Elvenblood - (Halfblood Chronicles) by Mercedes Lackey & Andre Norton (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Elvenbane has shattered the certainty of the immortal elven lords. The halfblood wizards they thought destroyed have survived, dragons have revealed themselves, and the old order has learned to fear the children it once hunted in secret.

Within the House of Treves, Sheyrena lives as a dutiful elven daughter, dressed, displayed, and bartered toward a marriage chosen for politics rather than love. She dreams of dragons, freedom, and a life beyond the suffocating walls of her father's estate, but dreams are dangerous in a house where women are possessions and obedience is survival.

Her brother Lorryn has an even deadlier secret. Raised as the heir to an elven lord, he is in truth a halfblood wizard, protected only by illusion and his mother's sacrifice. Now the High Lords, terrified by the rise of the Elvenbane, are testing their own children for hidden human blood. If Lorryn is exposed, he will be executed.

Their only possible path leads toward the very legends their world fears most: the outlaw wizards, the hidden dragon Kin, and Shana, the girl called Elvenbane. But the dragons and wizards are building a new refuge of their own, and not every ally who offers rescue can be trusted.

Before Sheyrena can escape the cage built for her, she must decide what she is willing to risk for her brother, her freedom, and a world no longer ruled by fear.

An epic of hidden heirs, dragon magic, court intrigue, and forbidden bloodlines, in the tradition of Anne McCaffrey's Pern. Elvenblood continues the saga begun in Elvenbane -- newly revised and illustrated, and complete at last with the long-awaited finale.

Review Quotes

"One of the season's liveliest and, most appealing fantasy epics."--Publishers Weekly

"A brisk, glittering yarn that packs as much action, suspense, and twisting of conventions into one novel as many writers invest in whole trilogies."--Amazing Stories

"I came to this book with no expectations, other than to enjoy a book co-written by Mercedes Lackey. To say that I enjoyed it, is to say that a trip to the moon was a mere jaunt."--Goodreads User Review

"A splendid blend of the talents of two excellent storytellers!"--Anne McCaffrey

"The first half of this book is a perfect case study in how 'telling' versus 'showing' can be wildly entertaining. The authors took a lot of time to build this world... and I found myself devouring the pages."--Niki Hawkes, The Obsessive Bookseller

"A very entertaining premise."--Tim Scheidler, Fantasy Literature

"An intense fantasy that does not leave out the darkside...acknowledging that only a realm showing both bad and good can truly be fully developed."--ThriftBooks User Review

"An entertaining adventure."--Kirkus Reviews

"If you are in need of some literary chocolate when you're having a bad day, look no further than the works of Mercedes Lackey. Try at least one of her books and I'll bet you, like with any good chocolate, you'll want more!"--Fantasy Literature

"She has been called one of the 'most prolific science fiction and fantasy writers of all time."--Locus Magazine

"She is a superb story-teller with a narrative pace all her own... Norton slowly unfolds a succession of images that first intrigue and finally engulf the reader."--The New York Times Book Review

"A titan in the world of fantasy novels"--The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

About the Author

Mercedes Lackey is a New York Times bestselling author with nearly 150 books to her name. She began writing in her teens, developing her skills through fan fiction and later receiving mentorship from renowned author C.J. Cherryh. After moving to Oklahoma in the 1980s while working as a computer programmer, she published her first novel in 1985 and soon launched a prolific career. Her many series--including Valdemar, Elemental Masters, 500 Kingdoms, and Secret World Chronicles--have been translated into multiple languages, and she continues to be a major force in fantasy literature. Mercedes currently resides in
Claremore, Oklahoma.

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton in 1912, was a groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy author whose career spanned more than 70 years and over 130 novels, including the influential Witch World and Beast Master series. A former librarian, she became the first woman to receive both the Gandalf Grand Master Award and the SFWA Grand Master Award, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1997. Known for her vivid world-building and coming-of-age themes, her legacy continues through the annual Andre Norton Award for young adult speculative fiction named in her honor. Andre spent most of her working career in
Tennessee and Florida. She died in 2005 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.