Black Sun Rising

The Coldfire trilogy (Black Sun Rising, When True Night Falls, Crown of Shadows) is possibly the most well-developed book series of all time. Friedman delves deep into the psyche of all of the major players - good and evil - to explore the depths of human morality. This book is not a fantasy or sci-fi book as much as it is a look at what makes man tick. The entire story is an analogy, and each of the characters within it represent different aspects of humanity; primal cunning or fragile innocence, lust for power or for immortality, unwavering morality or a kind of good which sees only the end result, not the process taken to get there. Every desire a human may have will come to life in this place, and Friedman allows them all to run rampant and see where they will lead.This is not a fast-paced, action-packed epic. If you are looking for something to turn into a $1 billion movie, this book is not for you. If, however, you can appreciate a plot that moves along based on the mental and emotional progress of its characters, a story that is driven entirely by the intricate decisions of its characters rather than by some deus ex machina, then this book is definately for you.

Oh God, I love these books! I've read the whole trilogy and I've reread it and then reread it again, and it still haunts me! I never tire of it. Some people complained that there wasn't enough depth in the characters and that made me laugh a lot because sure at first you don't know them that well (how can you? this is book one) but as you progress through the trilogy the character development is amazing! Believe me, when you are done with all three, you will know these characters inside out and they will fascinate you, and you'll feel for them. The author does an EXCELLENT job of slowly building up empathy among the readers for main characters Damien Vryce and Gerald Tarrant. At first I thought I could never like Damien because I hate the burly warrior types but he's more complex and solid than I ever guessed and to my surprise I began to treasure his wry humor and to admire his strength. The priestly side of him is a good balance for his warrior skills and rough experience. As for Gerald Tarrant...oh God! You'll fall under his spell instantly even though he's pretty evil, and I mean: EVIL. He fascinates and repells at the same time and he's just too cool for words. He's got so many vices: vanity, arrogance, ruthlessness, but somehow the author already begins in this book to hint at something underneath very complex and far from all bad. Which is why I love the sequel (When True Night Falls) so much. That is the book where the characters have their surfaces rubbed off and you see what they really are like! Gerald Tarrant is amazing and C.S. Friedman is even more amazing for creating him! I wish there were more Tarrants out there (in books I mean) but he's a very original character. Anyway, my message to you is KEEP READING THESE BOOKS and I promise you won't regret it. There are a lot of dark currents and a lot of action but the best is the interaction between hero and anti-hero. With Tarrant around, you don't even need the villain, but then again, if the villain didn't exist, Tarrant wouldn't become the amazing hero he is!

The Coldfire Trilogy is my top favorite. It is in a class beyond my other favorites, which are the Shannara books, Tad Williams', Goodkind, and Melanie Rawn's Dragon Series. I'm mentioning these because I think they're great, and a lot of other people do too, and the fact that this is better, should mean something. The sequel to this book, entitled When True Night Falls, is even better because you get to know the mysterious Gerald Tarrant more intimately, and understand the nature of Erna. I don't usually read SciFi, because it's too technical, but Black Sun Rising is just such a wonderful blend with fantasy and horror and tons of adventure, that it's very readable. Still, I understand that it might be a little complex for people who are TOTALLY SciFi or fantasy illiterate. Try it anyway, and I think you'll be in heaven when you realize there are two fat books after it.

In my opinion C. S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy is tied with Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series as the best fantasy ever written! Tarrant is without question the most interesting character in any fantasy novel I have read. He isn't the flat "Big Bad Evil Guy Who's Going to Destroy the World" found in so many fantasy books, yet neither is he the "Poor Misguided Soul Who Just Has to Be Shown the Right Path." He's not some looming shadow who can be dismissed as the bad guy, labeled as evil and given no further consideration. He's a real, fully developed, character, one who is inclined toward cruelty. He sees "The Right Path" and is by no means sure he wants to take it. Likewise his companion, Damien, though he is a priest, hardly fits the traditional mold of that vocation. Damien begins the tale as a devout warrior priest to whom Tarrant and all he stands for are anathema. However, Damien's naive idealism and faith soon come under assault, and ever so slowly Damien comes to doubt himself and his beliefs. More and more he comes to find himself agreeing with Tarrant, and more and more the reader who identifies with Damien finds himself agreeing with Tarrant. It is much more chilling to be in the vampire's head, to understand him and maybe even agree with him, than it can ever be to be stalked by him. For anyone growing at all tired of trite conventional fantasy (unicorns, fairies, and little pet dragons) this series will be a thoroughly refreshing read. The magic system devised by Friedman is deliciously original. The cover art is outstanding. This is one case where you CAN judge a book by its cover; if you like the cover you'll love the book. I have to see if I can get a poster sized copy and possibly frame it. :-) When you finish Crown of Shadows you will be stunned. The ending is like being hit by a train...4 or 5 times in rapid succession. While the body of the series has enough plot twists to utterly enthrall even the most inert reader, the ending puts it to shame as a candle before the rising sun. Without the slightest bit of hyperbole I can state that I had no idea how it would end until the last word of the last page was read. In sum the Coldfire Trilogy is a masterwork, the sort of gem that fantasy aficionados search for but only too rarely are privileged to find.

In one word: Gorgeous. This first book in the series simply had me unable to put it down, which is unusual for me these days. I've gotten tired of the standard 'Naive, reluctant young man/woman/people find out they have to kill the evil Foozle because of some prophecy.' routine in most stories. The heroes in this book are real characters, already quite competent, and the tension comes as much between some conflict between the two main characters as it does with the various enemies they face. The book defies easy categorization. At first glance it's simply a Fantasy novel, but there is more than a small horror and Sci-Fi element to this novel. The magic in this book is wonderful, cohesive, original and a 'natural' consequence of the world the characters live on. If there's a complaint I have, it's that C.S. Friedman seems to repeat things that she's stated before, as if to make sure that we don't forget. In particular, she describes the tension that exists between the two main characters too many times to keep count. That one small complaint aside, this is one of the best books I've read, and in my opinion it outshines the other two in the series.