The Time of the Dark by Barbara Hambly

[meganbmoore]

Gil Patterson is a candidate for a Ph.D. in Medieval History at UCLA who is very focused and driven. She also has frighteningly realistic dreams where the panicked citizens of a medieval land are preparing for the arrival of an ancient enemy. She learns these dreams are real when she meets Ingold, a wizard from Darwath, the land she’s had dreams of, who is protecting its infant prince, Altir. The two are soon joined by Rudy, a biker and artist who seems to be a loser, and the two young Americans return to Darwath with Ingold and Altir by accident when they try to save Ingold from an attack. Soon, they learn that the people of Darwath are preparing for an attack by the Dark, a race that attacks every 3000 years, and they get caught up in their affairs, and their exodus from their home as they move to what they hope is a safe haven.

This is, I think, Hambly’s first novel, and it shows, though not in a bad way. There are many elements here that Hambly does well, but that she later does much better in Windrose Chronicles and the Sun Wolf and Starhawk books. (And other books, too, but I’ve only read those two series and Dragonsbane before this.) As is usual for Hambly, a lot of the strength is in the charming characters, most of which do not fit safely within the typical fantasy norms. Here, the cold scholar becomes a warrior engrossed in the camaraderie of a guard’s life, but without undermining her previous life, and the free thinking artist becomes a magician, only to learn that it may not be quite as amazing as he thought, and that his “free thinking” can also lead to unfounded prejudice. Hambly also seems to like playing around with the more “minor” characters of fantasy fiction, especially the women. Here, the noble regent is a jerk, and the inexperienced young queen who is initially dismissed is actually smart and well grounded, and has loved and been hurt very deeply.

Comments

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I read this series again not that long ago. And I really like the world-building she does, and most of the characters (and, really, um, my archeology kink is mostly appeased).

And Alde. So sad and tragic and wonderful. (I am trying to remember what's in the first book, and failing, so I'm going to shut up for now)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

It's mostly their headed to the other castle, and ends with Rudy going off to be an apprentice.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

There's some plot elements later on which are very subversive of the way this sort of fantasy usually works. I remember a friend being outraged by one in particular, which I shall not reveal now, saying, "That's not how it's supposed to go!" (I don't think it's spoilery to say that that particular moment did NOT involve a character death.)

I love this series, though it's indeed less assured than later works, especially the first book. But the characters and their relationships are very raw and real and believable, I love Gil and Rudy's training and transformation, the atmosphere is vividly desperate, and I just love that the villains, rather than being generic Dark Lords and their minions, are flying Cthuloid horrors.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I approve of "That's not how it's supposed to go!" save for when it's a random death for "drama."