Where the Ni-Lach

Ni-Lach #1

by Marcia J. Bennett

On the lush green planet men had named Ver-draak, a green-haired, crystal-eyed race once lived. But the Ni-lach were no more, killed off by humans who feared their strange powers. Yet legends of a great Ni-lach treasure lived on. Eventually, men's search for Ni-lach gold led them to a great forest called the Deep--and to an orphan named Dhalvad, a carefree young man who played with alien fur children and..cured the sick without medicine. Soon Dhalvad and his friends--human, alien and otherwise--are running for their lives before relentless pursuers who do not know the true value of the wealth they seek.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 12, 1983

About the author

Marcia Joanne Bennett

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old-fashioned 80's Science Fantasy that reminds me of early Sheri Tepper (my favorite author). I found Ni-Lach #3 at a Library sale (the Darrel K Sweet cover caught my eye); and after reading a couple pages and the back cover...bought the four in the series on a gut feeling (one for the high price of a penny plus shipping).

I loved it. Great world building that, at the end of volume 1 leaves me wanting more. Glad there are three more.

I am SO glad to have found Marcia Bennett's books. Does anyone know what happened to the author? She went silent before the 90's.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book. A good one to curl up with on a rainy day. I read this back when I was in high school. It helped me feel that I wasn't really so different.

[Christopher Courtley · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first bought this book back in the eighties it was billed as a romance novel for teenaged boys. To this day I question the wisdom of that particular marketing ploy. Though it does contain a small measure of romance, that is in no way the driving factor in this tale. Also, I think that this story would appeal to people of any gender or age. In any case, the fact that it was advertised as a romance novel wasn't what got me to buy it. Like many sci-fi and fantasy novels that enticed me to part with my meager allowance in those days, it was the cover and the blurb on the back. Well, this is one book that turned out to be as good as those indicators promised! This is a unique story that still haunts me to this day. It's like a modern fairy tale set on a planet similar in many ways to our own, yet in other ways vastly different. But the important thing is that I could really identify with the main character, Dhal, as I was pulled along on his strange journey to find his lost people. At times heartbreaking, because you can understand his loneliness, but ultimately uplifting, this novel will appeal most to those who feel utterly alone in the world. Others can appreciate it too, I think, but if you've ever felt different from everyone around you, or that you were born out of your own time, this book will seem to you a rare gem indeed.

~Christopher Courtley, Author of Troll Stew: A Strange Brew of Dark Fairy Tales and Poems for Adults

[Chris Peters · Rating 2 out of 5]

There might be a really good story in here, but it's tough to find it. The characters seem very wooden and lifeless. You know how with some authors, you get a feeling that even after you close the book, the characters keep going and living their lives? This is not one of those books. I just could not care about them. They're fairly interesting, and I read through the whole book, but I just didn't care about what was happening to them. To be fair, a lot of what they do go through seems very contrived, like "oh, I need to fill in some more pages, so I better add some conflict in here."

In all fairness, not a bad read, really, but certainly not great.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is technically young adults sci-fi but I've always loved it. A bit hard to get at this point.

[SciFiOne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade B-. Book Nl1.

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, my uncle recommended it to me. I'm currently reading the second book in the saga.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite series to re-read!