An official logo for The Nightrunner Series. |
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| Author | Lynn Flewelling |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy, Adventure |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Media type | Print (Paperback), (Kindle), Audio (Cassette), (CD/MP3) |
The Nightrunner Series is a multi-part fantasy series written by Lynn Flewelling. It currently contains six novels and one collection of related short stories.
‘Nightrunner’ refers to the occupation of Seregil and Alec, the series’ two main protagonists. The word is meant to describe the combination of an assortment of jobs, including thieves, spies, and whatever else the characters’ find they must become to stay alive throughout the series. The book series uses mythopoeia, a term coined by J.R.R. Tolkien to describe the creation of mythology within a fictional world, including history, religion, language and culture. Though the main genre is fantasy, the book may also be described as being an adventure, mystery, and romance. It also contains LGBT themes.
The series has been published by Bantam Spectra and Ballantine Books. Both companies are owned by Random House, Inc.
Contents |
The series revolves around Seregil, a spy, and Alec, his apprentice and soon-to-be partner. The series takes place in a fictional country, Skala, described similarly to medieval-Europe.
Seregil stumbles into the rescue of Alec, a poor, orphaned hunter. After hiring Alec to guide him through the unknown territory of the Northern Lands, Seregil notes Alec’s quick learning ability and fast hands, and offers him a job as his apprentice. Alec, though wary of Seregil at first due to a distressing amount of secrecy and suspicion that he’s becoming a thief or spy, accepts the offer. They immediately fall into a mystery that involves the fast deterioration of Seregil’s mind and sanity, and Alec must find a way to save his new teacher and friend, despite having only known him for little more than a week. Alec manages to deliver Seregil into the hands of Nysander, a wizard of Skala, but the mystery seems to only deepen from therein. At the same time, a traitorous plot against the Queen seems to be unfolding, and Seregil must unveil the truth of it quickly—before he is found guilty of treason himself.
The seemingly harmless wooden disc that nearly caused Seregil’s death and loss of sanity in Luck in the Shadows is finally revealed to be part of a broken, and yet evil, helm belonging to the ‘Eater of Death’, a forsaken God by the name of Seriamaius. A nefarious plan to retrieve all the pieces of the helm is attempted by a plenimarine, Mardus, who wishes to use the power it will grant him to conquer Skala and Mycena and rule over the three lands. A prophecy long foretold finally takes place, and Seregil has to kill his father-like mentor, Nysander, in order to destroy the helm for good. In the last paragraphs of the book, Seregil and Alec admit their feelings for one another.
Seregil and Alec are sent to Aurënen, Seregil’s homeland, with Princess Klia, in a Skalan delegation to ask for open ports, warriors and supplies in the deepening war between Skala and Plenimar, but the attempted murder of the Princess means delegations take a turn for the worse. Seregil and Alec must unravel the mystery before all chances of a treaty are ruined. At the same time, Seregil must reacclimatize himself with his home, the country he was exiled from more than thirty years previous.
A collection of short stories including the story of how Seregil, Nysander, and Micum all meet.
Seregil and Alec are kidnapped by Zengati slavetraders, and bought by a plenimarine alchemist. Using Alec’s unique blood as a half-northerner, half-hâzadriëlfaie, the alchemist intends to create a creature called a rhekaro, what appears to be a young child, and yet is most definitely not human at all. Seregil eventually finds and helps Seregil and Sebrahn escape, coming to terms with his own past as he reunites with an old lover and enemy.
The hâzadriëlfaie come after Alec and Sebrahn, with intentions of murder. Alec and Seregil must run and fight, while at the same time try and discover what exactly Sebrahn is, and why. The hâzadriëlfaie eventually let Alec go, and take Sebrahn safely away with them for protection.
The nightrunner adventures continue for Seregil and Alec.
His full name is Seregil í Korit Solun Meringil Bôkthersa. Seregil is one of the protagonist and a full-blooded Aurënfaie. He is 57 at the beginning of the series, but looks 25 because of his people's long lifespan. He is described as tall and fair-skinned with grey eyes and brown hair.
After being seduced by Ilar í Sontir into breaking atui during a treaty and having accidentally killed a man by mistake he is exiled to Skala by the rhui'auros request where he becomes a Watcher, a spy in the queen's service.
Alec is the son of Amasa and Ireya ä Shaar and a ya'shel, because of his mother's Hâzadrielfaie blood. A boy of sixteen at the beginning of the series, he is described as tall, blond and blue-eyed. Because of this and his Dalnan conservative upbringing he is generally perceived as naive and innocent, though he shows great intelligence and cunning over the books.
He is captured and thrown in prison where he meets Seregil. After Seregil helps him escape he contracts Alec to guide him to Wolde and being impressed by his talent and intelligence he asks Alec to be his apprentice and learn "the aquisition of goods and information".
Nysander is the last disciple and heir of Arkoniel and the Guardian of the necromancer Helm. He is described as kind and eccentric.
He was the first to befriend Seregil after his exile from Aurënen and offered him an apprenticeship at the Orëska House. When that didn't work he hired him as a Watcher, one of the spies under his command.
He is killed by Seregil at his bequest in Stalking Darkness in an effort to destroy the Helm. After this he appears twice more in visions to offer guidance.
Azdiel í Illia is Seregil's oldest sister and has acted as a mother figure for him. After her father she becomes the khirnari of the Bôkthersa.
Ilar í Sontir of Chyptaulos, also known as Khenir, was introduced in Shadows Return, although often mentioned in the previous books.
Seregil's first lover, Ilar seduced him at Ulan í Sathil's bidding and betrayed him, when Seregil was 22 years old(which made him 14–15 years old in human age). He was a reason of Seregil's downfall and his exile from Aurënen. After his escape, Ilar was caught by Ulan and sold into slavery in Plenimar. Like this he spent 40 years under the a false name Khenir, coming to believe it all Seregil's fault. Seeking revenge, he helped his master, Yakhobin, to catch Seregil and Alec, but later on he also helped them escape.
Found again by Ulan's men, he was taken back to Viresse in The White Road where the khirnari unravelled the story of the rhekaro. Ulan took him back to Plenimar to help him steal Yakhobin's books, but left him there when he helped Seregil instead.
Ulan í Sathil is the khirnari of the Virèsse clan. Until the events of Traitor's Moon his clan held monopoly over trading with Skala and as a result holds a grudge against Seregil and Alec for enabling the opening of Gedre. He is two hundred seventy years old and suffers from a type of sickness of the lungs. He is described as cunning, ruthless and devoted to his clan's welfare. He dies in Riga at the end of The White Road.
Klia is Queen Idrilain and her last consort's only surviving child and 23 years old at the beginning of the series.
Rekharos or tayan'gil(silver blood) are humanoid creatures created from the blood of the Hâzadrielfaie. They can heal though no one except Sebrahn can speak or bring back the dead.
A rhekaro, Sebrahn is described as very pale with silver-colored eyes and shining white hair. Because of his appearance, Alec named him for moonlight in Aurënfaie.
The prophesized child of no women, Sebrahn was created in Shadows Return by the Plenimaran alchemist Yhakobin for Ulan í Satil in hopes of distilling a healing elixir to prolong his life. He was created using Alec's Hâzadrielfaie blood and as a result is only able to drink from him and his mother's kin. Because of this Alec took him along when he escaped the alchemist's house.
Later he let him be taken in the care of the Hâzadrielfaie in The White Road when he realised that couldn't have continued his lifestyle and still cared for Sebrahn.
Another rhekaro, he was made from the blood of Hâzadriël herself and has since hunted with the Ebrados by her wish. He is pale and silver-haired like Sebrahn, though he doesn't speak and has wings.
The series' main two protagonists are homosexual men in love with one another. Despite that, it is not the main point of the story, and in fact, their relationship does not become established until the end of the second book, Stalking Darkness. There are hints throughout the first two books of a more romantic nature their relationship could take, but the fantasy adventure plots take up much more of the readers' attention. In Lynn Flewelling's words: "I wanted to handle it the way I would with a straight character—an important part of who [Seregil] is and how he functions in society, but not the sum of who he is. I also created a culture where homosexuality is more accepted, if not universally so." [1]
Flewelling created a unique world in Luck in the Shadows, continued throughout the rest of the series, and expanded upon in her sister series', The Tamir Triad. The main setting takes place in a country called Skala, which is part of a much larger base of land known as the Three Lands: Skala, Mycena, and Plenimar. She gives the land a history that is deep with detail and realistic happenings, from war, trade and racism to natural corrosion. The politics are easy to understand, yet still rich with intrigue and, if you know where to look for them, falsities.
Flewelling's world is described similarly to medieval-Europe in setting, with farming and hunting being the primary occupations of the populace. Horses and ships are the only real modes of transportation, and the country is ruled by a Queen put there by her mother's bloodline and a prophecy from Afra: "So long as a daughter of Thelátimos’ line defends and rules, Skala shall never be subjugated." Flewelling also added in religious aspects, as well as magical ones. She created an entire new society known as the Third Oreska: wizards, and combined them with the rest of her setting seamlessly.
Flewelling wrote a religion into her stories that goes deep into her characters backgrounds, influencing the entire series as religion does in the real world. From language usage to prayer and magic, the religious aspects slide their way into every book. In Skala, most citizens believe in four notable deities, although depending on the part of the country, special attention may be provided to certain deities. There is Illior, who is also spoke of as The Lightbearer or The Lightbringer. In Aurënen, she is called Aura. She is the Goddess of the Moon, Wisdom and Insanity. There is Sakor, who is also spoke of as The Flamebringer. He is the God of the Sun, War and Victory. There is Dalna, who is also spoke of as The Maker. He is the God of Fertility, Land and Hearth. And there is Astellus, who is also spoke of as The Traveler. She is the Goddess of Messengers.
There are also less known, minor deities, acknowledged throughout the country, but not worshiped at nearly the same level as The Four, as they are mostly village deities spread around by travelers. One of these more popular deities is Bilairy, who is said to guard the gate of the afterlife.
In September 2009, the independent film company C-Squared Productions optioned the rights to the first two books, Luck in the Shadows and Stalking Darkness, with the intention of adapting the text to film. Due to budget concerns, the project has since been called off. [2]
| # | Title | Pages | Audio | Release | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Luck in the Shadows | 496 | 17h, 52m | August 1, 1996 | |
| 2. | Stalking Darkness | 512 | 19h, 15m | February 3, 1997 | |
| 3. | Traitor's Moon | 560 | 21h, 58m | July 6, 1999 | |
| 4. | Shadows Return | 544 | 12h, 2m | June 24, 2008 | |
| 5. | The White Road | 400 | 12h, 9m | May 25, 2010 | |
| 6. | Casket of Souls | (Coming Soon) | May 29, 2012 | ||
| Glimpses | 128 | x | September 19, 2010 | ||
Lynn Flewelling originally wrote Luck in the Shadows and Stalking Darkness as one manuscript, a stand-alone book. The editor proposed splitting it in two due to the length and “so a series was born”. [3]
The series has been published by Bantam Spectra and Ballantine Books. Both companies are owned by Random House, Inc.