THE DARK TIDE: Book One of the Iron Tower Trilogy

by Dennis L. McKiernan ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 20, 1984

Yet another abject Tolkien imitation. With the local Middle-earth threatened by the standard ghastly menace from the frozen north, a doughty band of archer hobbits--sorry, ""Warrows""--from the Boskydells go to the aid of besieged King Aurion. Meanwhile, the king's son, Galen, pursues an independent guerrilla action. There's a brief battle; the king flees with the Warrows. Then Galen meets Warrow Tuck (he was knocked unconscious during the fighting), only to learn that the king is dead. . . and that his beloved, Laurelin, has been captured by assorted baddies. As you might expect with two volumes still to come, there's not even a token ending here. Even worse, the whole thing creaks along with endless chat, punctuated by heroic geography lessons: ""Even now Arden Vale lies deep in Winternight, and the 'Dark stalks south, into Lianion called Rell, and, on the far side of the Grimwall, it sweeps along the margins of Riamon."" Derivative and dreadful.

Pub Date: July 20, 1984

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1984

Categories: FICTION