Elfsorrow

May 1, 2003
Sterling offers three British imports: James Barclay's latest heroic fantasy, Elfsorrow: Legends of the Raven, in which the elves must struggle with nothing less than the death of their race.

Starred review from November 15, 2010

Led by barbarian warrior Hirad Coldheart, the elite mercenaries of The Raven journey to the elven continent of Calaius in search of elven mages to help the mage college of Julatsa rebuild its ranks. Instead, they confront a hostile population and a deadly plague that threatens to destroy not only the elven race but magic itself. VERDICT Like Barclay's "Chronicles of the Raven" (Dawnthief; Noonshade; Nightchild), this series opener, first published in Britain in 2003, packs a visceral, gritty appeal and will attract fans of Glen Cook's classic "Black Company" novels. Pyr will publish the second volume, Shadowheart, in December, so order both titles for your fantasy collections.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 13, 2010
Barclay uses complexly threaded plot lines to follow several heroes, villains, and ordinary people as they attempt to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the terrible war described in Barclay's Chronicles of the Raven trilogy. After the temple to the elven god Yniss is desecrated, a strange plague known as Elfsorrow begins to ravage the countryside. Led by the Unknown Warrior, the Raven, a group of mercenaries, works to save the elves. Meanwhile, antimagical forces led by Selik of the Black Wings are trying to convince the local barons that the common people have lost their trust in mages and the colleges of magic must be destroyed to save the world. Real enjoyment of this volume requires both familiarity with the previous trilogy and a commitment to reading future installments.