Beneath the Vaulted Hills

by Sean Russell

Overview

The last of the world's great mages, the enigmatic Lord Eldrich has dedicated his life to eradicating all remaining vestiges of magic in the world. But the fanatical Tellerites—followers of a long-dead mage-apprentice—oppose Eldrich, desiring the hidden knowledge of the magical arts and with it the coveted key to immortality. Drawn into this conflict against his will is Erasmus Flattery, who as a boy dwelt with Eldrich, and is still haunted by the memories of what transpired during his stay with the mage. Now Erasmus must lead as expedition to search for a secret that has remained hidden since the time of the first Mages!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101666425
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	08/01/1998
Series:	The River Into Darkness , #1
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	480
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Sean Russell was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1952, and had his first fantasy novel, the Asian influenced The Initiate Brother in 1991. His influence in the fantasy world comes from J. R. R. Tolkien, and knew he wanted to be a writer since the age of ten.

Editorial Reviews

Russell's first hardcover venture is a return to the world he created in his previous two novels, World Without End and Sea Without A Shore -- but instead of going forward, he goes back in time to the tale of the mysterious Erasmus Flattery and his tangled relationship with Lord Eldritch -- much of which he's not sure he understands himself. Lord Eldritch has made the destruction of magic from the world of man his life's work -- and he is a mage, with all the mystery that implies in Russell's world. There is love here and betrayal, intrigue and the building of friendship and trust, all deftly handled. Characters are Russell's strength, and if you find this book slow to start it's because he's laying the groundwork by creating characters that are sympathetic enough to drag a reader through the book in one sitting. The only flaw -- if it can be counted a flaw -- is that this is the first of two books, and when you reach the end of it, you really want the second one.
—Michelle West

bn.com

Praise for the River into Darkness duology:

 “A strange and beautiful book that offers an unusual depth and nuance of character, set forth in lustrous dialogue and prose the texture of honeyed silk.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Set in an imaginary land where magic is on the wane, this is a traditional quest fantasy of the best sort: where the quests are spiritual and person in nature as well as heroic…. Book by book, Russell is emerging as one of the best fantasists of his generation.” —Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror

“Sean Russell has captured the atmosphere and the ethos of a truly magical time.” —SF Site

From the Publisher