Post by tigerlily on Sept 2, 2008 8:01:34 GMT
I have been reading (rather annoyingly) the middle book of the Veil trilogy by Christopher Golden. I picked it up not realising it was part of a series and after a couple of pages decided to read it anyway.
The basic premise of the series is that a New England lawyer, Oliver Bascombe, is a frustrated actor who has been forced to follow in the footsteps of his father, Max, and work for the family law firm. Oliver has an older sister, Collette, and is engaged to Julianna, a fellow lawyer.
It is Christmas Eve. Oliver and Julianna's wedding day. Oliver is unsure, although he loves Julianna very much. He needs time to think...
Max Bascombe is found murdered, his eyes torn out. Collette disappears. Oliver likewise vanishes.
The Sandman has murdered Max Bascombe, and has also murdered a string of children around the world, taking the eyes of every one. He has kidnapped Collette and taken her through the Veil to the world of legend.
Only the legendary can pass through the Veil in both directions. Humans cannot return and so in the world of legend are the Lost Ones. Legend has it, however, that one born to a human parents and a legend parent - Legend-Born - will tear down the Veil so that all may freely pass.
Jack Frost comes to seek Oliver's aid. He knows that Collette is in the Sandman's castle on the other side of the Veil. Somehow Oliver and Collette are dangerous to those across the Veil who would annihilate all those who are legendary. They are Myth Hunters, and want to destroy all legends and ensure the Veil remains.
Oliver becomes caught up in the fight on the side of the legendary, and it becomes apparent that his search for Collette is part of the greater picture. Oliver can somehow pass through the Veil freely in either direction...his mother died when he was very young and he does not really remember her, but so far as he recalls she was human.
Julianna, meanwhile, searches desperately for Oliver as he travels on both sides of the Veil looking for Collette. She is aided by Ted Halliwell, a police detective who has been hired to do some private investigating. Collette is missing and Oliver has vanished, leaving their father dead. A string of deaths points toward Oliver having killed many besides his father - or so it would seem.
In the world of legend, Oliver is aided by Kitsune, a woman in one form and fox in another - an ancient Japanese legend; Blue Jay, who appears as a native American in one form and a bird in another; Jack Frost, who is made of ice (as you might expect) and is the heart of winter; Chorti, a hairy giant with razor claws and sharp metal teeth, and Cheval Bayard, a beautiful white haired woman who is also a Kelpy.
It becomes apparent that Oliver's search for Collette is entwined with the fight for survival of the legendary. Meanwhile, Julianna and Ted Halliwell stumble through the Veil while searching for Oliver on the island of Canna. They discover soon enough that they cannot pass back through the Veil and determine to find Oliver in the hope he may be able to take them home as he is able to pass back and forth at will.
There are legends and monsters galore in these books, a compelling plot and wonderful characters in a story that is extremely well-told. It never feels awkward or stilted, and is entirely believable - oddly enough!
Golden is the man behind many of the adult Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels, as well as other series of books aimed at both adults and teenagers. He has also created a couple of graphic novels and is involved in a couple of movie projects based on some of his work.
I've really enjoyed reading the Borderkind (Book 2 of the Veil) and have the Myth Hunters and the Lost Ones (books one and three) on order from Amazon.
The basic premise of the series is that a New England lawyer, Oliver Bascombe, is a frustrated actor who has been forced to follow in the footsteps of his father, Max, and work for the family law firm. Oliver has an older sister, Collette, and is engaged to Julianna, a fellow lawyer.
It is Christmas Eve. Oliver and Julianna's wedding day. Oliver is unsure, although he loves Julianna very much. He needs time to think...
Max Bascombe is found murdered, his eyes torn out. Collette disappears. Oliver likewise vanishes.
The Sandman has murdered Max Bascombe, and has also murdered a string of children around the world, taking the eyes of every one. He has kidnapped Collette and taken her through the Veil to the world of legend.
Only the legendary can pass through the Veil in both directions. Humans cannot return and so in the world of legend are the Lost Ones. Legend has it, however, that one born to a human parents and a legend parent - Legend-Born - will tear down the Veil so that all may freely pass.
Jack Frost comes to seek Oliver's aid. He knows that Collette is in the Sandman's castle on the other side of the Veil. Somehow Oliver and Collette are dangerous to those across the Veil who would annihilate all those who are legendary. They are Myth Hunters, and want to destroy all legends and ensure the Veil remains.
Oliver becomes caught up in the fight on the side of the legendary, and it becomes apparent that his search for Collette is part of the greater picture. Oliver can somehow pass through the Veil freely in either direction...his mother died when he was very young and he does not really remember her, but so far as he recalls she was human.
Julianna, meanwhile, searches desperately for Oliver as he travels on both sides of the Veil looking for Collette. She is aided by Ted Halliwell, a police detective who has been hired to do some private investigating. Collette is missing and Oliver has vanished, leaving their father dead. A string of deaths points toward Oliver having killed many besides his father - or so it would seem.
In the world of legend, Oliver is aided by Kitsune, a woman in one form and fox in another - an ancient Japanese legend; Blue Jay, who appears as a native American in one form and a bird in another; Jack Frost, who is made of ice (as you might expect) and is the heart of winter; Chorti, a hairy giant with razor claws and sharp metal teeth, and Cheval Bayard, a beautiful white haired woman who is also a Kelpy.
It becomes apparent that Oliver's search for Collette is entwined with the fight for survival of the legendary. Meanwhile, Julianna and Ted Halliwell stumble through the Veil while searching for Oliver on the island of Canna. They discover soon enough that they cannot pass back through the Veil and determine to find Oliver in the hope he may be able to take them home as he is able to pass back and forth at will.
There are legends and monsters galore in these books, a compelling plot and wonderful characters in a story that is extremely well-told. It never feels awkward or stilted, and is entirely believable - oddly enough!
Golden is the man behind many of the adult Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels, as well as other series of books aimed at both adults and teenagers. He has also created a couple of graphic novels and is involved in a couple of movie projects based on some of his work.
I've really enjoyed reading the Borderkind (Book 2 of the Veil) and have the Myth Hunters and the Lost Ones (books one and three) on order from Amazon.