Tanis, the shadow years

In the pattern of the preludes saga, this book is set 5 years before the original Chronicles. It sets with the party of friends parting and wandering, each in search of separate goal but sealed with the promise to meet again in 5 years. The book follows Tanis Half-Elven as he strikes out in search

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of himself. He is lured by promises of knowing more about his mysterious human father, the man who raped his elven mother so long ago and then vanished. He ends up entering the mind of a dying wizard, back in time through is memories to save the wizard’s lost love. Tanis ends up learning about love, about his soul, memory, and forgiveness, as he becomes the hero in an ancient battle between men and elves. He finds the wizard’s love but finds himself falling not only for her but also for what she and the wizard have together. He brings her through the afterlife itself to return to his own time. There he finds not flesh but memory is everlasting and in it, life is eternal. This is one of the best books I have read from the non-original authors. The text is natural, the conversation flows well and unlike some of the other Preludes, this one has an emotional context that makes it more interesting. The writers being married might have something to do with it. It does get caught up in the same crunches and tediousness that any book dealing with time jumps can do and some of the scenes feel like a means to an end without meaning. The last few chapters also seem unneeded or, in fact, unwanted. Overall an okay quick read.

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