Dark Solus: An Assassin's Tale by David Andrew CrawfordDark Solus: An Assassin's Tale by David Andrew Crawford

Dark Solus: An Assassin's Tale

byDavid Andrew Crawford

Hardcover | January 27, 2011

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Dark Solus, An Assassin's Tale is a dark, science fiction fantasy novel about one of the deadliest assassins on the planet Eorth. The evil wizard Kalifen, along with the ruthless leaders of the Assassins, Thieves and Halflings guilds, murdered Dark Solus' parents when he was only a child. Haunted by their merciless execution, he now waits and prepares to exact his revenge on all those responsible for their demise. Dark is transformed and trained by the Styg, the warden of the Stygian depths, and his grandfather Mephistopheles, an ancient silver dragon. Twelve years later, Dark is now ready to travel to the City of <_st13a_city _w3a_st="on"><_st13a_place _w3a_st="on">Duergar, the home of his enemies. Trained in the skills of assassination, and armed with lethal devices and knowledge of the dark arts, he has set himself only one mission.....to kill them all! This action-packed book comes alive with ancient imagery, in a time before solid boundaries formed between the mystical kingdoms of Faërie and the mortal world of man. Author David Andrew Crawford grew up in <_st13a_country-region _w3a_st="on"><_st13a_place _w3a_st="on">Canada, and currently resides in the small hamlet of Innesville with his two dogs, Ares and Ariel.

Title:Dark Solus: An Assassin's TaleFormat:HardcoverProduct dimensions:224 pages, 6 × 9 × 0.63 inShipping dimensions:6 × 9 × 0.63 inPublished:January 27, 2011Language:English

The following ISBNs are associated with this title:

ISBN - 10:160911339X

ISBN - 13:9781609113391

Reviews

Rated 5 out of 5 by from Incredibly Imaginative! Dark Solus: An Assassin’s Tale is a science fiction/fantasy novel written by first time published Canadian author David Andrew Crawford. Unlike so many fantasy books, this author peaks your interest immediately and you delve right into the story from the first page and through the entire book this interest never wanes. The book opens with an introduction to Elim and Leynorr Solus who are expecting a baby. You may think these are the main characters but you soon discover that it is really the baby, a boy named Dark Solus, who is the main character and it is his tale being told. At a very tender age, Dark’s parents are murdered by their enemies and Dark must live with his grandfather who is an ancient polymorphing dragon. Dark is set on revenge but is strongly opposed by his grandfather whose only concern is for Dark, his only surviving relative. The report between Dark and his grandfather is very strong, even in times when they are at war with each other, and the author makes this very clear to the reader. For 10 long years Dark is trained in the ways of an assassin by the Styg, the same man who trained his father, and in the mystical arts by his grandfather. Realizing that he needs more, Dark sets out on quests for the magical items that he will need to fulfill his promise to his parents. Over the course of the book you are introduced to many characters but what I really enjoyed most were the background stories around the magical items and the unique ways Dark obtained them. There is also a great deal of humour, especially between Dark and his grandfather. The author most certainly has a great imagination and I would love to have a horse that with two snaps of my fingers goes from full size to miniature and I can keep him in my pocket. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series to see what happens with Dark.
Date published: 2011-05-30
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A Must Read for Fantasy Fans!! Dark Solus: An Assassin’s Tale really came out of nowhere and surprised me. I've always asked myself while reading other fantasy novels, why the character lives in a magical world but only knows one or two spells? It’s incredibly boring to read with the character using the same spell over and over. This brings me to the reason why I enjoyed Dark Solus so much. The variety and amount of magic used in this book rivals that of all seven Harry Potter books and this is just the first in the series. Another thing I love about fantasy novels is when a character gets a cool or unique item. Although they usually only get one or two throughout a series, with Dark Solus the main character, he gets about four or more halfway through and each one is as cool as the others. There is also a lot of action. Think of this book as a summer blockbuster with the main character moving from action to action. The world of Eorth is beautifully detailed by author David Crawford who describes the world he created with a passion that leaps off the page. Although strange at first, the way Mr. Crawford takes different cultures and their myths/legends and finds a way to put it into his world and make it believable is incredible. All in all the only complaint I have is that it’s too short. It’s that good you just don't want to put it down. It hypnotizes you into completing it. A great fantasy novel for all ages!
Date published: 2011-05-26
Rated 4 out of 5 by from Engaging! As a novice science fiction fan I found this book very engaging from the beginning and the easy reading style kept me wanting more. The writing style brought vivid imagery as the character developed in personality and physical attributes. I am ready to find out what happens next and look forward to the next phase of Dark Solus' life.
Date published: 2011-04-27
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fantastic! In Dark Solus: An Assassin’s Tale, a great warrior is created out of unbearable loss with the singular goal of revenge. Author David Andrew Crawford has created a multi-dimensional world on the planet Eorth complete with witches, elves and bizarre monsters who stand between Dark Solus and his desire to destroy those involved in the murders of his parents. When thirteen-year-old Dark and his powerful wizard grandfather, Mephisto, return to Dark’s family home after spending the summer together, they discover Dark’s parents have been murdered. The killer is a former student of Mephisto’s named Taliesin who was given great power by the wizard Kalifen in exchange for murdering Dark’s father and mother who was also Mephisto’s daughter. Both Mephisto and Dark use their mystical powers to survive when Taliesin attacks them. Dark makes a pledge to avenge his parents, even though it is against the will of his grandfather. But once Dark reaches adulthood, his grandfather has a change of heart and provides his grandson with the training he needs to accomplish a task that targets the most powerful beings on Eorth. Like most science fiction, Dark Solus is a story about more than dragons and magic or great warriors. It is truly a coming of age tale about a young boy who has lost the most important people in his life. The relationship between Dark and Mephisto evolves from grandchild and grandfather, through a turbulent two years following the deaths of Dark’s parents, to that of two powerful men supporting each other in a shared goal. During Dark’s search for items that will assist him in assassinating the most powerful wizards and killers on the Eorth, Crawford offers the reader incredible descriptions of the lands of dwarves and elves as well as Dark’s intelligence and fighting style. The assassin’s history, determination and abundant skills make him a character readers will want more of. Dark Solus: An Assassin’s Tale is a fantastic science fiction novel with depth, action and mysticism. I highly recommend it. Melissa Brown Levine for Independent Professional Book Reviewers
Date published: 2011-04-12