Of Darkness, Light, and Fire (Daw Book Collectors) [Mass Market Paperback]

"Of Darkness, Light, and Fire" is a volume that, when I saw it in the bookstore, made me jump for joy. Tanya Huff is one of my favorite authors because of her unique visions of fantasy and realistic and sympathetic characters.

"Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light" is a semi-contemporary (mid-'80s) fantasy set in Toronto, and it was the first Tanya Huff book I read. It explores the ideas of magic, bards, angels, and demons, while also presenting balanced views on mental retardation, homelessness, and homosexuality. Despite all this heavy baggage, it is also a lot of fun and suitable for multiple readings.

"The Fire's Stone" has been out of print for a while, which is a shame. It has nothing story-wise in common with "GoD, CoL" but it is equally fun and well written. It is a more typical fantasy, set in a far away land, with a thief, a wizard, and a prince. One of my favorite parts of the book is how it deals with a three sided romantic/friendly relationship. Another is a somewhat grueling description of alcohol withdrawal and that character's ensuing fight against alcoholism. When one reads as many fantasy books as I do, and sees all of the characters swilling ale and wine left and right, it's nice to have a realistic depiction of the effects. Like "GoD, CoL," it is a well-balanced book, fun to read, sympathetic characters, and an exciting storyline.

To sum up, if you like fantasy, and you especially appreciate realistic characterizations, try Tanya Huff out. In this volume, you get two great books for the price of one!

I'm not sure why these two fantasy novels of Tanya Huff were brought together in one edition: one is an urban fantasy, and the other is standard swords and sorcery. None of the characters cross over. However, they're both a pleasure to read, so have no qualms about buying this edition.

Some of Tanya Huff's stock characters inhabit "Gate of Darkness Circle of Light": the crabby, driven heroine; the manly-yet-innocent hunk (in this case, an Angel); a surly cat that deals very efficiently with the Dark (much more so than the humans or the Angel); and a musician who struggles with his sexual identity through most of the book.

That said, there are also some very unique characters in this urban fantasy about a band of intrepid heroines and heroes who attempt to save Toronto (and the rest of the world) from the forces of Darkness on Midsummer's Eve. One of them is a Bag Lady who is genuinely smelly and not at all cute. Another is a brain-damaged muffin maker.

The musician is singled out by Huff to endure a particularly gristly coming-of-age journey. He is captured by ogres, and when he manages to escape from them, he has to run a gauntlet of ever more hideous fairy-tale creatures before he makes it back to Toronto to help save the Earth.

"Gate of Darkness Circle of Light" is a pleasure to read, well-plotted, with an interesting twist at the end. The most unlikely people band together in an attempt to defeat Evil, and Huff brings them all together in a way that satisfies and makes sense.

Tanya Huff sets "The Fire's Stone" in a fairly standard fantasy world (thief, wizard, prince go on quest), but her characters are completely her own. For one thing there's an unusual love triangle---at least it would be unusual in most fantasies---but common for Huff. Really, the only non-Huffian part of the triangle is a virgin who intends to stay that way.

Although there is a bit too much text wasted on the love story, "The Fire's Stone" is a strong, well-plotted fantasy with likeable, interesting characters (or unlikeable, interesting characters, including a pair of really evil twins). Huff does her usual good job with the minor characters, especially the soldiers and Travelers (gypsies). I even liked the evil wizard. He could have talked me right into joining him.

The fantastical clutter of magic stones, mirrors, and wizards are handled in such an imaginative way that they held my interest to the end, especially during the scenes in the wizard's dwelling and the cauldron of the volcano.

After a sparkling introduction wherein the thief, Aaron attempts to steal the emerald from the Ischian king's scepter as a funerary gift for his friend, we meet the three main characters: Aaron, plus Prince Darvish who captures him in the act of thieving, plus Chandra, a Wizard of the Nine who is the prince's reluctant fiancée.

When an unknown wizard steals the Fire's Stone, which is the only magical device that stands between Ischia and a burning death by lava, Aaron, Darvish, and Chandra set out on a quest to recover The Stone.

Each of the three have character flaws that must be overcome before they can work together to confront the evil wizard and return The Stone to Ischia. Huff handles this part of the story very well, and I was really rooting for Aaron, Darvish, and Chandra, although admittedly, I was hoping Chandra and Darvish would fall in love with each other, and finish off the story with a standard romance.

Alas, Huff was too clever for me there. She stays true to her characters and a mundane 'happily-ever-after' simply would not fit. At least I can hope for a sequel.

Of Darkness, Light & Fire by Tanya Huff

Both of the full length novels were thoroughly enjoyable.
Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light is set in modern day Canada and features a bard, a witch, a wise woman, an agent of light and a flawed goddess out to save the world from darkness. In the Fire's Stone, which is set in a typical fantasy world, a thief a swordsman and a wizard set out to save a country from destruction and mayhem. While the two stories don't seem to have much in common they each feature an unconventional love story, which explores the nature of love.
They were both great stories, and once started, I couldn't put them down. It should be noted though that both stories are reprints from 1989 and 1990.