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The Drawing Of The Dark (Fantasy Masterworks)
 
 
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The Drawing Of The Dark (Fantasy Masterworks) (Paperback)

by Tim Powers (Author) "ALL NIGHT the hot wind had swept up the Adriatic, and from the crowded docks down by the arsenale to the Isola di San Chiara..." (more)
4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Gollancz; New edition edition (14 Nov 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0575074264
  • ISBN-13: 978-0575074262
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.4 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 78,032 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #3 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > P > Powers, Tim

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  • See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

Product Description
When Brian Duffy, an ageing soldier of fortune, is recruited in Venice by a strange old man to work as a bouncer in Vienna at an inn where the fabulous Herzwesten beer is brewed, everything seems straightforward. But his journey is far from it. Pursued and attacked from all sides, guarded and guided by creatures of myth, Duffy is no sooner in Vienna than the city is besieged by the turkish armies if Suleiman. And it becomes apparent that Duffy's presence is no accident and that it is up to him to preserve the West until the drawing of the dark...

About the Author
Tim Powers was born in 1952; the son of an attorney. He graduated from California State University in 1976 and since then has written more than a dozen highly acclaimed and award-winning novels, including the Fantasy Masterwork THE DRAWING OF THE DARK.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
ALL NIGHT the hot wind had swept up the Adriatic, and from the crowded docks down by the arsenale to the Isola di San Chiara at the western mouth of the Grand Canal, the old city creaked on its pilings like a vast, weary ship; and clouds as ragged as tatters of sailcloth scudded across the face of the full moon, tangling with the silhouettes of a hundred fantastic spires and domes. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Set the template for Powers' books to follow, 28 Nov 2002
By S. Flaherty "steve3742" (Nottingham) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This book was the first book of Powers' that I read, recommended by a friend. I thought it was really good and so went on to read a lot of his other stuff. Unfortunately, he's not always stayed as good.

The story involves Brian Duffy, an Irish soldier of fortune, who is lured to Vienna to act as a bouncer by an mysterious old man. Vienna is under siege by the Turks at the time and eventually Duffy discovers the real reason for this (which I won't reveal) and his role in preventing them accomplishing their true purpose. This mediaeval mystical conspiracy theory sounds vaguely ludicrous, as Duffy himself relates to a friend, and this level of wry humour is what has been missing from Powers' recent books. Powers has continued with his mystical conspiracy theories of history, incidentally, "The Anubis Gates" and "On Stranger Tides" being good examples of this (and good books.) He's less successful importing this mystical conspiracy theory stuff into the modern day.

Back to this book. It's well written, interesting, historically accurate in the historical parts (and who can say about the mystical conspiracy theory) and wryly humourous in place. In short, all you could want from a book. Buy it.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Characters prevail in a short, fun read, 21 Sep 2005
The Drawing of the Dark is a fun book that easily fills up a week's worth of train rides to work. The basic plot concerns an old veteran soldier called on to save the world by an old wizard. Unlike David Gemmel's work, though, the hero in this book is not quite world weary and cynical. Instead he has his eyes set on whisking away the girl he loved to a cottage someplace far from Vienna.

Overall Tim Powers has a way of making characters fresh and engaging in a way that too many writers fail to appreciate. The plot of the book itself is largely inconsequential, but that's ok. The action is thrilling, the dialog is sharp and witty and the historical authenticity somehow adds to the fantastic element of the book. The protagonist is very well realised, to the extent that Brian Duffy lives on in your head long after the book is finished.

Although Last Call has a similar protagonist and is by far a better book, The Drawing of the Dark is a short, fun read that easily holds its head above the morass that is modern fantasy.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars drink beer, 17 Sep 2005
By Stuart Mcmillan (Glasgow, Scotland, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Tim Powers has obviously been in the pub with me (or someone like me). Beer has been such a part of western culture for so long, I'm amazed that he's the only author I've read that has celebrated the amber nectar.

Not only that, he has managed to weave a genuinely interesting cast of characters with an alternate history plot into the process, brewing up a truly heady mix of european cultures. You will be sucked into 'just another chapter' in the same way that another pint is so appealing at closing time - so much so in fact that you'll be cursing the alarm clock when it rings, even if it was your lack of willpower that kept you reading 'till 3am.

The quality of the writing is perhaps the (sorry TP for underestimating you) best part of the whole package. Fantasy and alternate history has a (deserved) reputation for being pretty weak on the quality of writing. This book is by far the exception and I have no hesitation in commending it to you.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an awesome book, on a par with Anubis Gates
I held off on buying this because I was unsure if it wouldnt be disappointing following The Anubis Gates but I shouldnt have, its an awesome read. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Lark

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast Fantasy Fun
If you like your fantasy to be fun and fast moving then this is the book for you.

Powers has always had an almost frantic imagination. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Willie Meikle

3.0 out of 5 stars Uneven
In short: If you've never read Powers before, read Last Call or Anubis Gates first. Powers's wild ideas (in the "I don't what you've enjoyed but I'll want it, double" category)... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2007 by Ville Halonen

3.0 out of 5 stars Endings
Writing...excellent. Characters...brilliant. Story....good. Ending...poor. The ending was rushed and disapointing. Read more
Published on 21 Sep 2005 by T. H. Duncan

4.0 out of 5 stars Powers on 3/4 throttle
I rated this work as a 4 out of 5 only because for what he's writing about there's not much competition. We all know the 'fantasy' market is 90% bilge and 10% literature. Read more
Published on 16 Jul 2004 by pharlapjones

5.0 out of 5 stars Medieval History with a difference
Set at the time of the Ottoman invasion of Austria, this books draws on historical and legendary fact with enough supernatural happenings to keep you entranced. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2001 by I. Jones

5.0 out of 5 stars Early gem by now-established cult author
Displays the narrative and dialogue skills of his later novels and the themes of magical kingship and wine cults (well, beer in this case) later elaborated in his masterpiece Last... Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantasy classic
Tim Powers has not written a duff book yet, but this, the first of his that I read, is his best. It draws together themes and traditions from western mythology in a way that... Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Many years ago I heard the name of Tim Powers being whispered about. A name that went with a title, "The Anubis Gates" and words such as "brilliant",... Read more
Published on 25 Nov 1999

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