Monday, August 8, 2011

LIGHTBORN by Alison Sinclair

Book 2 in Darkborn Trilogy
Publisher: Roc
Date published: June 7th, 2011
ISBN: 978-0451463586
Fantasy/Thriller
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Self-Purchase


An ancient curse separates the Lightborn from the Darkborn. The Lightborn fear the dark for one touch of darkness can kill them while the Darkborn fear the sunlight as one touch could give them a nasty sunburn or worse, death. Living side by side but separate from one another, the Lightborn and Darkborn are finding out that there is a magic much stronger than even they can fathom. Something or someone is turning Lightborn against Darkborn, earth born against mage and murder is just the tip of the iceberg. The question won’t be who betrays whom but who will survive the aftermath?

I found DARKBORN, book 1 of this wonderful fantasy series, by chance and fell in love with a story that enthralled me from the very beginning. LIGHTBORN picks up where book one left off and this time it is centered on the lightborn part of the story though the Darkborn characters we met in the first book are back as well. What makes this series so well done is the wonderful world building this author did. It is a varied world, with politics, conspiracies, friendships and more. The writer weaves her spell around the reader and subtly, draws them in with a plot twist here and there to keep them entertained and intrigued. The writing was tight, the story flowed quickly and I can attest I was so drawn into the story; I was up till the wee hours of the morning finishing this one. The one thing I need to stress is you need to read these in order to be able to understand the storyline. Book two and three continues the story started in book one.

LIGHTBORN tells the story of two sets of people-one who needs the light to live and the other the darkness. Ms. Sinclair does a wonderful job in creating a complex world that will leave you spellbound. In this second novel in the Darkborn series, we meet up with Lady Telmaine Hearne. She is a Darkborn with power...magic that she has kept hidden for years from everyone including her husband. This time she is in a race against time as she works with the archduke and his brother against conspiracies and mysteries. The problem is who will save her in the end? I enjoyed Telmaine in DARKBORN and here we see her in an expanded role. The fact she fears her power even as she is forced to use it. The only issue I have in this character rich story is that Flria White Hand, the assassin from Lightborn side and Telmaine’s husband’s closet friend, has been accused of murdering her prince…in utter darkness. But something is watching as it causes chaos on both sides. The question is can Floria and her Darkborn allies find a way to solve who is causing the chaos and stop it in time or will both their worlds be destroyed?

The one other issue I found in LIGHTBORN is that is does drag a little at times. Being the middle of three books, the ending is not pat and it does leave you ready to pick up book three, SHADOWBORN. Ms. Sinclair does a really wonderful job in creating tension, mystery and a few plot twists I didn’t see coming. If you are looking for a new fantasy trilogy to try, then grab the Darkborn books. You will be enthralled for hours and eager for more.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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