Shallows of Night

Sunset Warrior Cycle #2

by Eric Van Lustbader

1st edition Grafton 1989 paperback, vg In stock shipped from our UK warehouse

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Adventure

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Eric Van Lustbader was born and raised in Greenwich Village. He is the author of more than twenty-five best-selling novels, including The Ninja, in which he introduced Nicholas Linnear, one of modern fiction's most beloved and enduring heroes. The Ninja was sold to 20th CenturyFox, to be made into a major motion picture. His novels have been translated into over twenty languages.

Mr. Lustbader is a graduate of Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology. Before turning to writing full time, he enjoyed highly successful careers in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education, and in the music business, where he worked for Elektra Records and CBS Records, among other companies.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ericva...

Reviews

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Esta vez, postapocalipsis outdoor.-

Género. Narrativa fantástica.

Lo que nos cuenta. En el exterior del Feudofranco, Ronin y su compañero Borros se alejan de la escotilla que da acceso al mundo subterráneo del que han huido por si desde allí deciden organizar algún tipo de persecución. El exterior es una zona montañosa alta y fría por lo que el descenso se vuelve peligroso, y Ronin recuerda muchas de las cosas que sucedieron durante su formación como guerrero. Cuando encuentran una falúa, una nave que viaja sobre el hielo, su viaje se hace algo más cómodo, pero pronto se darán cuenta de que, efectivamente, son perseguidos. Segundo libro del Ciclo de El guerrero del crepúsculo.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoiler? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first, mainly because of the long descriptive passages. These tend to repeat themselves, often describing the same thing (like an arctic storm, or a city) over and over in similar ways. As a result, the book is half again as long as the first but it seems like there are fewer important developments. It does set up the final book well.

Some random thoughts: the combat scenes are even more detailed and Lustbader has ramped up the gore. Ronin is even more an enigma here than in the first book--he seeks to fight the "big bad" but it's not clear why (on a personal level) or what he thinks about the other stuff that happens to him. Lustbader has fallen in love with the word "oblique" (something I remember from the first time I read this). Couldn't an editor have convinced him not to use the word fifteen times in the same book?

[Miss]

Never finished reading this... it just didn't hold my interest which surprises me as I've enjoyed all of the Eric Lustbader's that I've read prior to this book.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second volume of the Sunset Warrior Cycle begins where the first book left off. The incomparable Bladesman, Ronin, escapes the Freehold where the last of humanity has taken refuge from a dying planet in a centuries-old subterranean society. He not only flees the civil war which has descended on the Freehold, but seeks the fabled Continent of Man, where it is rumored that people still live above the surface of the earth, on a mission to halt the arrival of The Dolman, a sorcerous being prophesied to bring doom to all.

Pursued by Friedal, the Freehold's vengeful head of security, Ronin contends with a seemingly interminable journey across the frozen ocean until at last, he does indeed reach the Continent of Man and the teeming city of Sha'angh'sei. Seeking someone to translate the scroll he unearthed in the City of Ten Thousand Paths - and which is believed to hold the key to defeating The Dolman - Ronin soon finds himself entangled in the byzantine political maneuverings of Sha'angh'sei's many factions. And while he gains friends and finds love, he is hounded mercilessly by the Makkon, the demonic heralds of The Dolman. Ultimately, he must travel north, to where a long-running war has recently begun to change, and the enemy is said to no longer be human.

"Shallows of Night" represents, like the second book in many trilogies, the story arc in transition. Little is resolved, but much is fleshed out, and the plot both changes gear and picks up momentum. Of note, there are a couple of incidences of odd editing - one spot in particular had me checking and re-checking to make sure I wasn't missing a page - but overall, the book retains the unique flavor and high standards of "The Sunet Warrior". The tone shifts from the first volume's flavor of post-apocalyptic science fiction to one more focused on fantasy, but the recurring elements of samurai lore, sorcery and political intrique remain to hold the reader's attention.

[skinwalker musha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book picks up right where the other ( the sunset warrior left off ) More great fight sences , the adventure continues with a injuryed ronin washing up on the shores of shang' hai sei'. Were hes rescused and his wounds get healed before the inhabitines question him and test him on his truth in his answers . He meets Kiri a beatiful woman and she becomes his love intrest . More of the prophey is reveled but none about the scroll and it conten . More mysteries are added to what we thought we knew. Skeleton warriors of a unknown origin are showing up on the outskirts of shang' hai sei' and killing everyone and everything. What does this have to do with ronin and the scroll ?

[Toby · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first part, on an ice boat which just happens to be exactly where it's needed, is tedious.
Then, once on land again, things happen at random - these vignettes are interesting but don't move the plot forward and are often not referenced again. As in the first book the hero is bemused, but so are we.
What does move the plot forward are coincidences, which just seem contrived. And, yet again, whenever the hero is in dire straits, people act against their nature, or something unexpected happens to save him.
Worse than book one of the trilogy and I have no urge to read the third - it's going to be a bunch of random events and I find I just don't care.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shallow's narrative seemed a bit more disjointed than book one, but, for me, such mechanics added to the atmosphere of the tale. I never read John Norman's Gor books, but reading Lustbader's Warrior Cycle is like what I imagine reading a Gor novel written by Gene Wolfe would be like. One should note that I've always been enamored of feudal Japan, the Migration period of western Europe, and warped dystopian worlds - so I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[Mrs Giggles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I bought this book because of the codpiece on the cover art.

Lots of muddled narrative, choppy chronology, unlikable characters and purple prose just to serve up another "white dude comes to the exotic Orient, chops up the locals like nobody's business, and beds all the exotic hot Oriental babes in his path" story.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in the cycle. Even better than the first. It builds off the first book in such a great way. Story is getting even more interesting. Looking forward to the next book.

[Daryl Clemens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember really enjoying these when I first read them as a teenager. On my re-read, they seem very disjointed and chaotic.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Successor to Sunset Warrior, with quite a different atmosphere. Unlike the first book, which quite refreshingly omited much of the occult and oriental focus that is so common in Van Lustbader's books, in this one, even though officially it is still set in our dystopian future, for all practical purposes it could be set in medieval Japan. An occult threat, a feudal society, no technology to speak off (unexplained, and quite weird, because in the first book there was technology). Random pretty women that throw themselves into the protagonists arms. Gruesome deaths. A powerful foe that has plenty of opportunity to kill our main character but doesn't. Yep, vintage Van Lustbader stuff. A pity, but after reading this quite thin book I was still curious how the story will continue.

[Gregory Mele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divided in four parts, the first picks up maybe 5 minutes after the first book ends. Thr this is the longest and takes place in a vast, decadent city that may be Shanghai...if this is a future Earth, which is nor clear... The section is filled with vivid vignettes but Lustbader doubles down on some stream-of-consciousness writing used earlier in the novel that creates a dreamy, but disjointed feel to the novel that the more direct, action-oriented fourth part can't pull together.

Ronin is also a bit of a Mary Sue in this book...how does a man raised in an underground city know how to ride a horse? Tack a sail?

While not a bad novel, definitely middle-volume problems abound, making this an uneven follow-up to Sunset Warrior. Let's hope he sticks the landing in Dai-Shan...

[James Traxler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the idea of a boat sailing over a frozen sea.
Love the title :).
Eric is very poetic in places, he often has a lovely turn of phrase.
As for the plot, it's ok. The characterisation is ok.
Otherwise, not bad, but drags on a bit in places.

These books remind me of the Jack Vance 'Dying Earth' series (which I go more like 5-stars for!).
Eric's Sunset Warrier books don't have the wit of Jack's though, or really any humour.
Also, they don't have the clever situations.

I read this book many years ago, and I came back to and read again. Not sure if I needed to really...

[Kayuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nahtlos schließt dieser Band an den ersten an. Wir begleiten Ronin auf seiner Reise ins Ungewisse.

Dabei geht es meistens spannend und sehr kämpferisch zu. Manchmal hat das Buch trotz der kürze seine Längen.

Die Charaktere bleiben meist sehr unnahbar und mysteriös. Dies ist so gewollt denke ich.

Die Welt ist gut aufgebaut und der Cliffhanger am Ende sorgt für Spannung und Vorfreude auf den nächsten Band.

[Curtis Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps I let too much time pass between reading the first book and the second, but I found this book more confusing than entertaining. I remember thoroughly enjoying the first book so I plan to continue the series to see if my opinion changes with Dai-San.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lustbader Vaders #2
Sunset Warrior #2
Second book read by this geezer and second in this series, was enjoyable enough without being something I will remember with any fondness, or even want to revisit, it was entertaining in its own right without being amazing.

[Christopher Billingslea · Rating 3 out of 5]

wanted to love it

I had a very hard time following this jumps around and in my opinion a bit excessive with flowery descriptive passages. I found this to be too distracting as I scanned ahead to get back to the story. The story itself is well thought out

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great follow up. Loved it. Now to read the 3rd book without buying it.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Building up nicely, hopefully the 3rd in the series will be better stlll

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced imaginative story telling, really loved this story cant wait to read next book.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far removed from the first story it gets weird.

[Mike Mengel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird not having any chapter numbers, but an engrossing story.

[James]

This is the sequel to "The Sunset Warrior", set on an ice-locked planet ruled by the sword. Eric Lustbader is the author of "The Ninja" and "Black Blade".

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suffers a little from "middle book" syndrome. Expands on the world building and presents an interesting and exotic china? Ronin spends much of the book not really knowing what he is doing or how to go about it, and then at the conclusion ends up continuing his quest much as the ending to the first novel. Still, it's one of my all time favourite series, and it's not just nostalgia either.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Van Lustbader's brilliant use of langauge to describe, no, paint action is astounding. I felt myself there, in the scenes. This book, along with The Sunset Warrior and Dai-San are top-knotch fantasy.Immerse yourself!

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Second in a series - not as good as the first one, plot could have been covered in a couple of chapters not taking the whole book.

[Pheno Menon · Rating 4 out of 5]

And the series gets interesting

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK second volume of this series.