The Outstretched Shadow: The Obsidian Trilogy, Book One

It's hard to explain what, exactly, is so captivating about this book. There is a certain fascination in the language that seems to grab hold of the reader and refuse to turn him/her loose until the very end. All of the books in this trilogy (The Outstretched Shadow, To Light a Candle, When Darkness Falls) are absolutely riveting. It's a fairly classic tale of good verses evil, but with shades of gray as well. There are the usual suspects of Elves, Centaurs, Demons, Witches, Wizards, and Humans. There are knights in armor, fire-breathing dragons, dangerous battles, ardorous treks, and all the other trappings of your typical fantasy tale. However, don't let the 'typical' turn you away, because this book, and its sequels, are far from typical. The characters come alive. You'll grow with them, laugh with them, cry with them, and in the end, be surpised and saddened that the end has arrived so suddenly.

I adore Mercedes Lackey's work normally but when she collaborates with others she seems to produce the most spectacular combinations of brilliance. This book sucked me in and spit me out a day later and left me wondering if I'd survive until the second book came out. The characters are amazing, the plots are interesting and the mythology of such overused being like unicorns and centaurs are completely entertaining and not at all boring or dry as they can become in other stories. I loved it muchly.

Most of the reviews I have read about this book deal with the fact that there are some long descriptions in it. What I don't understand is that without the descriptions how would you be able to understand and visualize a world as complex as the one in this wonderful novel. The descriptions made me feel that instead of just reading another book I was with the main characters, seeing and feeling everything they saw and felt. I have read many of Ms.Lackey's novels and I've yet to find one I don't like and this one is no exception. The main character Kellon starts out in the novel feeling dissatisied with his life but not knowing why until three special books find him and he realizes that there is more to the world than what he was taught. He ends up going on not just a physical journey, but a journey of self-exploration as well. He finds new family, friends, and a new way of viewing himself and the world. I must also say that the way magic is portrayed in this series is very original and engrossing especially when it comes the Wild Magic. The very idea of being able to use the magic only by paying a cost of anything from helping someone to making the world around you a better place is a wonderful way to make the Mages seem more attuned to the world around them. This is a great start to an exciting new series and I am eagerly awaiting the chance to read the books to come.

At first, I was almost reluctant to buy this book... It was a new series, with a new co-author, and I truly love Lackey's existing series books. However, I took it home, and started reading. I was very quickly hooked into the story, interested in the engaging characters and fascinated by the new styles of magic presented. That carried through til the end of the book, and it managed to leave me feeling like the story was well ended while still wanting to see more books in this world, rather than feeling like the authors had split up a story into two or three books, so I wouldn't be seeing the end of the story for years. It was more like a glimpse into an ongoing world, whole of itself but part of a greater thing.Readers of Lackey's past works will probably enjoy this as much as I did, and new readers should also find this a good place to start, since it does not require any familiarity with any other books.

I am very familiar with Lackey's books, but not Mallory's. This was so well written and thought out, that I will have to search for his books. I imagine that it is quite difficult to collaborate with another author on a book, and come up with a cohesive story. The characters are so well described that you absolutely hate the bad guys, and cheer for the good guys. The REALLY bad guys are very very creepy. I could've done without some of the graphic descriptions (you'll know what they are when you read the book), but it doesn't stop me from wanting the 2nd book NOW!