"solid fantasy"
Photojournalist Kelsey Cafferty sneaks into Siberia to
locate an elf so that she can cross the rift bridge to
Daradawn. Though she finds Needa the elf, she is captured
by other elves. They cross into Daradawn only to have the
rift abnormally slam shut behind them instead of remaining
open for the normal seven days. Daradawn has changed in many respects, but one thing
remains the same. A threat to the people and the land from
Dirkk the malevolent exists. This time he has outside
help. The world of Vigrid, icy home to the Valkyrie, is
divided by a civil war between The Valkyrie of the Night
Guard Legion vs. the Followers of the Sun. Regan the
earthborn Daradawn Keeper of the Blue Flame is caught in
the battle between warrior women. Two worlds, perhaps even
a third, are at stake as Dirkk diabolically yet brilliantly
uses the Valkyries to conquer Daradawn even if every
breathing soul (he has none so he is not worried) dies in
his final victory. The key to this collaboration is that the authors somehow
make two diverse magical realms seem so real. The story
line is action packed whether it is in Siberia, Daradawn,
or Vigrid. The cast comes across as genuine sentient
beings caught in inter-global calamities that make for a
delightful epic fantasy. Barbara M. Hodges and C. R.
MacPhadrick pull off a coup that can only mean she is from
Daradawn and he must be hiding on Vigrid. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted August 1, 2003
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