| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
In this Fantasyland, there's a standoff between unpleasant empires run along police-state lines, with "paladins" as heavy enforcers, brutal suppression of awkward truths, and zero human rights for the people in the street. One lunatic prince forever flees Death in a magic floating palace that wanders through his realm, uncaringly crushing farmhouses and orchards that get in the way. All this spawns a highly organised Resistance crossing imperial borders, whose long-term plans--most unusually--do not involve armed uprising. Meanwhile, far away, a warlord called Zerreiss is gobbling up townships, promising freedom, and seems to have the advantage of some mysterious affinity with this world's (literal) underground channels of magic.
Nicholls assembles a motley crew of misfits: a woman enforcer disgraced for insisting on the truth, a warrior from a despised race who's afflicted with an odd blessing-cum-curse, a wizard's apprentice whose master was murdered by paladins and who proves to have a very special talent, an unwilling prostitute on the run, and a famous tenor singer. All end up together in the Resistance, where they're drawn into highly illegal schemes to raise money and to sabotage the imperial record system with its dossiers on known dissidents. On the other side, the state has adapted magical glamours into tools of surveillance, oppression and torment, while even the rebel outfit is plagued with embedded spies.
Against this interesting background, there are numerous set-pieces of fast-paced but routine fantasy action: many sword fights, daring assaults on fortified houses, raids and rescues, Indiana Jones-style booby traps, and--something that now seems to be contractually required in commercial fantasy--a desperate flight through stinking sewers. This is all good fun, though, and the pages turn fast. --David Langford --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
‘Quicksilver Rising is brilliantly conceived and beautifully constructed. From the first gripping action scene it had me hooked. It has all the ingredients to become a classic of the genre’ David Gemmell
‘Nicholls tells a story into which the reader is dragged as willing victim. He has an eye for action and character, keeps the pace high, plot finely tuned and pages turning; and in Quicksilver Rising has delivered a hugely entertaining read.’ James Barclay
‘Stan Nicholls puts modern dialogue into the mouths of high fantasy characters and echoes of our politics into the kingdoms he creates. Easily as much fun as you’d expect.’ Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Guardian
‘Nicholls knows his stuff … deft characterization … full of action, magic, romance and politics’ Starburst
Exhilirating, innovative fantasy writing … delivered with tremendous panache’ Publishing News
‘A cracking blend of high fantasy adventure and thought-provoking political thriller – a real feast for intelligent imaginations.’ Louise Cooper
’Fast-paced, high adventure … a bare-knuckle fight with a magic punch.’ Mark Chadbourn
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
It enters into the action straight away and is fast-paced, clever and sharp all the way through. The sequenses describing fights are breath-taking, superbly well written. The characters are well formed and believable. The story is the first in a trilogy, but it doesn't leave you feeling empty. You know you've read a book as it gets right into the story from the begining and stays there.
The use of magic as (possibly) a symbol of money, greed, power in modern life is a great stroke.
A most enjoyable read. Recomended.
Book one in the Quicksilver Trilogy
Stan J. Nicholls
Quicksilver Rising is the first book in the Quicksilver Trilogy. The main character of the book is named Reeth Caldason. Reeth is the last remaining warrior of his tribe who were massacred decades ago. Since he has been cursed with an uncontrollable rage which is a danger for his enemies and friends alike he's wandering around the world. His quest: find a cure for his curse and avenge the death of his fellow tribesman.
In the beginning of the book Reeth meets the young apprentice wizard named Kutch. Kutch master has just been murdered by a group of paladins, the so called guardians of the law. The young wizard seems to now more about a solution to Reeths problem. Teaming up they move out to the capitol city of Bhealfa in search of a secret magical society unaware of the dangers in front of them.
After writing "The Nightshade Chronicles" Stan Nicholls has succeeded in evolving as a writer. This is high fantasy as it should be written. As always Stan knows how to keep his readers turning pages wanting to know what will happen next.
Really enjoyed this one, can't wait to start reading part two of the trilogy. Might just be even better then Stan Nicholls much acclaimed "Orcs".
Pieter W. Lak
31 october 2006
For me the magic was heavy handed and overbearing. Magic was used throughout the book to mirror modern life. Read more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
