The Ships of Merior (The Wars of Light and Shadow, Book 2)

A powerful, layered weaving of myth, prose and pure imagination – The Ships of Merior continues an epic fantasy series perfect for enthusiasts of The Dark Tower and Earthsea.The second volume of Janny Wurts's incomparable series following Arithon and Lysaer, two brothers forced to take opposite sides in a relentless conflict.After defeating the malevolent fog that blighted Athera, Arithon and Lysaer battle the throes of the Mistwraith's insidious retribution: a curse set upon them at their moment of triumph compels them each to seek the other's downfall.Lysaer, the charming and charismatic Lord of Light, drives his brother out of hiding and hounds Arithon with a massive army at his command. Meanwhile Arithon, Master of Shadow, the sensitive mage who prefers music to violence, must take to the seas to evade capture and strike back against Lysaer's mighty war host.Locked into lifelong enmity, the brothers’ pursuit of each other's destruction will test the foundations of human morailty, even as threat to the world’s deepest magic rides on the outcome.THE SHIPS OF MERIOR weaves a rich and complicated tapestry, bringing readers deeper into the mystical world of Athera. Striking a balance between epic scope and intricate subtlety, the Wars of Light and Shadow is a must-read series for readers of intelligent fantasy.

Amazon.com Review

"We look forward to the next three books of this epic." --Realms of Fantasy

From Publishers Weekly

A demon's curse pits princely brother against brother and leads a world to war in this mammoth sequel to Curse of the Mistwraith. When half-brothers Lysaer s'Ilessid, Prince of the West, and Arithon s'Falenn, Master of Shadow, overcome and entomb Desh-thiere, the Mistwraith, they are cursed to eternal enmity. The mage-trained Arithon can fight the compulsion to a certain extent, but the powerful Lysaer is consumed by hatred and raises his armies to rid the world of the danger he perceives in the Master of Shadow. Dogged by Dakar, the Mad Prophet, who hates Arithon but has been charged to protect him by another sorcerer, the hunted prince establishes a shipyard in the village of Merior by the Sea to build a fleet that will speed him from his enemies. Wurts (the Empire series, with Raymond Feist) creates a complex, beautiful world while detailing the difficulties and rewards falling to people who remain true to their cause. Issues left unresolved at the conclusion suggest another volume. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

A World Fantasy Award-winning artist (her painting adorns the cover of this, and of all her books), Janny Wurts is the author of several bestselling fantasy series, including the Cycle of Fire trilogy and The Wars of Light and Shadow, as well as the recently released, Shadowfane, all published by HarperPrism. She lives in Florida with her husband, artist Don Maitz.

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