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22nd out of 130 books
—
113 voters
Elvenblood (Halfblood Chronicles #2)
The powerful magic of ruthless Elvenlord masters has for centuries rules the world. Even Shana, the legendary Elvenbane prophesied to deliver the oppressed into freedom, is helpless before such power. She and her ragtag band of outcasts, half-blood wizards, escaped human slaves, and free-thinking dragons have gained only a token victory against the mighty lords.
Only the lo...more
Only the lo...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
April 15th 1996
by Tor Fantasy
(first published 1995)
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I just don't get it. My dad says Andre Norton is a fantastic writer, and he's not the only one who's recommended her to me. Maybe she and Lackey just don't make a great team? Maybe she hit a a dry run? Regardless, these ladies seemed to have missed the "Show, don't tell" chapter in "Writing Fiction 101." The writing is stilted and awkward. All the voices are the same. (view spoiler)...more
This second installment has the advantage of better pacing than the first, since its moved past the "beginning" stages of the plot. However, where the first had rich descriptions of the world and its people, and the characters were well-developed, "Elvenblood" failed to deliver the same quality. Shana came across as increasingly shallow and her character unbelievable - although the changes are understandable as she moves up the social ladder, I found it hard accept her dramatically developed int...more
May 04, 2010
Dan
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Elvenbane fans
Recommended to Dan by:
Amy Campbell
Elvenblood continues the themes from Elvenbane: character-driven scenes full of description, a long introduction, and a breaking down of fantasy tropes. We have a would-be fairy princess charming unicorns, which in this world are predatory, with sharp fangs and clawed hooves.
Elvenblood, more than a hundred pages shorter than its predecessor, falls into a "middle child" slump, like Two Towers or The Empire Strikes Back. In it, we're introduced to a few new characters, our heroes start falling in...more
Elvenblood, more than a hundred pages shorter than its predecessor, falls into a "middle child" slump, like Two Towers or The Empire Strikes Back. In it, we're introduced to a few new characters, our heroes start falling in...more
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a cute little story about the ever present battle between good and evil, using elves, wizards, gnomes, halfbloods and humans as the fighters, and a world where dragons exist but are a threatened species as the battleground.
the main character is a girl who has been supressed by her father and kept "in the dark" so to speak for all of her life, till she breaks free and realises she has hidden strengths that can benefit the world and the races.
a good and intersting book to pick up, and an enjoyabl...more
the main character is a girl who has been supressed by her father and kept "in the dark" so to speak for all of her life, till she breaks free and realises she has hidden strengths that can benefit the world and the races.
a good and intersting book to pick up, and an enjoyabl...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
It's as good as the first book.
I enjoyed this. I most liked reading about the halfblood Lorryn and his elven sister Sheyrena (more Sheyrena). I thought the chunks of story which told with their thoughts, especially Rena's, were the most interesting. Sheyrena coming into her own and discovering the many uses of her "lesser magics" was captivating. Lorryn was... not quite as interesting, honestly. He may have even been a bit boring. Mero bores me now, though I thought his new-found love was sweet. They're a good couple. Shana w...more
This second book continues right along with the same style of the first. If you didn't like The Elvenbane, then you won't like this either.
However, if you did enjoy Elvenbane, chances are pretty good you'll enjoy this book. Same set of characters thrown in with a new set so the authors don't have to worry about creating complex, deep characters. Make 'em and use 'em.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for what it is, a shallow fantasy book that has no pretensions of being epic. You need those sometim...more
However, if you did enjoy Elvenbane, chances are pretty good you'll enjoy this book. Same set of characters thrown in with a new set so the authors don't have to worry about creating complex, deep characters. Make 'em and use 'em.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for what it is, a shallow fantasy book that has no pretensions of being epic. You need those sometim...more
I didn't enjoy this book as much as its predecessor, Elvenbane. It jumped around between characters a bit too much, so it was harder to get involved in the characters' stories. The ending was especially disappointing - again, it was too rushed, and it ended on a cliffhanger!
However, I did enjoy the sections with the Iron People, and getting a better view into the elves' world. It's worth a read if you liked the first book.
However, I did enjoy the sections with the Iron People, and getting a better view into the elves' world. It's worth a read if you liked the first book.
Now I'll have to run down the third book in the series. The theme of male dominance vs. female equality is one that rings in the hearts of the great majority of females and even some males. For years I've had the misconception that Andre Norton was a male; I also made that mistake years ago in thinking Taylor Caldwell was also of the male gender. One day I'll learn not to make those assumptions without doing some checking!
My first [modern] fantasy book ever! :D I bought it for the dragons on the cover. Looking at it through the eyes of someone who has read hundreds of other fantasies since, on the quality scale, it's a very ordinary story and it ended with a frustrating cliffhanger (frustrating then as I had no means of securing the next book). But I'm giving it three stars for sentimental reasons.
Not sure this series is up to Lackey standards. I finished the 2nd book, with little to no desire to read the 3rd book of this series. And again as with the first book in this series, it was lacking that little something that makes me not want to put down the book I'm reading. Overall very disappointed both with this book, and with the series itself.
Lou:
The second book of the Halfblood Chronicles, this one starts with a character that was BRIEFLY mentioned in the first book. The beginning starts kind of makes you go "Um...where are Shana and Keman?" I didn't like that it started with a whole new set of characters, but again, you get used to it, and then the people we grew to love in the first book show up, along with the ones we grew to hate. What I enjoy about the first two of the series is that they don't really leave you hanging. Each c...more
The second book of the Halfblood Chronicles, this one starts with a character that was BRIEFLY mentioned in the first book. The beginning starts kind of makes you go "Um...where are Shana and Keman?" I didn't like that it started with a whole new set of characters, but again, you get used to it, and then the people we grew to love in the first book show up, along with the ones we grew to hate. What I enjoy about the first two of the series is that they don't really leave you hanging. Each c...more
Hee, I was just thinking about this book earlier after having read a review of Diana Peterfreund's GIANT KILLER UNICORNS series.
This book was my first experience with killer alicorns and I don't see how Ms. Peterfreund's can possibly stack up. Maybe someday.
This book was my first experience with killer alicorns and I don't see how Ms. Peterfreund's can possibly stack up. Maybe someday.
Another compelling adventure, with more characters and twists in the over all plot. I felt this book so far was weaker of the two in terms of description, but most defiantly stronger in action and over all story. I love these books honestly for me I think I understand what is going on only to have been completely wrong, and surprised in a good way. The writing seems a bit more fluent then the first one as well. I am quiet anxious to finish the trilogy with Elvenborn.
Thinking about this book after reading her Alta series, this one falls short. It's the same type of storyline, but with a Pern type twist that didn't quite do it for me. I remember being kind of bored with this series when I compared it to M. Lackey's other work. Maybe the author collaboration just wasn't working for me?
See my review of Elvenbane. Boy howdy, the plot was pretty predictable. Funny how all of the primary characters found romantic partners in this book, at more or less the same time. Still a fun read, with maybe a smidge more character development here, at least in the one full-blooded Elven maiden.
Sep 22, 2011
Kimmay
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
norton-andre,
fantasy
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
When I decided to re-read The Halfblood Chronicles, I was excited to read the brand new (to me) third novel in the series. As for this second book, though I only vaguely recalled the events of the previous novel in the series, this one felt a bit more familiar. At first I chalked it up to a familiarity with Mercedes Lackey’s writing style. But as more and more of the plot came back to me, I realized that my clearer memory came from originally enjoying this sequel even more than the first book in...more
So it's been a very long time since I've read these books but as far as I can remember I enjoyed them...however, I'm not sure if I'd given them four stars if I were to read them today.
The story got much better in this book. More action, less time spent showing how bad things are. Really like the different magic types and how they are applied.
The meeting with the Iron people is interesting, but not what I expected. Interesting undertones of environmentalism and equality.
Good storyline. A quick, light read needing more character depth. Highly recommended for 12-15 year olds.
Benevolent dragons. Spoiled brat elves. Evil unicorns.... what's not to like??
Again, I haven't read this one in a long time, but I remember it as very good.
Always loved her writing...have read her books since adolescence.
Sep 05, 2010
Kathy Davie
added it
Sorry, mixed this up with the Doubled Edge series...
Ok. Amtgarders. This book is about you.
Not well written but an enjoyable story. Annoying that all the characters fall in love all at the same time! At least there's some romance in this one!
Sep 27, 2012
Howard
added it
C, 11
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Born February 17, 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio, Alice Mary Norton has always had an affinity to the humanities. She started writing in her teens, inspired by a charismatic high school teacher. First contacts with the publishing world led her, as many other contemporary female writers targeting a male-dominated market, to choose a literary pseudonym. In 1934 she legally changed her name to Andre Alice....more
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