What do you think?
Rate this book
Sacrament of Night
They've been visiting the human world for centuries, the strange, frail, totally colorless denizens of the Twilight Dimension. Lured by the color, the brightness, the sheer vitality of mankind's world, they mean no harm--but few of them ever return home. Foss Agate, well-to-do physician and dabbler in the 'supernatural sciences', has a burning to break the secret of the gateway between the worlds by capturing a living twilight creature. But his captive is no ordinary twilight dweller, Charn in an emissary of his queen, sent on a mission to discover the fate of her son and heir, who vanished years ago within the human world. Torn by loyalty to Foss and compassion for his victim is his daughter, Calliope--a young girl who cannot help but fall prey to Charn's spell and who holds the key to a long-hidden secret. But before she can unlock the door to the past she must overcome the fear that threatens to destroy her. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the Sacrament of Night...
- GenresFantasy
266 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 1997
About the author
Louise Cooper
156 books231 followersLouise Cooper was born in Hertfordshire in 1952. She began writing stories when she was at school to entertain her friends. She hated school so much, in fact—spending most lessons clandestinely writing stories—that she persuaded her parents to let her abandon her education at the age of fifteen and has never regretted it.
She continued to write and her first full-length novel was published when she was only twenty years old. She moved to London in 1975 and worked in publishing before becoming a full-time writer in 1977. Since then she has become a prolific writer of fantasy, renowned for her bestselling Time Master trilogy. She has published more than eighty fantasy and supernatural novels, both for adults and children. She also wrote occasional short stories for anthologies, and has co-written a comedy play that was produced for her local school.
Louise Cooper lived in Cornwall with her husband, Cas Sandall, and their black cat, Simba. She gained a great deal of writing inspiration from the coast and scenery, and her other interests included music, folklore, cooking, gardening and "messing about on the beach." Just to make sure she keeps busy, she was also treasurer of her local Lifeboat station.
Louise passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. She was a wonderful and talented lady and will be greatly missed.
She continued to write and her first full-length novel was published when she was only twenty years old. She moved to London in 1975 and worked in publishing before becoming a full-time writer in 1977. Since then she has become a prolific writer of fantasy, renowned for her bestselling Time Master trilogy. She has published more than eighty fantasy and supernatural novels, both for adults and children. She also wrote occasional short stories for anthologies, and has co-written a comedy play that was produced for her local school.
Louise Cooper lived in Cornwall with her husband, Cas Sandall, and their black cat, Simba. She gained a great deal of writing inspiration from the coast and scenery, and her other interests included music, folklore, cooking, gardening and "messing about on the beach." Just to make sure she keeps busy, she was also treasurer of her local Lifeboat station.
Louise passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. She was a wonderful and talented lady and will be greatly missed.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 5, 2013
The heart-wrenching love story throughout the entire novel keeps me captivated in its world. All the long, I keep on praying for the two lovers, hoping for their reunion; and it makes go crazy whenever I had to put the book down, leaving the story halfway.
The mystery element of the story is not as thrilling as others mystery books I had read, but it still leaves me a bit astounded when the truth is unravelled.
Overall, this book is an incredible book. Wonderfully written. It's a must-read!!!
The mystery element of the story is not as thrilling as others mystery books I had read, but it still leaves me a bit astounded when the truth is unravelled.
Overall, this book is an incredible book. Wonderfully written. It's a must-read!!!
November 19, 2022
Like an enticing black hole, several strands converge on a singularity. This singularity makes this book a masterpiece.
February 13, 2024
Un libro de los más originales que he leído en fantasía. Muy recomendable si te gusta la fantasía oscura, íntima, que explora sentimientos y formas de magia y mundos no tratados por otros autores.
May 23, 2012
A..strange book.
It takes place in a fantasy world and the main character is a girl named Calliope Agate.
Calliopes father Foss Agate is a scientist Her mother went insane when Calliope was a child
He dreams of catching one of these creatures for himself and finally finding out exactly what these twilight creatures are and where they come from.
One day he and his associates come across a man in the street. They can tell right away that he is no human as he has grey skin,hair and eyes.They manage to subdue him and bring him back to Foss laboratory.
There they subject him to painful "experiments" in the name of science.Calliopes father and his cronies pay little interest to his comfort and when Calliope is sent to check on the creature she is appalled by the state he is in.
She starts to gradually win his trust after treating his injuries and learns that his name is Charn.
Charn is one of these twilight creatures sent on mission by his queen to learn the whereabouts of her son,who went missing several years ago.This mission is very dangerous as the world in wich Calliope lives is too vivid for his people to sustain for very long.
Even the light of the moon causes pain to them and if they were to stand in direct sunlight they would be badly burned.
Charn feeds of the life energy and even though he doesnt drain people of it all,they become ill afterwards. In this way he was pretty ruthless but as he tells Calliope in the book-would she rather he starve?
I found Calliope to be a bit of a hypocrite in the case of Charn. I mean if you know someone is being hurt(even if they are nonhuman)and you start crying about it. Wouldnt you try to help them escape?
I know,I know she is supposed to be very devoted to her father and wanting him to be pleased with her.But she is supposed to be 25 years old,not precisely a meek child I would say.
And speaking of inconcistence in her character I didnt really buy into her being a budding scientist.Were told this,but never shown.
In the end the reason for Calliopes mothers insanity is explained to be a cause of something called the sacrament of night
That was...interesting ending. :/ I still wonder about it.
It takes place in a fantasy world and the main character is a girl named Calliope Agate.
Calliopes father Foss Agate is a scientist Her mother went insane when Calliope was a child
He dreams of catching one of these creatures for himself and finally finding out exactly what these twilight creatures are and where they come from.
One day he and his associates come across a man in the street. They can tell right away that he is no human as he has grey skin,hair and eyes.They manage to subdue him and bring him back to Foss laboratory.
There they subject him to painful "experiments" in the name of science.Calliopes father and his cronies pay little interest to his comfort and when Calliope is sent to check on the creature she is appalled by the state he is in.
She starts to gradually win his trust after treating his injuries and learns that his name is Charn.
Charn is one of these twilight creatures sent on mission by his queen to learn the whereabouts of her son,who went missing several years ago.This mission is very dangerous as the world in wich Calliope lives is too vivid for his people to sustain for very long.
Even the light of the moon causes pain to them and if they were to stand in direct sunlight they would be badly burned.
Charn feeds of the life energy and even though he doesnt drain people of it all,they become ill afterwards. In this way he was pretty ruthless but as he tells Calliope in the book-would she rather he starve?
I found Calliope to be a bit of a hypocrite in the case of Charn. I mean if you know someone is being hurt(even if they are nonhuman)and you start crying about it. Wouldnt you try to help them escape?
I know,I know she is supposed to be very devoted to her father and wanting him to be pleased with her.But she is supposed to be 25 years old,not precisely a meek child I would say.
And speaking of inconcistence in her character I didnt really buy into her being a budding scientist.Were told this,but never shown.
In the end the reason for Calliopes mothers insanity is explained to be a cause of something called the sacrament of night
That was...interesting ending. :/ I still wonder about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2010
I liked the setting for “Sacrament of Night”: a door, a key, and an impossible romance between two beings from mirror worlds, one of light and one of darkness. That it was written by Louise Cooper was an additional plus because I’d read very fine fantasy from her before. I was not disappointed in this new book.
I found the storyline very well thought out, with plot and subplots complex and interesting enough to keep me curious and engaged. It was moderately paced with substantial amounts of detailed interaction between the main and support characters, those of the world of light, but I would also have liked a wider range of information about the creatures of the Twilight, who they were, how they came to be, and their world.
There were times I found the changes in point of view within a single scene somewhat confusing but I enjoyed “Sacrament of the Night” very much overall. I found the world building vivid, the characters, for the most part, believable, and the tempo, climax and resolution everything that I expect in outstanding fantasy literature. It would be a book I’d add to my shelf and definitely reread.
Reviewed by Red Haircrow
I found the storyline very well thought out, with plot and subplots complex and interesting enough to keep me curious and engaged. It was moderately paced with substantial amounts of detailed interaction between the main and support characters, those of the world of light, but I would also have liked a wider range of information about the creatures of the Twilight, who they were, how they came to be, and their world.
There were times I found the changes in point of view within a single scene somewhat confusing but I enjoyed “Sacrament of the Night” very much overall. I found the world building vivid, the characters, for the most part, believable, and the tempo, climax and resolution everything that I expect in outstanding fantasy literature. It would be a book I’d add to my shelf and definitely reread.
Reviewed by Red Haircrow
Read
May 19, 2012Excellent in many ways, however it is let down by a lack of integrity to its own structures. Still an intellegent and above average fantasy read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews