilliant at Brythanic history, and seems to just...accept that she's been transported to the dark ages. All of that I could probably manage, expect that she can be a total b*tch when she wants to be. And wears jeans and steel-capped boots underneath her beautiful medieval gowns. I can't handle that at all! Don't ask me to tell you why, I don't know.

That aside, I will still rate this as one of my all-time-faves. Simply because it made me interested in a whole realm of different subjects. It is a very, very, very easy to read book and the premise and plot is different. I just wish there was more development of the characters, and they weren't to cut-and-paste. It just...didn't feel deep enough. I've read some amazing YA books that are written in a manner more suited for publishing.

I'd recommend this book to start-out teenagers, and children who are advanced readers. Maybe even adults who are developing a desire to get into reading fiction.

Off topic, but I think the other reasons why I was quite obsessed with this book was because Tory was Australian, and she was 27. Which lead me to think 'There's hope for me yet!'. And, I suppose to some extent, there still is!

Ultimately, this book made me imagine and dream. It's exciting, fast-paced, and funny.
(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Natalia Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is a difficult review to write, because while I love this series to death, I enjoy it in the same way I enjoy the occasional bit of really bad television. I love these books, but honesty and objectivity compels me to admit that they're not very good.

I'll be frank: the writing makes judicious use of purple prose and the editing is terrible, the storytelling is uneven and at times melodramatic to the point of ridiculousness, the drama is almost always contrived, the characters are all blatant...more

like · see review

Sep 18, 2012 Shel Sexton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I recieved this book as a prsent from a second hand book store. It sat on my shelf for a couple of years until I was sick in bed with nothing else to read one day. I finished it that night. Since then I've read the entire series over and over and it still remains one of my favorite.
Admitedly at times I felt the writing was a bit off and shallow in the characters. It could also be.. mmm too fast paced at points that it lost some of the 'believeableness'.
Over all though, I loved it

like · see review

Mar 08, 2011 Jane rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

Hmm, hard one to review. I enjoyed the story line and loved all of the old King Arthur type legend references. I did however get really annoyed with the writing style, particularly at the beginning of the book. And the constant writing of the dialogue in flawed old english - I actually ending up auto-translating everything to modern day interest in an effort to keep this flowing as I read it. I will still probably read the next book, but will continue to auto-translate while I read.

like · see review

Oct 22, 2011 Lis rated it 2 of 5 stars

I found this quite wishy-washy at times, and shallow. The characters were rather simple and seemed to be glossed over, and I found their reactions and interactions to be quite hard to believe at times. I didn't really relate to any of them, and as other people have mentioned - the faux old-speak English was quite hard to bear.

I did find myself rushing to finish it so that I could start another book, but it wasn't horribly unreadable.

like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 Nerida Hart rated it 2 of 5 stars

If you have read the likes of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series and found it a little too "real" or heavy going, but still liked the idea of a modern day woman going back to medieval times, then Traci Harding's work may be for you. The Ancient Future has a similar start to Diana's works in that a young woman is transported back in time, but where it becomes obviously different is the lead character, Tory, doesn't have a lot of sense in regards to "not changing the past with items from the future...more

like · see review

Apr 13, 2011 Ashleigh Oldfield rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-fiction, australian-authors

This book has Welsh history in it, which I love ( being A Welsh/australian) and I loved the Welsh historical figures. An interesting plot line that was unfortunately hampered by poor dialogue. I found the 'twists' too obvious and didn't feel the suspense the author was obviously trying to create.

Not bad reading on a cold winter's night, but I won't be finishing the series.

like · see review

Feb 04, 2012 Santana rated it 5 of 5 stars

I remember reading this book when i was 15 at school ROFL i wasn't really into reading but i guess this book got me. And i would be going to school early just so i could read it hahahahaha But i loved it so much, i can't believe i finally found it :D I always remembered Tory's name but yip these series i found amazing.

like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Jennie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I adored this book when I first read it as a young lass and I've re-read it many times since. I tried re-reading it again recently, but the writing is awful at times and Tory seems to be a perfect character who "just happens" to be well-read up on ancient Britain and lore. The story is good, though and fun.

like · see review

Mar 09, 2012 Dymocks Rouse Hill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tory Alexander, a tae kwondo black belt is sucked back into the Dark Ages when she visits Stonehenge. A-class adventures follows, including the Merlin, frequent time travel, Atlantis, deception, reincarnation and a high level of historical accuracy (apart from the magic)!

like · see review

Apr 06, 2010 Sheridan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, time-travel, romance

THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE BOOK OF ALL TIME!!!!

it makes me wish i had amnesia so i could read it again, for the fist time!

the second book is really good too, but i don't particulary like the third and all the following books in the series don't even bother with.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Maggie Best rated it 4 of 5 stars

This isn't the first time I've read this book. It's great fun and I enjoy it just as much each time I revisit it. The Ancient Future was my first introduction to Traci Harding, and made me seek out each new book she releases. Traci has a lovely,light,fresh style. I loved taking the journey with her characters and found her worlds very believable. If you've never read any of Traci's books, this is a great one to start with.

like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Ali Constable rated it 5 of 5 stars

I too found what I felt were flaws or obvious plot enablers in this book but as a Christian reading this book I enjoyed the pure fantasy element & felt it enhanced my understanding of 'concepts' also in shows my family watches such as Stargate.

like · see review

Feb 23, 2013 Dina rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story is fantastic for the entire 6 books, however, the character development sucks and the writing is too simplistic, akin more top movie scripts.

Overall, the underlying messege and the research done is absolutely mind blowing!

like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Rachael Sykes rated it 5 of 5 stars

A science fiction/fantasy/love story that takes you into a world far from here. Intriguing tale of love that stretches beyond the world as we know it. Easy to read - it's a great escape from reality.

like · see review

Oct 11, 2011 Anoolka rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: celtic, fantasy, historical, time-travel, series

This be bad. Thou should not read this book.

Seriously. I could not finish because of such awful dialogue. I gave up after 4 chapters. How could a fantasy book with time travel to ancient Wales be so bad?!

like · see review

Apr 16, 2013 Eliza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childhood

I remember reading this book ages ago, enjoyed it heaps, only to realise after googling, all the unrealistic ideals and the fact that the main character was a Mary Sue. Ah, guilty pleasure type.

1 like · like · see review

Oct 02, 2011 Sid rated it 3 of 5 stars

This one was good, but the series gets progressively worse and worse until all there is a pile of complete crap that makes you despair at the state of some of the literature (for want of a better term) that is available today.

like · see review

Jul 03, 2010 Maggie Dygut added it

ufort a little too simple for me after reading authors like Lackey, Hobb and Dickins. I would have prob enjoyed this much more if I had of read it when I was about 16 or so. I'm prob not the right age demographic.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 57 58 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (11)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

96 users

Science Fiction > Time Travel

13 users

Romance

11 users

Science Fiction

7 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

6 users

Adventure

5 users

Historical Fiction

4 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

2 users

Romance > Paranormal Romance

2 users

Science Fiction > Alternate History

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Blue Dragon
by Kylie Chan
Darkfall
by Isobelle Carmody
The Witches of Eileanan
by Kate Forsyth
Druid's Sword
by Sara Douglass
The Palace of Impossible Dreams
by Jennifer Fallon

About Traci Harding

Traci Harding, is an Australian science-fantasy author who currently has twelve books in publication, on the Voyager label of HaperCollins Publishers Australia.

Her work blends fantasy, fact, esoteric belief, time travel and quantum physics, into adventurous romps through history, ulternative dimensions, universes and states of consciousness.

The Ancient Future Trilogy
Book 1 -The Ancient Future 199...more

More about Traci Harding...

Books by Traci Harding

An Echo in Time: Atlantis (The Ancient Future, #2)

Masters of Reality: The Gathering (The Ancient Future, #3)

Tablet of Destinies (Celestial Triad, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Dark Age

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

title link	preview: The Dark Age
avg rating	preview: The Dark Age Goodreads rating: 3.93 (1033 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1961495.The_Dark_Age?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1190924907l/1961495.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1961495.The_Dark_Age?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Dark Age by Traci Harding[/url]

The Dark Age (The Ancient Future #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website