Greenwood, creator of the popular
Forgotten Realms world and the
Band of Four series (The Dragon's Doom
, etc.), spins a chilling Norse-inspired tale of the Niflghar, dark elves inhabiting the cold, subterranean universe of Dark Below. The Niflghar stole the young Orivon from the surface world as a child and turned him into a slave. Now a tall, strong blacksmith, Orivon serves the beautiful and devastatingly cruel Nifl-she, Lady Taerune Evendoom. During a slave uprising, Taerune loses an arm, marking her an outcast from beauty-worshipping Niflghar society. Though Orivon swore to kill Taerune slowly and painfully at his first opportunity, they must instead become allies so Orivon can find his way back to the surface. The dark elves' endless political machinations and foolish, deadly power plays render them entirely unsympathetic, but Orivon's brooding fury will do little more to endear him to readers who prefer a bit of warmth and light to balance the chilly caves of Dark Below. (Sept.)
