Review
"In the captivating world conjured by veteran Lackey and classical scholar Mallory in this first of a high fantasy trilogy, there are three types of magic, each of which has its own rules, limits and variables. Kellen sets down a road he never expected to take, on a journey of dire importance to both humans and nonhumans (the latter including elves, unicorns, and other enchanting creatures). The narrative speeds to the end, avoiding a jarring halt while leaving the reader satisfied and wanting to know more."
--Publishers Weekly on The Outstretched Shadow

"Once Kellen realizes there is a world full of wonders, diversity, and people who think and live differently, he cannot return to the oppressive sameness of City life. When he refuses to give up the books, his father banishes him forever from the City and to a horrific death prearranged by the mages. The Wild Magic has another agenda for him, however, involving an acerbic unicorn and a woman-heavens!-to learn the Wild (but not sex) Magic from. Delightful."
--Booklist on The Outstretched Shadow


"Lackey and Mallory join forcers to create an epic fantasy filled with sorcery and swordplay set in a world on the verge of a Demon war. For most fantasy collections."
--Library Journal on The Outstretched Shadow



Book Description
In The Outstretched Shadow, which was named by VOYA as Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror book for 2003, Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory introduced readers to a complex new fantasy world populated by humans, centaurs, elves, talking unicorns, and demons. The Golden City of the Bells, where only humans live, is ruled by the Mage Council, practitioners of High Magic---a powerful magic that is stable and reliable, though rigidly controlled and performed only by men. Outside the City's walls, humans and magical beings mix freely and call upon Wild Magic---a system sometimes erratic, always driven by desire and need, and performed by both men and women.

Now, in To Light a Candle, the Demon Queen sends her forces against her human and elven enemies, sowing distraction and death. In the human City, the Queen's agents work to divide the Council and foment rebellion among the City's citizens. In the countryside, they target the most vulnerable and valuable---the young Elf Prince and the Wild Mages who might be the Demons' most dangerous enemies.

To his own surprise, young Kellen, once the disappointing son of the great Mage who leads the City's Mage Council, has become a powerful Knight-Mage. Valued for his bravery and his skills as both wizard and warrior, Kellen joins the Elves' war councils. Yet he cannot convince the City of his birth that it is in terrible danger.

Kellen's sister Idalia, a Wild Mage with great healing ability, has pledged her heart to Jermayan, a proud Elven warrior. Someday Idalia will pay a tragic Price for a world-saving work of Wild Magic, but until then, she will claim any joy life can offer her. Jermayan, who has learned much while fighting at Kellen's side and loving the human Idalia, finds that everything changes when he Bonds with a dragon while rescuing the Elf Prince and becomes the first Elven Mage in a thousand years.

Furious at her enemies' success with the dragon, the Demon Queen attacks in force. Light struggles against Dark, like flickering candleflames buried deep in the shadow of Obsidian f0 Mountain.



About the Author
Mercedes Lackey is the author of the Valdemar series, including Take a Thief and Exile's Honor. She is the coauthor, with Andre Norton, of the Halfblood Chronicles, including Elvenborn. Some of her other novels include The Gates of Sleep, Sacred Ground, The Firebird, The Black Swan, and The Serpent's Shadow. She lives in Oklahoma.

James Mallory is the author of the Merlin trilogy (Merlin: The Old Magic; Merlin: The King's Wizard; Merlin: The End of Magic). He lives in upstate New York.

Together, Lackey and Mallory have written The Outstretched Shadow, the first volume in the Obsidian Trilogy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"The Golden City, where only humans live, is ruled by the Mage Council, practitioners of High Magic. This powerful magic is stable and reliable, though rigidly controlled and performed only by men. Outside the City's walls, humans and magical beings mix freely and call upon Wild Magic - a system sometimes erratic, always driven by desire and need, and performed by both men and women." "Now, in To Light a Candle, the Demon Queen sends her forces against her human and elven enemies, sowing distraction and death. In the human City, the Queen's agents work to divide the Council and foment rebellion among the citizens. In the countryside, they target the most vulnerable and valuable - the young Elf Prince and the Wild Mages who might be the Demons' most dangerous enemies." "To his own surprise, young Kellen, once the disappointing son of the great Mage who leads the City's Mage Council, has become a powerful Knight-Mage. Valued for his bravery and his skills as both wizard and warrior, Kellen joins the Elves' war councils. Yet he cannot convince the city of his birth that it is in terrible danger." "Kellen's sister, Idalia, a Wild Mage with great healing ability, has pledged her heart to Jermayan, a proud Elven warrior. Someday Idalia will pay a tragic price for a world-saving work of Wild Magic, but until then, she will claim any joy life can offer her. Jermayan, who has learned much while fighting at Kellen's side, finds that everything changes when he Bonds with a dragon while rescuing the Elf Prince and becomes the first Elven Mage in a thousand years." Furious at her enemies' success with the dragon, the Demon Queen attacks in force. Light struggles against Dark, like flickering candle flames buried deep in the shadow of Obsidian Mountain.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The long-lived elves of the House of Leaf and Star, with their allies (who include unicorns and centaurs), must face some formidable foes-immortal demons, ice trolls, frost-giants, goblins-in Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's well-wrought fantasy To Light a Candle: The Obsidian Trilogy, Book Two. Some tongue-in-cheek humor (the hero shakes his head in disbelief at a drawing of a winged horse) helps lighten a long journey. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal