The Outstretched Shadow

The Obsidian Trilogy, Book 1

De: Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory

Narrado por: Susan Ericksen

Kellen Tavadon, son of the Arch-Mage Lycaelon, thought he knew the way the world worked. His father, leading the wise and benevolent Council of Mages, protected and guided the citizens of the Golden City of the Bells. Young Mages in training---all men, for women were unfit to practice magic---memorized the intricate details of High Magic and aspired to seats on the council.

Then Kellen found the forbidden Books of Wild Magic---or did they find him? Their Magic felt like a living thing, guided by the hearts and minds of those who practiced it and benefited from it. Questioning everything he has known, Kellen discovers too many of the City's dark secrets. Banished, with the Outlaw Hunt on his heels, Kellen invokes Wild Magic---and finds himself running for his life with a unicorn at his side.

Rescued by a unicorn, healed by a female Wild Mage who knows more about Kellen than anyone outside the City should, meeting Elven royalty and Elven warriors, and plunged into a world full of magical beings, Kellen both revels in and fears his new freedom. The one thing all the Mages of the City agreed on was that practicing Wild Magic corrupted a Mage---turned him into a Demon. Would that be Kellen's fate?

Deep in Obsidian Mountain, the Demons are waiting. Since their defeat in the last great War, they've been biding their time, sowing the seeds of distrust and discontent between their human and Elven enemies. Very soon now, when the Demons rise to make war, there will be no alliance between High and Wild Magic to stand against them. And then all the world will belong to the Endarkened.

©2003 Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory (P)2010 Tantor

Absorbing drama

I thoroughly enjoyed this book...the reader is excellent...the plot is intriguing. It was so excellent I bought the second one (hint: even better). This is a very clever storyline, with well articulated characters that you care about. Warmly recommended series.

Great Series But Not The Best

What made the experience of listening to The Outstretched Shadow the most enjoyable?

The narrator has great inflections when she speaks. I really enjoy the sound of her voice and the attention to detail she gives each sentence.

What did you like best about this story?

The story had a nice plot but my favorite part of the book was the descriptions of how magic worked in the world

Have you listened to any of Susan Ericksen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

The book is great, though sometimes it feels as though the authors tried a little hard to make the lexicon larger. Overall this book was great. Nevertheless the prose isn't top tier if that is important to you.

A little slow but an awesome book

This was a great book first and foremost. the pace was a bit slow through parts and one of the final scenes was so wordy it got almost monotonous, but when 20 minutes of mediocrity in a book this long is the only complaint, then overall it qualifies as a great book.

Many boring hours

I enjoyed the basic story line, and subsequent development! I did not enjoy the hours of filler, consisting of rhetorical introspection, self-doubt, self-crimination, etc!

And on the Darken, the hours of cruel enjoyment in torturing!

A little bit works, but in my opinion, the author went way overboard!

Good Enough!

When I first began listening to this series I wasn't sure I liked it .... It's a good story line that is well thought out and overall I was entertained ... but it's not a story that will task or engage the reader / listener much. Doesn't compete with other top notch series.

I ended up purchasing / listening to all 3 books in the series, however I don't believe I'll ever call this one of my favorites.

1- Overall few surprises or ah ha! moments ... somewhat predictable
2- Character development seems rushed pretty much across the board
3- Narration took some getting used do ... I couldn't decide if it is the way the book is written or the narrators style but I often felt as if I was sitting in a 2nd grade class

Not very rememberable

I love Mercedes Lackey. I've been a huge fan of hers for years. So I was really expecting to love this book.
Although it didn't live up to her usual standards.
I don't want to say it was bad because it kept me interested at the time. However it has been a couple weeks since I finished the book and looking back I don't remember much about the story or the characters.
Normally when I finish one of her books I cant wait to get the next one and see where the story goes but this time I don't really care because I didn't find the characters very interesting

amazing

this has been one of my favorite series since I was a younger man

Irritating narrator

I could hardly bear the narrator. It was like she was reading to small children. And I could not suspend my disbelief because of her portrayal.

Long, but enjoyable

I have read this book (and the rest of the series) several times since buying them in paperback a few years ago. The audio version highlighted a few flaws, such as the overly-long descriptions (especially of the various antagonists) and the very slow first half of the book. Susan Ericksen, however, is a fantastic narrator, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening. Kellen is presented as a youth who is dissatisfied with his life. Although he could easily have grown up as a spoiled brat, he thinks about the people around him and is indignant on their behalf as he learns about various ways in which the high mages take advantage of them.

One reviewer claims that Kellen acts like a 10-13 year old. I have two teenage boys, and I can only wish they showed the kind of concern for others I see in this character. Yes, he has doubts, but I don't see any evidence of the whining some others complain of. In fact, being handed one shock after another, being uprooted and having to make major adjustments in his life, he deals with it quite well for the most part.

The biggest problem with this book is the amount of repetition. Especially when Kellen is musing over a problem, injustice, or puzzle, the same questions and observations are repeated way too many times. It's almost like the authors are concerned the reader will forget something important, which is unfortunate.

I fully intend to get the next two books on audio. To avoid spoilers, I will only say that some of the story arcs resolve very interesting and surprising ways, and there are enough plot twists to keep the reader (or listener) guessing. Even with the occasionally too-wordy descriptions, the trilogy is carefully woven together, rich in detail, with characters that have motivations most of us can relate to.

Good Story but gory / violent at Times

Love Mercedes Lackey, but when she teams up with Mallory, there is more emphasis on torture and graphic violence. The scenes become bloody, even horrific. So don’t mistake this for fiction appropriate for young adults. Yet the story line IS young adult. The main characters are teenagers at the start of the novels, the world building is very fantastical. It’s kids fighting great evil.

The writing is good, you get pulled into the story, and interesting enough to pull you along to the next book. Just wish the horror were toned down.