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Blackbird #2
A Blackbird in Darkness: Book Two of the Blackbird Series
Three warriors. An epic Quest. They are the world’s last hope…
Award-winning writer Freda Warrington is the author of twenty-one fantasy novels to date. The Blackbird Series of weirdly atmospheric, magical sword-and-sorcery adventures was first published by Hodder & Stoughton in the late 1980s and the novels are still available in print from Immanion Press and as audio books from Audible. Now here they are in Kindle format for the first time. In order: A Blackbird in Silver, A Blackbird in Darkness, A Blackbird in Amber, A Blackbird in Twilight, and Darker than the Storm.
In another universe there drifts a strange Earth, encircled by three Planes – three mysterious dimensions that help sustain the world in its vigorous life and beauty. But the Earth of Three Planes is doomed, overwhelmed by the evil of the great Serpent M’gulfn that dwells in the snows of the far north.
At the House of Rede, last refuge of the wise, Ashurek, Estarinel and Medrian gather to launch a desperate Quest against the Serpent. Ashurek, to right the wrongs he has perpetrated as Prince of the terrible empire of Gorethria. Estarinel, to save the gentle land of Forluin that has been ravaged by the Worm. And Medrian… silent and sinister, she can tell no one her reasons. Together they must travel through realms of wild beauty and utter horror to make the ultimate, impossible sacrifice.
“Fantasy doesn’t come much better than this!” – Starlog
Award-winning writer Freda Warrington is the author of twenty-one fantasy novels to date. The Blackbird Series of weirdly atmospheric, magical sword-and-sorcery adventures was first published by Hodder & Stoughton in the late 1980s and the novels are still available in print from Immanion Press and as audio books from Audible. Now here they are in Kindle format for the first time. In order: A Blackbird in Silver, A Blackbird in Darkness, A Blackbird in Amber, A Blackbird in Twilight, and Darker than the Storm.
In another universe there drifts a strange Earth, encircled by three Planes – three mysterious dimensions that help sustain the world in its vigorous life and beauty. But the Earth of Three Planes is doomed, overwhelmed by the evil of the great Serpent M’gulfn that dwells in the snows of the far north.
At the House of Rede, last refuge of the wise, Ashurek, Estarinel and Medrian gather to launch a desperate Quest against the Serpent. Ashurek, to right the wrongs he has perpetrated as Prince of the terrible empire of Gorethria. Estarinel, to save the gentle land of Forluin that has been ravaged by the Worm. And Medrian… silent and sinister, she can tell no one her reasons. Together they must travel through realms of wild beauty and utter horror to make the ultimate, impossible sacrifice.
“Fantasy doesn’t come much better than this!” – Starlog
443 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1986
3 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Freda Warrington
52 books327 followersFreda Warrington is an award-winning British author, known for her epic fantasy, vampire and supernatural novels.
“The Blood Wine books are addictive, thrilling reads that are impossible to put down and they definitely deserve more attention” – Worldhopping.net
Her earliest novels, the Blackbird series, were written and published in the 1980s. In the intervening years she has seen numerous novels of epic fantasy, supernatural and contemporary fantasy, vampires, dark romance, horror and alternative history published.
Her novel ELFLAND won the Romantic Times BEST FANTASY NOVEL Award in 2009, while her 1997 Dracula sequel DRACULA THE UNDEAD won the Dracula Society's BEST GOTHIC NOVEL Award.
Four of her novels (Dark Cathedral, Pagan Moon, Dracula the Undead, and The Amber Citadel) have been nominated or shortlisted for the British Fantasy Society's Best Novel award. The American Library Association placed MIDSUMMER NIGHT in its Top Ten for 2010.
Recently Titan Book reissued her popular romantic-gothic Blood Wine vampire series set in the 1920s - A Taste of Blood Wine, A Dance in Blood Velvet and The Dark Blood of Poppies - along with a brand new novel, The Dark Arts of Blood. In 2017, Telos Publishing will publish her first short story collection, NIGHTS OF BLOOD WINE, featuring fifteen lush dark tales - ten set in her Blood Wine world, and five others of gothic weirdness.
In 2003, Simon & Schuster published The Court of the Midnight King, an alternative history/ fantasy retelling of the story of King Richard III. To celebrate all the events surrounding the discovery of Richard III's remains in Leicester, The Court of the Midnight King is now available on Kindle and in paperback format. Most of her backlist titles, including the Blackbird series, Dracula the Undead, Dark Cathedral and Pagan Moon, can already be found on Kindle or will be available in the next few months.
Warrington has also seen numerous short stories published in anthologies and magazines. For further information, visit her website Freda Warrington
Born in Leicester, Warrington grew up in the Charnwood Forest area of Leicestershire. After completing high school, she trained at Loughborough College of Art and Design and worked in medical illustration and graphic design for some years. She eventually moved to full-time writing, and also still enjoys design, photography, art, jewellery-making and other crafts, travelling and conventions.
Series:
* Jewelfire
* Dark Cathedral
* Aetherial Tales
* Blackbird
“The Blood Wine books are addictive, thrilling reads that are impossible to put down and they definitely deserve more attention” – Worldhopping.net
Her earliest novels, the Blackbird series, were written and published in the 1980s. In the intervening years she has seen numerous novels of epic fantasy, supernatural and contemporary fantasy, vampires, dark romance, horror and alternative history published.
Her novel ELFLAND won the Romantic Times BEST FANTASY NOVEL Award in 2009, while her 1997 Dracula sequel DRACULA THE UNDEAD won the Dracula Society's BEST GOTHIC NOVEL Award.
Four of her novels (Dark Cathedral, Pagan Moon, Dracula the Undead, and The Amber Citadel) have been nominated or shortlisted for the British Fantasy Society's Best Novel award. The American Library Association placed MIDSUMMER NIGHT in its Top Ten for 2010.
Recently Titan Book reissued her popular romantic-gothic Blood Wine vampire series set in the 1920s - A Taste of Blood Wine, A Dance in Blood Velvet and The Dark Blood of Poppies - along with a brand new novel, The Dark Arts of Blood. In 2017, Telos Publishing will publish her first short story collection, NIGHTS OF BLOOD WINE, featuring fifteen lush dark tales - ten set in her Blood Wine world, and five others of gothic weirdness.
In 2003, Simon & Schuster published The Court of the Midnight King, an alternative history/ fantasy retelling of the story of King Richard III. To celebrate all the events surrounding the discovery of Richard III's remains in Leicester, The Court of the Midnight King is now available on Kindle and in paperback format. Most of her backlist titles, including the Blackbird series, Dracula the Undead, Dark Cathedral and Pagan Moon, can already be found on Kindle or will be available in the next few months.
Warrington has also seen numerous short stories published in anthologies and magazines. For further information, visit her website Freda Warrington
Born in Leicester, Warrington grew up in the Charnwood Forest area of Leicestershire. After completing high school, she trained at Loughborough College of Art and Design and worked in medical illustration and graphic design for some years. She eventually moved to full-time writing, and also still enjoys design, photography, art, jewellery-making and other crafts, travelling and conventions.
Series:
* Jewelfire
* Dark Cathedral
* Aetherial Tales
* Blackbird
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 5, 2017
The second and concluding part to A Blackbird in Silver gets much darker and way more intense. Ashurek, Estarinel and Medrian are on a quest for a powerful weapon to defeat the serpent M'gulfin, meanwhile, the rest of the world is falling under M'gulfin's spell, and despair and hatred are winning the day.
All the characters have grown and changed in different ways, naive Estarniel is more wary and less trusting of others, Ashurek is more thoughtful and understanding. And Medrian shows us some emotion!
We finally learn Medrian's story and why she's set out to kill the serpent, and it's everything I'd been hoping for. She was by far my favourite character in the last book and is even more so after finding out about her life.
I like all the rest of the characters too, even the side characters are flawed and complicated. None of them are completely good or evil and they all have their own reasons for what they're doing, beyond 'we need to save the world!' or 'we need to destroy the world'.
Especially Arlenminia who worships the serpent like it's a god. She is convinced that the pain and suffering it brings is for the eventual good of humanity and refuses to listen to anyone who says anything against it. Scary for how realistic this is.
Not even the serpent is not completely evil, we see a very human side to its emotions. Scared and confused, he was attacked and injured by the Guardians and now he can only think of revenge.
The writing is simple but very readable, and I love the use of colours in the way the world is described.
The story does get a bit cheesy at times, but it's a fantasy written in the 80's and what seemed fresh then can be a bit cliche today.
I really enjoyed this book, and while I'm not sure I liked the conclusion to the story, I do think that it's a good ending.
All the characters have grown and changed in different ways, naive Estarniel is more wary and less trusting of others, Ashurek is more thoughtful and understanding. And Medrian shows us some emotion!
We finally learn Medrian's story and why she's set out to kill the serpent, and it's everything I'd been hoping for. She was by far my favourite character in the last book and is even more so after finding out about her life.
I like all the rest of the characters too, even the side characters are flawed and complicated. None of them are completely good or evil and they all have their own reasons for what they're doing, beyond 'we need to save the world!' or 'we need to destroy the world'.
Especially Arlenminia who worships the serpent like it's a god. She is convinced that the pain and suffering it brings is for the eventual good of humanity and refuses to listen to anyone who says anything against it. Scary for how realistic this is.
Not even the serpent is not completely evil, we see a very human side to its emotions. Scared and confused, he was attacked and injured by the Guardians and now he can only think of revenge.
The writing is simple but very readable, and I love the use of colours in the way the world is described.
The story does get a bit cheesy at times, but it's a fantasy written in the 80's and what seemed fresh then can be a bit cliche today.
I really enjoyed this book, and while I'm not sure I liked the conclusion to the story, I do think that it's a good ending.
November 13, 2021
I enjoyed this better than the first book.
The mystery around Medrian was revealed very early in the book after being alluded to all throughout the first book in the series.
Return of characters from the first book at various points.
It was a fairly standard and predictable fantasy book. The biggest question mark leading up to the ending was who would survive and who wouldn't.
The quest wound up in this book, so I'm not really sure where the next book in the series will lead but I might as well give it a crack.
The mystery around Medrian was revealed very early in the book after being alluded to all throughout the first book in the series.
Return of characters from the first book at various points.
It was a fairly standard and predictable fantasy book. The biggest question mark leading up to the ending was who would survive and who wouldn't.
The quest wound up in this book, so I'm not really sure where the next book in the series will lead but I might as well give it a crack.
April 14, 2020
I just adored listening to the second part of this epic fantasy, that just amazed me in the richness of its tale, its characters, it s world building and the places it took me, emotionally and mentally.
A special mention for the narrator of the audiobook. This was the prefect voice for this story. So absolutely and utterly enjoyable.
A special mention for the narrator of the audiobook. This was the prefect voice for this story. So absolutely and utterly enjoyable.
January 11, 2021
Disfruté mucho está obra, se hizo muy agradable de leer.
August 9, 2016
Please see my detailed review for A Blackbird in Silver Darkness, the omnibus edition of the first two books in the Blackbird series, here: CLICK ME.
September 17, 2015
Again, this is a book I read some years ago and cannot recall in any detail, although I know I quite enjoyed it at the time, but not enough to keep.
Read
August 23, 2008isbn,original
May 1, 2019
"La paz es tan dulce como la felicidad."
Increíble continuación. Nunca me imaginé que la historia se cerraría en este libro, pensé que se nos alargaría hasta el cuarto, así que fue una gran sorpresa. Por otro lado, en el libro anterior dije que no había logrado encariñarme con los personajes y en este mi relación con ellos fue más fuerte, quería que sean feliz a cada momento.
El final fue bastante sensible, pero fue perfecto y me alegra que la autora haya tomado algunos riesgos en su decisión.
"Gracias a ti puedo decir que no toda mi vida fue una desgracia, que supe lo que es estar viva y ser feliz y sentirse amada. Contra eso, ni siquiera el odio de M'gulfn podía salir triunfante."
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews