What do you think?
Rate this book
Obsidian Mountain #3
When Darkness Falls
When Darkness Falls, the third book in The Obsidian Trilogy from Mercedes Lackey and James MalloryDespite a great working of Wild Magic and High Magic that struck at the heart of the Demon Queen's evil plots, Knight-Mage Kellen and his Elven allies are still seen as enemies by the human Mage Council. The Elves and their allies must find a way to shatter the Demons' hold on the human Mages, for without their High Magic, the forces of Light will be destroyed by the forces of Darkness. The Commander of the Armies of Light decides to turn an Elven mine into a refuge for those driven from their homes by the war. Kellen is put in command of the force of engineers and warriors who will fortify the mine and does not learn until it is nearly too late that the caverns are full of Shadowed Elves. Vestakia, the half-human, half-Demon healer, finds that she has begun to be able to read the mind of her Demon father, Crown Prince Zyperis. The Demon Queen, Savilla, is preparing a great sacrifice that will summon He Who Is back to the world and make her the ultimate ruler forever. When Wild Mage Idalia learns of Savilla's plans, she knows there is only one way to prevent the coming of He Who Is. A very different sort of sacrifice must be made.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
612 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
106 people are currently reading
2460 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
431 books9,569 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
March 28, 2012
Third and final book to The Obsidian Trilogy. I've already provided extensive reviews to the first two, and I fear risking repeating myself as I consider its positive and negative points.
The good of this book (and the series as a whole) seems rooted in its interesting systems of Magic, its classic high fantasy flavor, and its detailed realism as it puts together an army-based war against good and evil. I am all the more convinced at the extensive research that must have gone into constructing the plot concerning the Elven Army, the winter and its effect on everything, and the many aspects of combat strategy we see through Kellen's eyes. The cold, the tiredness, and the pain of the army fighting in the winter felt very real and believable. All the details of the cultures, of the Elven kingdoms and of Armethaliah are consistent.
I wish I had more to wax eloquent about concerning what I considered the positive aspects of this book (and the series as a whole). I thought the same issues of slow-pacing were much in evidence, and never was I more frustrated with the constant *repeating* of information or plot points as I was in this third book. These books are very long, the third being 602 pages, and I could probably have cut at least a hundred of those pages as being redundant-- or filled them with other details or events. Moreover, I found I was increasingly irritated with the utter mishandling of dramatic irony throughout. The narrative jumps among many groups of characters, good and bad, and what one group knows another doesn't. All well and good, except the audience always knows before the characters seem to (or at least certain groups of characters), and so the tension that might otherwise be there falls completely flat.
I have a few specific issues with the demons, specifically Savilla and her son Zephyris. Throughout the books, the demons are built up to be malevolent creatures of pure and utter evil, incredibly conniving and intensely powerful. Throughout the story though, they suffer setback after setback, and Kellen manages to outwit them all in one manner or another. The book expositorily *told* me that they were forces to be reckoned with, but then their actions and reactions felt inconsistently impulsive, emotional, and weak in comparison. Especially the ending: after all that was built up for the Queen and Prince of demons, to have them each slain WITHIN THE SPACE OF TWO PAGES cheats the reader of any sort of catharsis concerning them. To have Zephyris make so many amateur decisions concerning the Battle of Armethalieh after all his scheming seems uninspired: moreover, I feel all three books spent all their time trying to build him up as a schemer of amazing skill, ready to double-cross his mother when the time was right-- and all I found in the plot was him never taking action. Savilla, for her part, after being defined as the most powerful, evil, clever of demons, makes mistake after mistake after mistake when dealing with the wildmages and the Allies of the Light. I hate to say it, but the whole effect made the demons look bumbling instead of frightening. I never felt any fear for the heroes of the story, that they might not triumph. Oh, and let's not forget the demons stayed out of the picture for most of the war! Kellen and his army fought Shadowed Elves, Frost Giants, Coldwarg, Serpentmarae... but the only demons that put in an appearance were those hunting Cilarnen, two as the army marched, and then those of the final battle. There were so many times during the story when the enemy should have taken advantage of what they had, and they did not; this would not have been a big deal, except for how much time the authors worked at establishing how incredible and evil the enemy was. Also, referring to the demons as *Them* (imagine italics) all the time-- I can see why they tried to do so, but it only created uncomfortable emphasis problems with the inner monologue. Also, it softened the image of the demons. 'They' and 'Them' are such unassuming, neutral pronouns. There was no sense of foreboding, only an annoyance at having to restrain the instinct to assign melodramatic emphasis to the words.
I felt like there was a large amount of catharsis denied as the story completed. Take the non-interaction of Kellen and his father Lycaelon at the end of the book. Their relationship defined so much of the first book, I was confounded why there was no final conversation between them. Moreover, Lycaelon's final character note is attached to Idalia-- their relationship, while hinted at, was almost completely glossed over. Then, I consider Cilarnen's father, and how he took charge of the council during the final battle. The ease at which change came to the mage city broke my suspension of willing disbelief-- both during the battle and then afterward. Especially after half of the first book being about how stern and unchanging the city had been for so long! There were no emotional notes between Cilarnen and his father, Jermayan and Idalia... even Kellen and Vestakia throughout-- the reader is told things about their relationships, but everything felt cool and at arms length. I felt no passion, no human warmth in these relationships, even as I'm told there is romance or family affection there. As for Angriel and his betrayals-- first of his to Armethalieh, then of Savilla to him-- I never felt satisfied. He of all the villains felt like the one I was most willing to hate and despise, the most hopeful to see comeuppance, the one I worried about the most in terms of succeeding in his plans. And yet, he is gone in an instant when Savilla rips his heart out. I'm sorry, after every time we hear her internal monologue promising unique pain and torture for him? After all the talk about demons needing mages? After all he's built up to be, it's just, bam, heart ripped out, dead, Savilla thinking 'not how I'd have liked to but oh well'? After all the pains the demons take to lure men and mages down to their realm and slowly break them before devouring them? I call inconsistency shenanigans.
Also, pardon my harsh Internet Language, but Deus Ex Machina FTW. Massive light-force restoring everyone's magical energies all of a sudden? I could *possibly* accept it if more time had been spent considering the spell Idalia was planning on casting at the end-- if more time was spent exploring the idea of a 'Sympathy Bond'. Because Idalia died instead of Lycaelon, the veil is strengthened and the evil god Whoever-He-Is is stopped from coming into the world-- how exactly are these spells working to thicken or thin the 'veil'? What, really, IS the veil-- never well-defined, just sort of mysteriously hinted at. Why is there this light surge? And what does this have to do with Balance! Yes, there is a short couple paragraphs where Kellen and Cilarnen are debating 'Balance' in the world, and I feel like there are jedis intermingling with the elves. There's a lot of *assuming* going on throughout the ending-- which really irritates me all the more, because remember all those redundant words I talked about? They could have been cut and the space used to actually write a logically sound, character-cathartic ending.
There was a lot going on in the final book, which was an improvement over the first, but ultimately I left the series unsatisfied. I felt the books were too drawn out for the plot contained, the characters developed in only the most distant sense, and the dramatic tension of the events was always mishandled. There were too many times information was repeated instead of the reader being given something new, and the villains of the story were at best a roughly-hewn stereotype. The ending, while climactic, was un-cathartic and inadequate. Logistically the world built makes lots of sense, and the magic systems tantalize the reader with interest. But ultimately, there is so much left undefined in the magic systems-- or assumed-- that there is no sense of triumph when things go well, only a 'oh, well, glad it works that way' sense of vagueness.
The good of this book (and the series as a whole) seems rooted in its interesting systems of Magic, its classic high fantasy flavor, and its detailed realism as it puts together an army-based war against good and evil. I am all the more convinced at the extensive research that must have gone into constructing the plot concerning the Elven Army, the winter and its effect on everything, and the many aspects of combat strategy we see through Kellen's eyes. The cold, the tiredness, and the pain of the army fighting in the winter felt very real and believable. All the details of the cultures, of the Elven kingdoms and of Armethaliah are consistent.
I wish I had more to wax eloquent about concerning what I considered the positive aspects of this book (and the series as a whole). I thought the same issues of slow-pacing were much in evidence, and never was I more frustrated with the constant *repeating* of information or plot points as I was in this third book. These books are very long, the third being 602 pages, and I could probably have cut at least a hundred of those pages as being redundant-- or filled them with other details or events. Moreover, I found I was increasingly irritated with the utter mishandling of dramatic irony throughout. The narrative jumps among many groups of characters, good and bad, and what one group knows another doesn't. All well and good, except the audience always knows before the characters seem to (or at least certain groups of characters), and so the tension that might otherwise be there falls completely flat.
I have a few specific issues with the demons, specifically Savilla and her son Zephyris. Throughout the books, the demons are built up to be malevolent creatures of pure and utter evil, incredibly conniving and intensely powerful. Throughout the story though, they suffer setback after setback, and Kellen manages to outwit them all in one manner or another. The book expositorily *told* me that they were forces to be reckoned with, but then their actions and reactions felt inconsistently impulsive, emotional, and weak in comparison. Especially the ending: after all that was built up for the Queen and Prince of demons, to have them each slain WITHIN THE SPACE OF TWO PAGES cheats the reader of any sort of catharsis concerning them. To have Zephyris make so many amateur decisions concerning the Battle of Armethalieh after all his scheming seems uninspired: moreover, I feel all three books spent all their time trying to build him up as a schemer of amazing skill, ready to double-cross his mother when the time was right-- and all I found in the plot was him never taking action. Savilla, for her part, after being defined as the most powerful, evil, clever of demons, makes mistake after mistake after mistake when dealing with the wildmages and the Allies of the Light. I hate to say it, but the whole effect made the demons look bumbling instead of frightening. I never felt any fear for the heroes of the story, that they might not triumph. Oh, and let's not forget the demons stayed out of the picture for most of the war! Kellen and his army fought Shadowed Elves, Frost Giants, Coldwarg, Serpentmarae... but the only demons that put in an appearance were those hunting Cilarnen, two as the army marched, and then those of the final battle. There were so many times during the story when the enemy should have taken advantage of what they had, and they did not; this would not have been a big deal, except for how much time the authors worked at establishing how incredible and evil the enemy was. Also, referring to the demons as *Them* (imagine italics) all the time-- I can see why they tried to do so, but it only created uncomfortable emphasis problems with the inner monologue. Also, it softened the image of the demons. 'They' and 'Them' are such unassuming, neutral pronouns. There was no sense of foreboding, only an annoyance at having to restrain the instinct to assign melodramatic emphasis to the words.
I felt like there was a large amount of catharsis denied as the story completed. Take the non-interaction of Kellen and his father Lycaelon at the end of the book. Their relationship defined so much of the first book, I was confounded why there was no final conversation between them. Moreover, Lycaelon's final character note is attached to Idalia-- their relationship, while hinted at, was almost completely glossed over. Then, I consider Cilarnen's father, and how he took charge of the council during the final battle. The ease at which change came to the mage city broke my suspension of willing disbelief-- both during the battle and then afterward. Especially after half of the first book being about how stern and unchanging the city had been for so long! There were no emotional notes between Cilarnen and his father, Jermayan and Idalia... even Kellen and Vestakia throughout-- the reader is told things about their relationships, but everything felt cool and at arms length. I felt no passion, no human warmth in these relationships, even as I'm told there is romance or family affection there. As for Angriel and his betrayals-- first of his to Armethalieh, then of Savilla to him-- I never felt satisfied. He of all the villains felt like the one I was most willing to hate and despise, the most hopeful to see comeuppance, the one I worried about the most in terms of succeeding in his plans. And yet, he is gone in an instant when Savilla rips his heart out. I'm sorry, after every time we hear her internal monologue promising unique pain and torture for him? After all the talk about demons needing mages? After all he's built up to be, it's just, bam, heart ripped out, dead, Savilla thinking 'not how I'd have liked to but oh well'? After all the pains the demons take to lure men and mages down to their realm and slowly break them before devouring them? I call inconsistency shenanigans.
Also, pardon my harsh Internet Language, but Deus Ex Machina FTW. Massive light-force restoring everyone's magical energies all of a sudden? I could *possibly* accept it if more time had been spent considering the spell Idalia was planning on casting at the end-- if more time was spent exploring the idea of a 'Sympathy Bond'. Because Idalia died instead of Lycaelon, the veil is strengthened and the evil god Whoever-He-Is is stopped from coming into the world-- how exactly are these spells working to thicken or thin the 'veil'? What, really, IS the veil-- never well-defined, just sort of mysteriously hinted at. Why is there this light surge? And what does this have to do with Balance! Yes, there is a short couple paragraphs where Kellen and Cilarnen are debating 'Balance' in the world, and I feel like there are jedis intermingling with the elves. There's a lot of *assuming* going on throughout the ending-- which really irritates me all the more, because remember all those redundant words I talked about? They could have been cut and the space used to actually write a logically sound, character-cathartic ending.
There was a lot going on in the final book, which was an improvement over the first, but ultimately I left the series unsatisfied. I felt the books were too drawn out for the plot contained, the characters developed in only the most distant sense, and the dramatic tension of the events was always mishandled. There were too many times information was repeated instead of the reader being given something new, and the villains of the story were at best a roughly-hewn stereotype. The ending, while climactic, was un-cathartic and inadequate. Logistically the world built makes lots of sense, and the magic systems tantalize the reader with interest. But ultimately, there is so much left undefined in the magic systems-- or assumed-- that there is no sense of triumph when things go well, only a 'oh, well, glad it works that way' sense of vagueness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2025
The third and final volume of the Obsidian series. Will Savilla the Demon Queen bring the Endarkened to triumph and can she re-introduce the great evil He Who Is to the world? Or will Kellen the knight-mage, along with the elf-mage Jermayan, Idalia the wildmage healer, Cilarnen the autodidact high-mage, and the half-demon, half-human Vestakia defeat the powers of the night once and for all?
It is a long trek through the Elven lands, with a diversion to the Crystal Spiders - my favourite creature of the many in the novel - and the Caverns of Helacira, the haunt of the tainted Shadowed Elves, to arrive at the walls of Armethalieh and the final battle between good and evil. A very long trek, full of battle tactics, strategical and logistical discussions and endless cups of tea. Thankfully there are skirmishes with coldwargs and deathwings, shadowalkers and sepentmarae to lighten the dull and dreary workings of Elven bureaucratic debating - not to mention the Byzantine intricacies of the Armethalieh councillors.
It should be an exciting adventure of the war between the two great rivals of Darkness and Light. The authors, unfortunately, turn it into a long-winded war memoir that could have been written by a geriatric colonel sitting in his study and sipping his brandy. Never exciting, always pedestrian.
It is a long trek through the Elven lands, with a diversion to the Crystal Spiders - my favourite creature of the many in the novel - and the Caverns of Helacira, the haunt of the tainted Shadowed Elves, to arrive at the walls of Armethalieh and the final battle between good and evil. A very long trek, full of battle tactics, strategical and logistical discussions and endless cups of tea. Thankfully there are skirmishes with coldwargs and deathwings, shadowalkers and sepentmarae to lighten the dull and dreary workings of Elven bureaucratic debating - not to mention the Byzantine intricacies of the Armethalieh councillors.
It should be an exciting adventure of the war between the two great rivals of Darkness and Light. The authors, unfortunately, turn it into a long-winded war memoir that could have been written by a geriatric colonel sitting in his study and sipping his brandy. Never exciting, always pedestrian.
January 12, 2013
Well....this one might best be thought of as a 3.5. I like this series and was very drawn in. I jumped from the second to this one immediately after finishing it.
This one however slowed down a bit in that it got very repetitive. Ms. Lackey seemed to for a while to have fallen prey to "Robert Jordan syndrome" in that starting with a retelling of the end of the second book (as the second book began with a retelling of the first) after which she, instead of launching out into the the plot began relating a lot we already knew. We went through a lot of internal angst we already knew about and a lot of details are retold we have already been made aware of. The book really should have (my opinion throughout of course) rocketed out of the gate at a breakneck pace as THEY/THEM (the demons who like Lord Voldemort must not be mentioned by name lest it draw their attention) are moving to crush the world. Instead we get a great deal of filler and stories that are drawn out much more than needed. I think large swaths of the first half of this book could be missed without harming your understanding of the story.
However, the last third of the book recovers and again draws us into a fast moving satisfying tale that ties up most plot points.
The annoying point I mentioned about the last book is still here This however is more an eye roll thing and doesn't hurt the book.
So, this is still a good book and a good conclusion to a good series in spite of a slow start. I like it and don't think most will be disappointed. Our Mage Knight, Wild Mages, High Mages, Unicorns, Centaurs...High Mages and so on face their hour(s) of trial. Recommended as is the entire series. Enjoy.
This one however slowed down a bit in that it got very repetitive. Ms. Lackey seemed to for a while to have fallen prey to "Robert Jordan syndrome" in that starting with a retelling of the end of the second book (as the second book began with a retelling of the first) after which she, instead of launching out into the the plot began relating a lot we already knew. We went through a lot of internal angst we already knew about and a lot of details are retold we have already been made aware of. The book really should have (my opinion throughout of course) rocketed out of the gate at a breakneck pace as THEY/THEM (the demons who like Lord Voldemort must not be mentioned by name lest it draw their attention) are moving to crush the world. Instead we get a great deal of filler and stories that are drawn out much more than needed. I think large swaths of the first half of this book could be missed without harming your understanding of the story.
However, the last third of the book recovers and again draws us into a fast moving satisfying tale that ties up most plot points.
The annoying point I mentioned about the last book is still here This however is more an eye roll thing and doesn't hurt the book.
So, this is still a good book and a good conclusion to a good series in spite of a slow start. I like it and don't think most will be disappointed. Our Mage Knight, Wild Mages, High Mages, Unicorns, Centaurs...High Mages and so on face their hour(s) of trial. Recommended as is the entire series. Enjoy.
April 26, 2010
A lot of people see Mercedes Lackey's books as immature or unoriginal. I have even heard people say that she can't write without the help of someone else. I tend to disagree. It's not Bronte or Douglas Adams or Arthur Clark. This book, and all of Lackey's, are what they are and are nothing else. Some would argue that this is not the way people would behave in the situations. Well, Duh. It's fiction. Let's see, if we were in a war against evil demons a good person with a lot of heart wouldn't try and do everything in their power to stop the evil? Yeah they would. The characters that we come to know, love, and even hate are not your average person. They are exceptional people. They are people who would do all they could to make things right even if that meant that they had to give their life for the cause. Most people aren't like that, I know I'm not. That brings me back to the main point... this is a story. It's fiction- and that is the whole point. It's not the greatest work ever written... but so what? It's a good story. It's a compelling story it keeps you reading and makes you want to come back over and over again for more.
There is onle thing that I have ead in the reviews that I am kind of in agreement. Lackey and Mallory do describle the torture sceens a little too intensly. But if that bothers you please feel free to put the book down and especially don't get anywhere near television. It is one thing to read something it is another to see it done... which happens quite frequently on TV. I have found that she express these same tendencies in many of her other novels. The Hearlds of Valedmar series Talia is tortured and has several love making sessions as does Kero. And don't even get me started on the 500 Kingdoms books and the sex scenes!
There is onle thing that I have ead in the reviews that I am kind of in agreement. Lackey and Mallory do describle the torture sceens a little too intensly. But if that bothers you please feel free to put the book down and especially don't get anywhere near television. It is one thing to read something it is another to see it done... which happens quite frequently on TV. I have found that she express these same tendencies in many of her other novels. The Hearlds of Valedmar series Talia is tortured and has several love making sessions as does Kero. And don't even get me started on the 500 Kingdoms books and the sex scenes!
July 22, 2009
I wasn't a big fan of this book or this trilogy overall. I had three main complaints:
1) It's morally simplistic. There are the good guys and the bad guys. To make it even easier, you can basically tell whether someone is good or bad by what species they are and if they are from the "bad" species (demons, shadow elves, etc) then they should all be annihilated down to the last baby. This is not how things are in real life and I find it a cheat. The high mages were the only ones remotely ambiguous and I found their behavior unrealistic at the end of this book.
2) This book glorifies self sacrifice in a way that I might have found appealing as a teenager but that horrifies me now. Each of the 5 main characters is bent on destroying themselves for the good of everyone else and I just can't stomach idealizing martyrs. Also, even as it does this it doesn't actually draw me in emotionally (nor did it draw me into either of the supposed "romances")
3) For some reason Lackey and Mallory derive great pleasure in describing horrifying torture scenes in loving detail. I had to skip all these sections of the book/trilogy but the little that I accidentally read always made me feel nauseous.
It wasn't all bad - after all, I did complete the whole trilogy which is due to slightly more than the fact that I am a completist. I was kind of curious about what would happen and some of the world/characters were semi-interesting, but overall I was unimpressed.
1) It's morally simplistic. There are the good guys and the bad guys. To make it even easier, you can basically tell whether someone is good or bad by what species they are and if they are from the "bad" species (demons, shadow elves, etc) then they should all be annihilated down to the last baby. This is not how things are in real life and I find it a cheat. The high mages were the only ones remotely ambiguous and I found their behavior unrealistic at the end of this book.
2) This book glorifies self sacrifice in a way that I might have found appealing as a teenager but that horrifies me now. Each of the 5 main characters is bent on destroying themselves for the good of everyone else and I just can't stomach idealizing martyrs. Also, even as it does this it doesn't actually draw me in emotionally (nor did it draw me into either of the supposed "romances")
3) For some reason Lackey and Mallory derive great pleasure in describing horrifying torture scenes in loving detail. I had to skip all these sections of the book/trilogy but the little that I accidentally read always made me feel nauseous.
It wasn't all bad - after all, I did complete the whole trilogy which is due to slightly more than the fact that I am a completist. I was kind of curious about what would happen and some of the world/characters were semi-interesting, but overall I was unimpressed.
April 11, 2017
The series ends pretty much like I expected it to. There weren't really any surprises the good guys win and the bad guys lose. Just like the rest in the series it isn't the most original tale, but it was still enjoyable.
I was a bit surprised that the story continued a bit after the final battle. In most stories the good guys win and then there is an epilogue that says a few years later everyone is living happily ever after. This story continues a bit and Kellen actually goes off and finishes off the surviving dark creatures so they can't return. I liked that he was so thorough in defeating his enemy so they can't sneak back.
Overall I enjoyed the series, but I did find the names of the people and cities very confusing. I had noticed it from the first book, but I had hoped it would get better. Then, in the final book with more battles killing off elves and Jermayan flying around to all the different cities it got really confusing to keep track of who was alive and dead and who was where.
I also felt the demons didn't really live up to their evil after pages and pages of tea drinking with the elves the actual battle with the demons that should have lasted pages was to short. They talk about how one demon could almost single handedly destroy a town and a few could destroy the army on the move, but half of demon kind is outside the city fighting the army with the help of their shadow creatures and a few pages later Kellen defeats the Prince in single combat? I know he had magic help with his sister's sacrifice, but where were the rest of the demons? Then, the other half of demon kind was with Savilla and after all three books Jermayan and his dragon fly around and dodge a few times and bam defeat her just like that? For all the build up it was a bit anticlimactic to defeat the enemy so quickly and easily.
I felt a bit cheated about Anigrel too, he died to soon. I would have liked for the Queen to have really rubbed her plots in his face and for him to really get to realize she had been stringing him along. I mean she's a demon and supposedly super evil and revels in pain and torture. What could have been better than letting her pet human realize he could have had it all if he just stayed inside the city safe and sound. Then, she could have tortured him a bit and reveled in his pain with her demon court, but pretty much as soon as she can she kills him? I was very let down at that part.
I was also a bit disappointed that at the end Kellen didn't have a final confrontation with his father. After everything that happened in the first book and how much his father wanted him dead, I wanted them to come face to face one more time. I understand Kellen has outgrown his father's opinion, but still after everything I wanted a bit more closure to that relationship. Perhaps have his father be broken and ask for forgiveness and Kellen walk away as that part of his life is behind him, or something. Anything would have been better than them not even meeting.
In the end, I say this is a decent series and give the whole thing 3/5 stars. It could do better, but it was good enough to keep my interest.
I was a bit surprised that the story continued a bit after the final battle. In most stories the good guys win and then there is an epilogue that says a few years later everyone is living happily ever after. This story continues a bit and Kellen actually goes off and finishes off the surviving dark creatures so they can't return. I liked that he was so thorough in defeating his enemy so they can't sneak back.
Overall I enjoyed the series, but I did find the names of the people and cities very confusing. I had noticed it from the first book, but I had hoped it would get better. Then, in the final book with more battles killing off elves and Jermayan flying around to all the different cities it got really confusing to keep track of who was alive and dead and who was where.
I also felt the demons didn't really live up to their evil after pages and pages of tea drinking with the elves the actual battle with the demons that should have lasted pages was to short. They talk about how one demon could almost single handedly destroy a town and a few could destroy the army on the move, but half of demon kind is outside the city fighting the army with the help of their shadow creatures and a few pages later Kellen defeats the Prince in single combat? I know he had magic help with his sister's sacrifice, but where were the rest of the demons? Then, the other half of demon kind was with Savilla and after all three books Jermayan and his dragon fly around and dodge a few times and bam defeat her just like that? For all the build up it was a bit anticlimactic to defeat the enemy so quickly and easily.
I felt a bit cheated about Anigrel too, he died to soon. I would have liked for the Queen to have really rubbed her plots in his face and for him to really get to realize she had been stringing him along. I mean she's a demon and supposedly super evil and revels in pain and torture. What could have been better than letting her pet human realize he could have had it all if he just stayed inside the city safe and sound. Then, she could have tortured him a bit and reveled in his pain with her demon court, but pretty much as soon as she can she kills him? I was very let down at that part.
I was also a bit disappointed that at the end Kellen didn't have a final confrontation with his father. After everything that happened in the first book and how much his father wanted him dead, I wanted them to come face to face one more time. I understand Kellen has outgrown his father's opinion, but still after everything I wanted a bit more closure to that relationship. Perhaps have his father be broken and ask for forgiveness and Kellen walk away as that part of his life is behind him, or something. Anything would have been better than them not even meeting.
In the end, I say this is a decent series and give the whole thing 3/5 stars. It could do better, but it was good enough to keep my interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2025
When Darkness Falls is the final book in the Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. The Demon Queen's plans are almost complete and it's time to see how our heroes will win the war.
After the end of the second book, I was expecting this one to really take off as a race to the finish against the Demon army. Unfortunately, the book slows the pace down to a plod and regresses slightly with regards to the characters. A lot of the first third of the book is given to reminding us of what happened in the previous two books, which is fine, but also of things that happened just a few pages ago as characters travel somewhere, meet people and then tell them how they traveled. The character angst from the first book is also back, which was one of my least favorite things in that book. After the first 200 pages or so, the book smooths out, the plot moves forward and our characters make progress again.
Even though this is supposed to be Kellen's series, I think that Cilarnen was the star of this book. He grows a lot during this book. I loved his creative use of magic, especially .
I feel bad for Jermayan and Ancaladar. It felt like the writers didn't quite know what to do with the characters as they'd made them too powerful for their plot. They could've easily been a dues ex for many situations and yet were held back. It's unfortunate that the pair didn't really shine until the very end after . It seems like a missed opportunity even though I did really enjoy them at the end.
Even with my complaints, this is a nice ending to the series. I couldn't put the book down for the last 100 pages! It has a bittersweet ending, even if we did know that part was coming. I want my own unicorn. Shalkan was easily my favorite character in the series.
After the end of the second book, I was expecting this one to really take off as a race to the finish against the Demon army. Unfortunately, the book slows the pace down to a plod and regresses slightly with regards to the characters. A lot of the first third of the book is given to reminding us of what happened in the previous two books, which is fine, but also of things that happened just a few pages ago as characters travel somewhere, meet people and then tell them how they traveled. The character angst from the first book is also back, which was one of my least favorite things in that book. After the first 200 pages or so, the book smooths out, the plot moves forward and our characters make progress again.
Even though this is supposed to be Kellen's series, I think that Cilarnen was the star of this book. He grows a lot during this book. I loved his creative use of magic, especially .
I feel bad for Jermayan and Ancaladar. It felt like the writers didn't quite know what to do with the characters as they'd made them too powerful for their plot. They could've easily been a dues ex for many situations and yet were held back. It's unfortunate that the pair didn't really shine until the very end after . It seems like a missed opportunity even though I did really enjoy them at the end.
Even with my complaints, this is a nice ending to the series. I couldn't put the book down for the last 100 pages! It has a bittersweet ending, even if we did know that part was coming. I want my own unicorn. Shalkan was easily my favorite character in the series.
June 10, 2012
Like the previous books in the trilogy, the first half was a bit slow, but the second half was quite hard to put down. I liked the magic and the world, but I never felt too involved in many of the characters and there were parts that were a bit darker than I expected. Still, there were a few characters that I really cared about.
I am not sure how I feel about the ending. I'm trying to avoid any spoilers, but it just seems odd... I'm not sure if this character is really alive or dead or reincarnated or what quite happened. It was almost as if the authors were trying too hard to have a happy ending (though I doubt that given the rest of the book).
I am not sure how I feel about the ending. I'm trying to avoid any spoilers, but it just seems odd... I'm not sure if this character is really alive or dead or reincarnated or what quite happened. It was almost as if the authors were trying too hard to have a happy ending (though I doubt that given the rest of the book).
October 30, 2008
Kellen found his way. Good for him. He trained and learned and strived for success over and over. He grew into his abilities and the respect of others. He is the right man for the job. But is the world and others ready to let him do it?
The fact that you are headed towars a goal and reach it, and others telling you that you have reached maturity, doesn´t mean at all that it is the truth.
Jermayan and Ashaniel´s conversation: Is Kellen wiser than his years and species? Priceless!!
The fact that you are headed towars a goal and reach it, and others telling you that you have reached maturity, doesn´t mean at all that it is the truth.
Jermayan and Ashaniel´s conversation: Is Kellen wiser than his years and species? Priceless!!
June 30, 2008
Good ending to this trilogy. Answers the age-old question of how a human (age span of 80 years) and an elf (age span of centuries) can maintain a long long relationship. Human must sacrifice self to save the world and then get reborn as an elf. The other elf then only has to wait a measly 18 years for a lifetime of romance.
March 9, 2019
a superb ending to the trilogy. i think this is my favorite of the three books. there was plenty of action and it was great to see at last the conclusion of the war and kellen fulfill his duties. i love Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's writing and it blends so seemlessly.
September 10, 2024
An enjoyable reread.
August 23, 2021
This whole series was beautiful and well written. I had so many ups and downs emotionally through this whole trilogy. The conclusion for this series was my favorite out of the whole series and I cried so many times.
December 30, 2015
Short version: If this were not the final book in a trilogy, and I were not committed to reading a trilogy for a challenge and running out of time to do so, I probably would not have finished this book.
As it is, I found myself skimming through this one quite a bit - something that I very rarely ever do, but I felt that the story was being forcibly dragged out for the sake of making what could easily have fit into two books, into a trilogy instead, since three is the magical number.
Upside: There is a satisfying ending to the story in this book. Cilarnen and Shalkan ended up being my favorite characters. Not really sure what else to say about this book - mostly, I'm just glad to be done with it.
As it is, I found myself skimming through this one quite a bit - something that I very rarely ever do, but I felt that the story was being forcibly dragged out for the sake of making what could easily have fit into two books, into a trilogy instead, since three is the magical number.
Upside: There is a satisfying ending to the story in this book. Cilarnen and Shalkan ended up being my favorite characters. Not really sure what else to say about this book - mostly, I'm just glad to be done with it.
March 8, 2013
Now THIS is how you write good epic fantasy! I was a emotional wreck (crying and laughing at the same time) by the end of this book! Mercedes Lackey takes what has been building up in the previous two books and just completely blows everything out of the water. I was literally on the edge of my seat for the last hundred and fifty pages or so, just breathless with excitement and delight! And the ending was beautiful and perfect. Sad? Yes. But glorious as well. I am really sad to see this trilogy end. If you are looking for a great fantasy with lots of heart and action, you will absolutely adore this series!
December 13, 2015
I first read this book about five year ago. Generally, I liked it but I found the ending a little odd and couldn't really tell if I liked it or just found it too weird. Five years later, I still don't know how I feel about the ending. Overall whole of this series is greater than the sum of its parts. The whole series tells a really interesting story which usually makes up for some of the slower bits along the way. You do care enough for the characters and all that they have endured to make it to this point but it does have some extra wordy sections where you kind of glaze over until the action starts up again. It was a good ending to the series and I do plan on reading the spinoff.
November 23, 2022
different from the valdemar series that mercedes lackey is so well known for. and a delightful change in pace from her usual stories. i love this author and own a good portion of her 100 or so published books. this particular series demands your attention and wrenches every emotion from you during your reading experience. this is a great series to start off with if you are unfamilar with her writing style, but with any series i would start at the beginning and this trilogy only gets better. so look forward to becoming hooked. happy reading.
August 19, 2008
I enjoyed the trilogy over all, and the story was good when you got to part of it. It seemed like most of the book was to remind you about what happened in the last two (which was fine), but also to remind you what happened 5 pages ago. Which made for slow reading, also if you've read the first two books you know to get ready for a death. When it happens it's sad but you knew so it was fine, but then it's like they changed their minds or wanted an 'extra happy ending'.
April 16, 2008
One of Mercedes Lackey's earlier novels, but well worth a read. The story is well written, and sucks you in so you don't want to put the book down till you've finished. It has a nice take on the different races of the world, each complex and written with a good amount of complexity, which is not something you see everyday.
July 24, 2019
Not the best edited series, nor the tightest story. A little repetitive at times — the heroes go here, tell someone how they got here, find something out, tell someone what they found out, talk to each other about where they go next, repeat.
But for all that, this trilogy feels like a return to the fun, simple fantasy I read when I was younger, and I can’t fault that.
But for all that, this trilogy feels like a return to the fun, simple fantasy I read when I was younger, and I can’t fault that.
April 6, 2010
I really liked how this series ended.So many times I find myself unsettled by the inability to merge reality and fiction at the end. It seems that is the hardest part of a book or series, the end. Ms. Lackey and Mr. Mallory did a phenomenal job on this series. Kudos.
August 12, 2008
Very good book, tied up everything in the end. A little longer, but not as drawn out as the 2nd book.
February 6, 2010
I waited with bated breath for this sequel to arrive at the library. The world Lackey created here was so vibrant, I couldn't wait to find out how the story ended.
January 9, 2017
The third of the Obsidian Mountain trilogy, a fantastic story that involved conquering demons, talking unicorns, dragons and elven mages, and human sacrifices of all sorts.
November 4, 2012
This book was great until the ending. The last chapter was a missed opportunity. The great love tense ended in a fizzle, otherwise the rest of the book was still worth reading
February 9, 2009
a great conclusion to a wonderful series...
July 11, 2022
Hmm...this is another one that I am struggling with. How should I rate it? Just by how I enjoyed it? Then it would get 4.5 stars, very nearly a perfect score. I was quite entertained as I read it. I was interested in the characters and wanted to know how it would all play out. It would have made me quite upset to just stop in the middle and never know just how the Endarkened were defeated.
On the other hand, what if I rate it by whether or not I agreed with the philosophical premises presented? I agree with a good deal of them. I agree that we must do what is right, even if it seems inconsequential against a great enemy. If the only thing we can do to fight a supreme evil is to say "I will not acquiesce" as we are being slaughtered, that is not an inconsequential act. Perhaps that sacrifice will inspire someone else to resist in a way that results in more than death. To believe in something so much that you are willing to die for it is inherently an act of courage, even more when the thing that you believe in is something of inestimable value like the idea of freedom itself. To believe in something so much that you are willing to die for others to participate in it is something so valorous that it is humbling to even contemplate. So I really like these stories of sacrifice in this book, different wildmages giving up their lives in order to protect others. That is something inspiring. Perhaps that is why I feel a bit cheated in that no one who actually mattered to the story had to pay that price. This was too perfect of a hero's journey. As Kellen is babbling about sacrifice, forgiveness, and forgetting; he didn't have to do any of it. What did he really lose? A father that never cared for him? A future he never wanted? If someone had come along and killed Shalkan in front of his face and stood before him covered in blood and he had to forgave them, that would be a real moral quandary. Everything in this series was just a little too pat for me. I would have preferred a bit more depth. It really bothered me that in battling against the ultimate evil where others are dying right and left, no one who is a main character died, and the one that does pass just resurrects a few pages later. It cheapens the sacrifice.
In this I would say George R. Martin does something better than Mercedes Lackey and Mallory, at least he kills off people that you care about, not faceless, nearly nameless people that never mattered and only ever existed as plot devices. That irritates me.
It's sad that it irritates me enough to take off a bunch of stars. I really did like the books. They were entertaining, they had some good quotes and presented some excellent ideas in a very digestible way. If I had come across them in my teens or twenties I think I would have enjoyed them heartily without thinking much about them.
On the other hand, what if I rate it by whether or not I agreed with the philosophical premises presented? I agree with a good deal of them. I agree that we must do what is right, even if it seems inconsequential against a great enemy. If the only thing we can do to fight a supreme evil is to say "I will not acquiesce" as we are being slaughtered, that is not an inconsequential act. Perhaps that sacrifice will inspire someone else to resist in a way that results in more than death. To believe in something so much that you are willing to die for it is inherently an act of courage, even more when the thing that you believe in is something of inestimable value like the idea of freedom itself. To believe in something so much that you are willing to die for others to participate in it is something so valorous that it is humbling to even contemplate. So I really like these stories of sacrifice in this book, different wildmages giving up their lives in order to protect others. That is something inspiring. Perhaps that is why I feel a bit cheated in that no one who actually mattered to the story had to pay that price. This was too perfect of a hero's journey. As Kellen is babbling about sacrifice, forgiveness, and forgetting; he didn't have to do any of it. What did he really lose? A father that never cared for him? A future he never wanted? If someone had come along and killed Shalkan in front of his face and stood before him covered in blood and he had to forgave them, that would be a real moral quandary. Everything in this series was just a little too pat for me. I would have preferred a bit more depth. It really bothered me that in battling against the ultimate evil where others are dying right and left, no one who is a main character died, and the one that does pass just resurrects a few pages later. It cheapens the sacrifice.
In this I would say George R. Martin does something better than Mercedes Lackey and Mallory, at least he kills off people that you care about, not faceless, nearly nameless people that never mattered and only ever existed as plot devices. That irritates me.
It's sad that it irritates me enough to take off a bunch of stars. I really did like the books. They were entertaining, they had some good quotes and presented some excellent ideas in a very digestible way. If I had come across them in my teens or twenties I think I would have enjoyed them heartily without thinking much about them.
August 31, 2020
The trilogy started out with a bang but ended in a fizzle.
As flawed as The Outstretched Shadow was, it was the best one in my honest opinion. Book 1 had the most "heart," so to speak. That all seemed to gradually disappear by the time I reached the final pages of When Darkness Falls.
Throughout the events leading up to the final battle--which was as anticlimactic as ever --everyone had just become plot devices. Whatever personality and emotions any of the main cast possessed just went out the window.
Like when Vestakia had her love epiphany for Kellen...huh??? There was barely any indication of feelings, thoughts, anything between them so where did this all come from???
Or even worse, when , after hearing the news, Kellen was like And then when Jermayan
It was...odd. No thoughts or emotions of any sort. I get that there wasn't any time for grieving, but the characters had all become robotic and emotionless...and it just didn't sit well with me.
What also didn't sit well with me was the repeated exaltation of martyrdom and self-sacrifice. True, death and sacrifices cannot be avoided in wartimes, but did the message have to be beat into the reader's head like a hammer? Here we got Kellen, Idalia, Jermayan, Cilarnen--all of them claiming to be ready to die for the cause, ready to give up everyone and everything for the cause. Everyone should be willing to die for the greater good of all. Life cannot continue to exist without great sacrifice.
Gee, maybe I should give up myself as well! You know, for the greater good!
In all seriousness, I'm sure that's not the actual message the authors were trying to get across, but the implications weren't subtle. It wouldn't have bugged me so much if the characters weren't so devoid of life.
As flawed as The Outstretched Shadow was, it was the best one in my honest opinion. Book 1 had the most "heart," so to speak. That all seemed to gradually disappear by the time I reached the final pages of When Darkness Falls.
Throughout the events leading up to the final battle--which was as anticlimactic as ever --everyone had just become plot devices. Whatever personality and emotions any of the main cast possessed just went out the window.
Like when Vestakia had her love epiphany for Kellen...huh??? There was barely any indication of feelings, thoughts, anything between them so where did this all come from???
Or even worse, when , after hearing the news, Kellen was like And then when Jermayan
It was...odd. No thoughts or emotions of any sort. I get that there wasn't any time for grieving, but the characters had all become robotic and emotionless...and it just didn't sit well with me.
What also didn't sit well with me was the repeated exaltation of martyrdom and self-sacrifice. True, death and sacrifices cannot be avoided in wartimes, but did the message have to be beat into the reader's head like a hammer? Here we got Kellen, Idalia, Jermayan, Cilarnen--all of them claiming to be ready to die for the cause, ready to give up everyone and everything for the cause. Everyone should be willing to die for the greater good of all. Life cannot continue to exist without great sacrifice.
Gee, maybe I should give up myself as well! You know, for the greater good!
In all seriousness, I'm sure that's not the actual message the authors were trying to get across, but the implications weren't subtle. It wouldn't have bugged me so much if the characters weren't so devoid of life.
April 21, 2025
I read this knowing that “good will triumph” by the end, but I was genuinely baffled by how that was supposed to happen… it turns out, it happened because the bad guys underestimate themselves. They keep holding back when they should have just gone for it.
The weaknesses of the trilogy were more blatant in this book. The bad guys are definitely bad, very bad, and they have no choice about it, but the good guys can become bad guys if they want; it seems a little unbalanced. There’s also A LOT of repetitive musings and statements. Also, the portrayal of and building of romantic relationships is mediocre at best. This, though I don’t mind much, because the story is barely affected by it. (Speaking about romance, I never caught the consequences of a non-virgin touching a unicorn, either because I sped-read through the explanation, or because it was never mentioned.)
The clash between cultures was one of the best parts of this trilogy. Every location/people had such a distinct way of doing things, and it made for some hilarious and frustrating scenes that always moved character growth and the story along.
The weaknesses of the trilogy were more blatant in this book. The bad guys are definitely bad, very bad, and they have no choice about it, but the good guys can become bad guys if they want; it seems a little unbalanced. There’s also A LOT of repetitive musings and statements. Also, the portrayal of and building of romantic relationships is mediocre at best. This, though I don’t mind much, because the story is barely affected by it. (Speaking about romance, I never caught the consequences of a non-virgin touching a unicorn, either because I sped-read through the explanation, or because it was never mentioned.)
The clash between cultures was one of the best parts of this trilogy. Every location/people had such a distinct way of doing things, and it made for some hilarious and frustrating scenes that always moved character growth and the story along.
January 30, 2026
This entry moved along swiftly on audio, but I think would drag if I were eye-reading. Nothing new really happens until almost 2/3rds of the way through the book--no new characters, discoveries, or developments. Just a steady step-by-step plodding towards the end. Or like one big war of maneuvering with a very slow battle. There weren't any big twists or character developments, everything kind of wrapped up as expected. Decent action though. Sometimes this series reminds me of the video game Heroes of Might and Magic.
Several big issues I'd been waiting for never were mentioned. Like how Kellen courting Vestakia will require an end to his friendship with Shelkan. Never once thinks about it, or questions it. Or any more mention of Kellen & Idalia's mother. Or the weirdness of how Idalia's plotline wraps up, and how Wild Magic works. A lot of things are just swept under the rug or taken for granted.
But other than those, the story was enjoyable. I was happy with where the characters ended their journey--some good satisfying moments and nice comeuppance. Even some interesting bits of history dropped, making me more curious for the next trilogy.
Several big issues I'd been waiting for never were mentioned. Like how Kellen courting Vestakia will require an end to his friendship with Shelkan. Never once thinks about it, or questions it. Or any more mention of Kellen & Idalia's mother. Or the weirdness of how Idalia's plotline wraps up, and how Wild Magic works. A lot of things are just swept under the rug or taken for granted.
But other than those, the story was enjoyable. I was happy with where the characters ended their journey--some good satisfying moments and nice comeuppance. Even some interesting bits of history dropped, making me more curious for the next trilogy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews