A Play of Shadow (Night's Edge, #2)

by Julie E. Czerneda

In A Turn of Light, veteran science fiction writer Julie E. Czerneda’s first venture into fantasy, she introduced readers to Marrowdell, a pastoral valley that is home to a small pioneer settlement of refugees, lush fields of grain, enigmatic house toads—and Jenn Nalynn, the miller’s daughter. Jenn Nalynn—turn-born.

Though Jenn has always dreamed of venturing beyond this sheltered valley when she came of age, she is soon faced with the grim reality that for her, setting foot beyond Marrowdell’s borders in the normal way is impossible.

Then Bannan Larmensu—the truthseer who won Jenn’s heart—learns that his brother-in-law has disappeared in Channen, the capital of the mysterious domain of Mellynne. And when Bannan’s young nephews arrive in Marrowdell in the midst of a devastating storm, he fears that his sister has gone in search of her husband, leaving her sons in his care.

The law forbids the exiled Bannan from leaving Marrowdell and traveling to Mellynne to help his sister. At least, in this world. But as a turn-born, Jenn has the power to cross into the magical realm of the Verge—and take Bannan with her. Once there, they could find a way into Mellynne, if they survive.

The Verge is wild and deadly, alive with strange magic. Dragons roar and kruar wait in ambush, and not all the powerful turn-born who tend their world care for Jenn Nalynn. But Jenn is willing to try. Their friends Wisp and Scourge—and the house toads—offer their help.

But what none of them know is that Channen is rife with magic that flows from the Verge itself. And not even a turn-born will be safe there.

• ISBN10: 0756408326
• ISBN13: 9780756408329
• Publish Date: 3 November 2015 (first published 4 November 2014)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Daw Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 592
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780756408329

Reviews

[Metaphorosis Reviews]

4 stars, Metaphorosis reviews
Summary
Bannan Larmensu has come to Marrowdell to live with Jenn, whose magic nature means she cannot leave there. But when Bannon's nephews arrive in desperate straits, and with unexpected powers, he and Jenn have to find a way to save his sister despite Jenn's limitations.

Review
I quite liked the first book in this series, A Turn of Light, as a happy, romantic fantasy. This sequel commits fully to that tone. There’s risk and danger, but not too much, and the central lovers never have so much as a tiff. It’s not too credible, but it is light, easy, and interesting.

As is her trademark, Czerneda introduces intriguing beings with unusual cultural and ecological roles. The toads continue to put in an important appearance, though they did feel to me to draw heavily on the Drapsk of her Trade Pact books. If they turn out to be secretly powerful, I think it’ll be an uncomfortably close match.

Jenn continues her development in a logical and satisfying way, edging closer to an understanding of who and what she is, though mysteries remain abundant. All the key characters continue to play their roles – Wisp the dragon and Scourge the kruar. Lila, the sister of Jenn’s lover Bannan comes more to the foreground than in the past, and I found I didn’t care for it. Czerneda relies quite a bit on family bonds, but Lila came across to me as cruel and selfish; the fact that Bannan’s okay with being used didn’t make it any more appealing to me. That’s a bit of a problem, as his quest to help Lila is the core of the book. The politics that causes the quest is very muddled, but it's a pretext for the plot, not a central element.

I recommend this to those looking for sunny (if not always lighthearted), sentimental fantasy. It’s a big book and the plot is on the thin side, but I found myself always happy to pick it up for its sentiment and innovation. There was a surprising number of typos for a ten year old book.