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The Lightstone (The EA Cycle)
 
 
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The Lightstone (The EA Cycle) (Paperback)

by David Zindell (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
RRP: £17.99
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Product details

  • Paperback: 880 pages
  • Publisher: Voyager (6 Aug 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0002247569
  • ISBN-13: 978-0002247566
  • Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.2 x 5.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,208,004 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
David Zindell's massive epic fantasy The Lightstone is only the first volume of The Ea Cycle and is characterised by the same grandeur and vividly imagined scenes of glory and dismay as his space operas--the sequence which starts with Neverness. Like them, it is remarkable for scale, ambition and a capacity to evoke sinister beauty; in their case a thousand exploding suns; here a desperate battle in the underground throne room of a Dark Lord and the burning of a great library. There is a sense in which this is fantasy-by-numbers--young prince Val is sent on a quest for the long-lost Lightstone--the cure for the world's pain. He is harassed in his dreams by a demon who was once a bright being and is joined by companions who collect magical bric-a-brac as they go. Zindell though, is trying to work with the inherent strengths of mythic structure, bringing to the tale a sense of urgency and spiritual depth, rather than cynically exploiting the clichés. Val is a man who lives consciously with the myths he is re-enacting--heroism is not just heroic acts but an emotional space that goes with the acquisition of doomed love and mortal enemies. This is an impressive start to an interesting cycle. --Roz Kaveney --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
Praise for Neverness: 'Zindell makes you think' New Scientist 'Philip K. Dick would have been proud to conjure up such philiosophies' Manchester Evening News 'A thick, lush, vivid, panoramic view of evolved humans in an evolving universe far in the future' Twilight Zone 'Excellent hard science fiction a brilliant novel' Orson Scott Card, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars There is simply no other author like David Zindell, 6 Oct 2001
By Jonny Bardo, Spiritual Superhero "jonnybardo" (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
If you have never read David Zindell, this is a good place to start - without a doubt, the Lightstone is the most accessible of his books. Diehard Zindell fans may be a bit disappointed - if only because it is not quite as intensely personal and philosophical as the Neverness books.

Neverness and its sequel trilogy, A Requiem for Homo Sapiens (comprised of The Broken God, The Wild and War in Heaven), are simply incomparable to anything out there - the only books I can think of off-hand that come even remotely close, in my opinion, are Frank Herbert's Dune and Gene Wolfe's New Sun books. No other author that I have read creates a gestalt like Zindell does: One of piercing philosophical inquiry, seering personal exploration, and inspiring perhaps the most important element of any story - a deep sense of wonder.

In many regards, the Lightstone succeeds in all of that. Many of the ideas and characters have obvious parallels to the Neverness books - but I wouldn't go so far as to say they are merely paler versions (although a few times I found the obvious similarities somewhat distracting); instead, Zindell is expressing many of the same archetypes yet within the context of a fantasy world, one in which magic is technology.

The first book of the Ea Cycle can be read like any of the 'huge fantasy epics' - but it is so much more, blending fantasy with philosophy, spirituality, and the pure joy of ideas.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best epic fantasies I've ever read, 21 Sep 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Lightstone (The EA Cycle) (Paperback)
The Lightstone is quite simply one of the finest epics I've ever read: grand in scale and style and theme, beautifully written and building to a phenomenal finale. If you love high fantasy like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion, and you like to delve into the world's myths and legends, then the combination of sweeping cosmology and world-building and the glorious romance of the grail-style quest that Zindell brings to The Lightstone will strike many resonant chords for you. His characters are strong and distinctive; there are lovely touches of humour throughout, and the emotional range of the book is as grand as the landscape the action inhabits. I can't recommend it highly enough...
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Epic fantasy with a twist - be prepared to think, 4 Oct 2002
By R. M. Lindley - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This review is from: The Lightstone: Ninth Kingdom Pt. 1 (The EA Cycle) (Paperback)
With Neverness and the Requeim for Homo Sapiens sequence, David Zindell explored many themes - friendship, the nature of humanity, religion, godhood and the purpose of life itself. In the Lightstone trilogy, he tackles these subjects again but using fantasy, rather than science fiction, as his vehicle.

In much the same way as Gene Wolfe was criticised for the similarities between the Book of the New Sun and the Long Sun novels, Zindell seems to repeat many of his previous ideas, and even characters, in this new book. The Ieldra, a hero who vows to never to take a life, a sense-enhancing poison, the lustful fat friend, the use of "wi" to denote "son of" and even the Danladi plain will all be familiar to some readers.

A knowing use of previous archetypes hinting at hidden depth or a lack of originality?

Ultimately, I think the former, and certainly it is a brave author who attempts to write a "classical" epic fantasy (ultimate evil servant, holy grail, subsequent quest for said grail, impending apocalyptic war) with a warrior hero who vows never to kill again in the first chapter.

Foe this reason alone, the Lightstone gets 4 stars and a recommendation to read it. It loses a point for the writing, which at times I find slow. Yes, it can be hard to make philosphy fun, but at times Zindell can make a chapter sing; at others he drones.

If you're a fan of the Belgariad and the Sword of Truth, you may well be disappointed; if you persevere, you may be better for it.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Which is the "Lightstone"?
There appears to be a number of different edition of the book,of various stages of completeness which if it doesn`t confuse others confusesme. Read more
Published 21 months ago by A. Jackaman

5.0 out of 5 stars This one's Epic!
This is the first in a truly spectacular series that just keeps getting better.Yes it's had some 'fantasy writing by numbers' comments, but then these novel 'recipies' exist for a... Read more
Published on 19 Jun 2007 by Bridget Silverrain

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book ever!!
Yes I most agree in the first chapter there is not much action and drama. But if you continue it will be the best book ever!. The book is so deep.
Published on 9 Aug 2006 by M. Phillips-imale

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Having been moved and impressed by Mr Zindell's earlier science fiction novels, I was surprised to find The Lightstone to be unoriginal and formulaic.
Published on 20 Mar 2006 by AL SIMMS

4.0 out of 5 stars Rich in prophecy, magic and darkness
In the land of Ea, wars are raging between the many kingdoms as its people allow old grievances to fester and mindlessly bicker amongst themselves. Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2005 by Helen L. Kerslake

2.0 out of 5 stars Painting by numbers, fun to start, tedious to finish!
It's rare that I start a series and then don't buy the sequels, but this is just that case. The premise is certainly fine, and yes I would agree with previous reviews, the author... Read more
Published on 18 April 2004 by James F

5.0 out of 5 stars Zindell gets better and better
In the first book of his Ea cycle, Zindell returned to his popular themes of pacifism, acceptance, suffering and the nature of the universe. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2004 by R. M. Lindley

5.0 out of 5 stars Its A Great Read!!
I still remember the time when i picked up the first book of Requiem of Homo Sapiens by Zindell in a bookstore. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2003 by Raja Sathy Velloo

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't put it down!
David Zindell has done it again! Though the formula for Lightstone is a bit more predictable than that of his other works (a bit like the Hobbit but much better), I don't think... Read more
Published on 9 April 2003 by mvlynch

3.0 out of 5 stars Fine writing saves an overly mechanical plot.
Zindell's previous Science Fiction novels have been well worth the read. Neverness and the Requiem Trilogy were fine pieces of expansive world building, with warm, interesting... Read more
Published on 27 May 2002 by jonrosenberg2

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