The Crimson Sword (Legend of Asahiel, Book 1) - Softcover

Thompson, Eldon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0060741511 ISBN 13: 9780060741518

Publisher: Harper Voyager, 2006

Synopsis

The Age of Man has begun. The "undesirable" creatures of legend have been driven from their lands, magic has been forsaken, the old gods reduced to myth.Now humans will rule the kingdoms of the island continent of Pentania. But they are not alone.

Alson's king has been assassinated, its capital besieged by a malevolent wizard. The chaos and terror now sweeping the land have come to the remote village of Diln -- sending young Jarom far from his home to seek aid against the nefarious usurper. But a mysterious council has decreed Jarom must find one of the mythical Swords of Asahiel -- the divine talismans the elven avatars used to forge the earth -- in order to save a quarrelsome, fledgling humanity. For a Demon Queen has awakened from the abyss -- and humankind is about to discover its powerlessness in the face of the ancient terrors of the world.

About this title

About the Author

After washing out as a college quarterback, Eldon Thompson returned to his first love, writing. Unfortunately, he's found wrestling plots and characters to be every bit as rough—though with less physical bruising. The author of The Crimson Sword and The Obsidian Key, he splits his time between the Oregon coast and Southern California.

From Publishers Weekly

Marred by wooden prose and lethargic pacing, Thompson's earnest fantasy debut, the first of a trilogy, tries hard to follow in Tolkien's and Terry Brooks's footsteps (Brooks provides a blurb), but only half succeeds. The story opens with a promising air of mystery with the murder of King Sorl, the despotic ruler of Alson, one of the several kingdoms of Petania. The assassin, known only as the Shadow, was hired by Soric, Sorl's disinherited older son, now an evil wizard intent on claiming his birthright. The widowed Queen Ellebe seeks out her younger son, Torin, who's been living for 19 years as Jarom, a mere mushroom farmer's son, unaware of his royal heritage. Once he recovers from the shock of learning he's really a prince, Jarom/Torin resolves to overthrow Soric, an effort that will involve him in a quest for a legendary sword. This kindhearted book employs all the familiar fantasy tropes—elven folk, dragons, demons, a fair lady—but unfortunately Prince Torin's vanilla personality is about as exciting as a hobbit without a ring. The more interesting Shadow vanishes too quickly and appears later only rarely. Hopefully, the next installment will have more bite.
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About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Voyager
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0060741511
• ISBN 13: 9780060741518
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 720