Hailed for bestsellers like The Guns of the South, the World War series, How Few Remain, and The Great War: American Front, Harry Turtledove has become one of the most popular authors in SF today. Whether writing 'alternate history' tales, or fantastic adventures tinged with real history like his Videssos novels,.

When the Duke of Bari suddenly dies, the neighboring nation of Algarve, long seething over its defeat a generation ago in the Six Years' War, sees its chance to bring Bari into the fold.an action which the other countries surrounding Algarve cannot, by treaty, tolerate. As nation after nation declares war, a chain of treaties are invoked, ultimately bringing almost all t When the Duke of Bari suddenly dies, the neighboring nation of Algarve, long seething over its defeat a generation ago in the Six Years' War, sees its chance to bring Bari into the fold.an action which the other countries surrounding Algarve cannot, by treaty, tolerate. As nation after nation declares war, a chain of treaties are invoked, ultimately bringing almost all the Powers of Derlavai into a war of unprecedented destructiveness. For modern magic is deadlier than in ears past. Trained flocks of dragons rain explosive fire down on defenseless cities.

Massed infantry race from place to place along a network of ley-lines. Rival powers harness sea leviathans to help sabotage one another's ships. The lights are going out all across Derlavai, and will not come back on in this lifetime. Against this tapestry Harry Turtledove tells the story of an enormous cast of characters: soldiers and generals, washerwomen and scholars, peasants and diplomats. For all the world, highborn and low, is being plunged by world war.into the darkness.

First and foremost I have to say I've tried reading this book since the seventh grade. At first I was impressed by the dragon and what not on the cover, but as I actually tried to read it I was severely daunted by the fact the character listing is five pages long. Despite that, I still tried to read and only managed to get past the first chapter before deciding this was not worth my time and considered it confusing and very boring.

Years later I bought the book, and soon the other five followed First and foremost I have to say I've tried reading this book since the seventh grade. At first I was impressed by the dragon and what not on the cover, but as I actually tried to read it I was severely daunted by the fact the character listing is five pages long. Despite that, I still tried to read and only managed to get past the first chapter before deciding this was not worth my time and considered it confusing and very boring.

Years later I bought the book, and soon the other five followed and they've been sitting on my bookcase for quite some time. Well, I picked it up again and though it was still a ridiculously tough read; boredom struck whenever character development was attempted. I finished it and am now going to read my way through the remaining part of the series. And I don't know how that happened.

I'm not particularly interested in alternate universe type of stories and nor am I savvy in the elaborate and intricate histories of World War 2. There is just this sense of.charm, I guess, to it that made me grudgingly want to read the others. I mean once you figure out what countries in the book reflect the ones in real life, you pretty much have the whole general story summed up. So why am I still drawn to it? There's too many characters to become attached to so you pretty much stay away from liking anyone of them because you're more concerned with keeping names straight rather than worrying about what fresh hell they're going through. But yet, you still feel bad for the viewpoint characters when something does happen; like this unwanted love some how sprang out of nowhere like some disease.

Sure you don't like being around people who are sick, but you still love and feel bad for the guys anyway when they become worse or, karma cap, die. Chapters drawl on for pages where, quite literally, nothing develops. It's supposed to expose who the designated viewpoint characters are, but you find yourself flipping forward a few more pages to see how much is left until a new view point character is brought in. I find myself drawn into this world thinking about how it relates to actual history, but I soon forget completely that this is based off of a real situation and get sucked in. It doesn't make any sense. I enjoy how he replaces 'modern' technology with that of the fantasy realm, however, despite all of my mindless nit picking.

Which also makes Turtledove a good author if he can pull that off. If can't be the only person in the world who actually thought this way and yet still chugged through the rest of the series. I just hope the next book won't be a let down considering I've got a lot more books to read.

This was a decent read, and it was quite interesting at certain points. There were parts that I liked, but also things that I disliked. One of the things that I really enjoyed, and which quite surprised me, was that the dragons (which function as a substitute for air planes) are not portrayed as mythical or wise creatures. They are basically treated as normal animals, and portrayed as very stupid animals at that. This might seem a weird thing to like, but I found it to be quite refreshing. It's This was a decent read, and it was quite interesting at certain points.

There were parts that I liked, but also things that I disliked. One of the things that I really enjoyed, and which quite surprised me, was that the dragons (which function as a substitute for air planes) are not portrayed as mythical or wise creatures. They are basically treated as normal animals, and portrayed as very stupid animals at that. This might seem a weird thing to like, but I found it to be quite refreshing. It's an original aspect of the story, and, in my opinion made the concept of dragons far more interesting. Another part that I liked were subtle ironies (or at least what I perceived to be ironies) that Turtledove put in in reference to WWII. For example, for Adolf Hitler, the ideal soldier was tall, blond and had blue eyes.

In 'Into the Darkness', the Kaunians (whom are the substitutes for the people of the Jewish population) are the tall blondes instead. I don't know whether Turtledove did this on purpose, but I noticed it and I liked it. Things that I did not like were that the author seemed to have a very limited vocabulary for certain aspects of the story. Eggs (the equivalent of bombs) for example, are forever thrown by 'egg-tossers', I don't think he used a different word for it even once. Furthermore, when the eggs were carried by dragons, they were always 'dropped'.

They did not just fall, or rain down from the sky, they were just dropped. Now this might seem like only a minor thing, but at a certain point I had read these words so often that they actually started to annoy me.

I think it's a shame, because I feel like it would have been just that much better had he put in a little bit of variety in his choice of words. This was also the first book where I could not actually distinguish between characters. When I'd start reading a new part with a different viewpoint again, for example I'd think the character that was 'telling the story' was a Valmieran, and then he'd turn out to be an Algarvian (Valmiera and Algarve are on opposite sides in the war). Some of the male characters especially were sometimes hard to distinguish from the others, since they mostly all had a single goal; they were all hoping they could win the war so they could get some sexual intercourse with some pretty or willing lady. In the end, however, this was not a bad read at all.

I will definitely finish the series someday, because the concept interests me quite a lot. Some story lines especially managed to capture my attention, and now I am curious about how those will continue. We'll see about that when I start book II, Darkness Descending. Too much going on, way too many characters to keep track of and only the first of many in a series. Of the dozen or so plot threads i only enjoyed 2 of them.they were what kept me going to the end. Once i got to the end and realized that this book was the first of a few in a series I decided to not read any of the others.

Very disappointed after reading 'ruled britanica' by the same author. I usually go thru a book a week or so and this took me 1 month to read, very hard to really get a good p Too much going on, way too many characters to keep track of and only the first of many in a series. Of the dozen or so plot threads i only enjoyed 2 of them.they were what kept me going to the end. Once i got to the end and realized that this book was the first of a few in a series I decided to not read any of the others. Very disappointed after reading 'ruled britanica' by the same author.

I usually go thru a book a week or so and this took me 1 month to read, very hard to really get a good page turning going when you only get 3-4 pages per plot thread before you have to read another dozen plots to get back to what just got your attention. By the time i get back to an enticing thread i have forgotten what has happened.

Almost like reading 12 differnt books at one time. Just could not get compelled enough to keep going before the author put the brakes on and switched gears on me:(. Any book that starts with a multi-page Dramatis Personnae is going to be complex. I usually have a good head for characters so I didn't have to refer to it too often, although I probably should have checked it more. I had trouble connecting to the book at first because there were just too many people introduced too close together, and then not appearing again for chapters. I was over 100 pages in before I really started getting into the story. I did grow attached to a lot of the characters, whic Any book that starts with a multi-page Dramatis Personnae is going to be complex.

I usually have a good head for characters so I didn't have to refer to it too often, although I probably should have checked it more. I had trouble connecting to the book at first because there were just too many people introduced too close together, and then not appearing again for chapters. I was over 100 pages in before I really started getting into the story.

I did grow attached to a lot of the characters, which kept the book from becoming a hard slog. I did have trouble keeping track of which countries were which, and who was doing what to whom and when. Part of that was deliberate, I think, to draw attention to how difficult it can be to tell the difference between an aggressor, a liberator, and a victim. The shifting alliances and the difficulty in keeping up with who was supposed to be the 'good guys,' was probably also deliberate, to prove that things aren't always as clear-cut as we like to think they are, especially once the 'fog of war' rolls in.

I look forward to continuing with the series, now that I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of the current situation. I just hope it's not an entire new set of characters in the second book, and maybe the cast list will thin a little. People die in war, of course--preferably the people I already don't like. This book is an alternate history of World War II. It has magic, dragons, unicorns, behemoths, and leviathans.

There are so many characters to keep track of and sometimes it's hard to tell who's who. Algarve is supposed to be Germany. The Algarvians are described as being redheaded. The Unkerlanters are supposed to be the Russians. King Swemmel of Unkerlant is such an idiot! He goes to war with anyone and everyone whenever he feels slighted.

He doesn't think about the consequences of going to wa This book is an alternate history of World War II. It has magic, dragons, unicorns, behemoths, and leviathans. There are so many characters to keep track of and sometimes it's hard to tell who's who. Algarve is supposed to be Germany. The Algarvians are described as being redheaded. The Unkerlanters are supposed to be the Russians.

King Swemmel of Unkerlant is such an idiot! He goes to war with anyone and everyone whenever he feels slighted. He doesn't think about the consequences of going to war all the time. He once fought against his own brother because their mother didn't tell them which twin was older.

There is a lot of racism in this book, most of which is directed at the Kaunians (those with blue eyes and blond hair). The Kuusamans are described as being slant-eyed. Some of the characters like King Swemmel are unlikeable, but there are others who are really interesting.

As the first volume in the massive World at War series, INTO THE DARKNESS successfully draws the reader in to Turtledove's very well-developed alternate reality. Here we get our first glimpse into the vaguely familiar, but starkly unique, world that is meant to mirror our own, but in a fantasy setting.

Loosely based on our own history's World War II, this story may be more enjoyable for those with a greater familiarity with the major events and figures of WWII. That being said, this is still an As the first volume in the massive World at War series, INTO THE DARKNESS successfully draws the reader in to Turtledove's very well-developed alternate reality. Here we get our first glimpse into the vaguely familiar, but starkly unique, world that is meant to mirror our own, but in a fantasy setting. Loosely based on our own history's World War II, this story may be more enjoyable for those with a greater familiarity with the major events and figures of WWII.

That being said, this is still an enjoyable story even if you are ignorant of -or simply ignore- the connections between it and our own history. The greatest complaint that this book has received has been the overabundance of point of view (main) characters. With each chapter being broken up into 5-10 short segments representing the view from one of ~16 primary characters, this book can be confusing at first. However, as you become more familiar with the terms, lands, and characters, you'll find yourself becoming comfortable with this style. One thing it does lead to though, is very slow character development.

If each chapter was dedicated to a single character, most characters would only have had a single chapter all told. That doesn't leave very much room for really getting to know the characters. I at least hope that Turtledove stuck with the same POV characters throughout the series.

Another interesting aspect of this book is the complete lack of 'good' and 'bad' characters. Each of the them are cast as being very 'human' with good and bad qualities, and with unique perspectives that cause them to act and believe in certain ways. Soldiers on both sides of a war typically think that they are on the side of justice, and Turtledove manages to capture that aspect of war very nicely. You may like some characters over others, but you can't really pinpoint which characters are the heroes and which are the villains. Overall, I enjoyed this read. Not as much as I had hoped for, but I look forward to continuing the series. Recommended for fans of fantasy, especially those with a good grounding in the history of WWII.

Two things got me to read this fantasy epic: 1) The badass cover. 2) The unique concept of retelling the history of WWII in a fantasy world. Turtledove simply replaces the countries with fantasy-y names, and switches out airplanes with dragons, tanks with giant prehistoric rhinos called 'behemoths,' submarines with mythical whale-like creatures called 'leviathans' and switches out guns with magic wands that shoot out energy/lightning.

Pretty sweet right? I also liked the broad range of characters Two things got me to read this fantasy epic: 1) The badass cover. 2) The unique concept of retelling the history of WWII in a fantasy world.

Turtledove simply replaces the countries with fantasy-y names, and switches out airplanes with dragons, tanks with giant prehistoric rhinos called 'behemoths,' submarines with mythical whale-like creatures called 'leviathans' and switches out guns with magic wands that shoot out energy/lightning. Pretty sweet right? I also liked the broad range of characters Turtledove covers in this epic, so that we get a good sense of how the war affects characters at all levels of life.

Probably my only complaint about the characters though is that sometimes the viewpoint characters seemed too similar, especially the soldiers for the different countries. Another reviewer pointed out that they all want the same thing, to push through the next battle and hopefully get laid afterwards. Also, there are only three female perspective characters, one of them is unbearably annoying, one of then (the scientist) is not very interesting, and the only one I enjoyed reading was the Kaunian young woman but then [of course she is the one who has to watch the ones she loves suffer and then she gets raped by the book equivalent of a Nazi. I know things won't get better for her too because the Kaunians represent the Jews, and the Holocaust is coming.:-( ] Another complaint is Turtledove's repetitive writing, usually in his choice of vocabulary. The magic wands that stand in for guns are always called 'sticks.' Such a bland, boring word for a potentially awesome device. And the dragons always 'drop' their eggs.

Not released, not discharged, just dropped dropped dropped. But I like fantasy, and I am a WW2 buff, so I liked this book. I probably only recommend this if you love fantasy/history. So I first encountered Turtledove's Darkness series at the height of my fascination with WWII(late middle school/high school) and was sucked in immediately. I mean, who wouldn't like to see WWII played out with dragons and sorcerers? Certainly not me. While Turtledove obviously drew most of the action and plot from actual WWII events, I liked how he adapted them for his setting as well as changing a few things up that I did not expect (such as the Holocaust analogue).

Turtledove does a nice job g So I first encountered Turtledove's Darkness series at the height of my fascination with WWII(late middle school/high school) and was sucked in immediately. I mean, who wouldn't like to see WWII played out with dragons and sorcerers? Certainly not me.

While Turtledove obviously drew most of the action and plot from actual WWII events, I liked how he adapted them for his setting as well as changing a few things up that I did not expect (such as the Holocaust analogue). Turtledove does a nice job giving all the countries in the world he creates unique cultural characteristics that in some ways mirror their real world analogue and in others are completely novel (such as the Finland analogue being a desert peninsula where everybody complains about how terrible roofers are). Doing this really help the story avoid being a 1:1 conversion from real events and cultures into their fantastical counterparts. One of the main strengths of this book is the multiple POV characters.

Turtledove does a masterful job giving each their own unique voice/outlook while conveying the events of the war or occupation through their eyes and experiences. And just as good: he is willing to kill off characters (hey, it is war after all). These books are, however, behemoths (see what I did there people who have already read this?).

Tons of characters to keep track of across thousands of miles of space. Thankfully there is a character list at the beginning of the books and a very useful map as well. I could see how some folks would be put off by the size and scope (not to mention the subject matter). But if you are a fan of WWII and fantasy epics you will really dig this series. Summary: This book is a bit of a mix. A huge diverse plot and a magic system that gives its armies modern type warfare - it should be good, but I just found its breadth too wide, too many actors from too many regions. The actors are not really introduced and I didn't feel any connection to them.

I never got any feedback on why every nation was at war with every other nation. The author maintains seemingly hundreds of threads each only a few pages long.

Its an incredible feet of storytelling, but Summary: This book is a bit of a mix. A huge diverse plot and a magic system that gives its armies modern type warfare - it should be good, but I just found its breadth too wide, too many actors from too many regions.

The actors are not really introduced and I didn't feel any connection to them. I never got any feedback on why every nation was at war with every other nation. The author maintains seemingly hundreds of threads each only a few pages long.

Its an incredible feet of storytelling, but just too complex to follow. I constantly had to look at the map to see who was who, I would have had no chance finishing this book if it was an ebook. I somehow finished the book expecting at least some answers, but no. I've ended up giving it 1 star as I really wish I'd never picked it up, but their are elements of the book that deserve 5 stars.

I won't be reading the sequel. Plotline: Incredibly complex, huge breadth. Premise: Stunning magic system, really clever. Writing: Too complex without enough depth of character Ending: Abysmal.

Pace: Boring from start too finish. First I would like to say that I really loved reading this book. The story is completely engrossing from beginning to end, and the narrative point of view shifts from person to person, so it is never boring.

Second, this is not one of Harry Turtledove's 'alternative history' novels. It is a straight fantasy novel, set in a word where dragon really exist, fly and breath fire and serve men as machines of war. Magic really works as a form of technology, with sometimes unplesent side effects. And it i First I would like to say that I really loved reading this book.

The story is completely engrossing from beginning to end, and the narrative point of view shifts from person to person, so it is never boring. Second, this is not one of Harry Turtledove's 'alternative history' novels. It is a straight fantasy novel, set in a word where dragon really exist, fly and breath fire and serve men as machines of war.

Magic really works as a form of technology, with sometimes unplesent side effects. And it is a war novel set on a world wide plain, with a vast collection of locations and environments and cultural backgrounds. It's a long book, more than 500 pages and there are 5 other volumes in the series. The only problem I had as a reader was in decided if one was enough or should I go on reading? Recommend to any who love HT, or fantasy buffs. Been eyeing this series for a while, as Turtledove is known as an alternate-history writer with a focus on wars.

In this book, rather than an alternate history in the modern world, we have a world war in a world where magic replaces technology. (But unlike fantasy books, magic isn't all-powerful or the main focus here.) There are many similarities to WWII history and references to WWII military tatics, which makes for interesting reading.

Reading this book can give you a headache due to the sheer Been eyeing this series for a while, as Turtledove is known as an alternate-history writer with a focus on wars. In this book, rather than an alternate history in the modern world, we have a world war in a world where magic replaces technology.

(But unlike fantasy books, magic isn't all-powerful or the main focus here.) There are many similarities to WWII history and references to WWII military tatics, which makes for interesting reading. Reading this book can give you a headache due to the sheer number of characters (author goes for a large cast of characters with no clear protaganist) and locales. The timeline might be linear, but skips along and leaves the reader to fill in the gaps. However, the book is still strangely engaging, as the war proceeds apace, seen from many different viewpoints. Will have to pick up the next in the series. World War 2 as translated to a fantasy setting.

The first book of a longer series. Now, when I say translation, I mean direct translation of events. Only the names have changed, with chrome such as tanks, subs and planes beig replaced with fantastic animals and rifles with what seem to be wands of lightning. I have a mixed view of this. I still like Turtledove's usual style of following a range of characters across a broad ranging global event, but the fact that it is WW2 means that there is no ' World War 2 as translated to a fantasy setting.

The first book of a longer series. Now, when I say translation, I mean direct translation of events.

Only the names have changed, with chrome such as tanks, subs and planes beig replaced with fantastic animals and rifles with what seem to be wands of lightning. I have a mixed view of this. I still like Turtledove's usual style of following a range of characters across a broad ranging global event, but the fact that it is WW2 means that there is no 'what is going to happen next?' Question that makes you really want to continue with it.

The fate of nations is known, and the fate of most of the characters can probably be guessed quite accurately. So, good writing, good chracters.

Poor vehicle for them. Rated MA for war violence, racial themes, adult themes and implied sexual violence. I keep wanting to like Turtledove and I keep being disappointed. If you do want to read an alternate history of WWII, I would instead recommend Turtledove's Worldwar and Colonization series, which takes WWII and plays on what would happen if aliens attacked.

Into The Darkness is basically a find/replace of the historical events with too many forgettable and heavy-handed characters with unfamiliar names. If you want to read that King Mezentio fought the Valmierians with Behemoths and imprisoned th I keep wanting to like Turtledove and I keep being disappointed. If you do want to read an alternate history of WWII, I would instead recommend Turtledove's Worldwar and Colonization series, which takes WWII and plays on what would happen if aliens attacked.

Into The Darkness is basically a find/replace of the historical events with too many forgettable and heavy-handed characters with unfamiliar names. If you want to read that King Mezentio fought the Valmierians with Behemoths and imprisoned the Kaunians, instead of Hitler fighting the French with tanks and imprisoning the Jews, then this is the series for you. I scanned the last two hundred pages, as I felt I knew what was going to happen, and I don't plan on reading the other six books. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.

To view it, I rated Into the Darkness a five because it is a very good book and the author does a very good job at portraying what is happening and what the characters are thinking at the same time. Harry Turtledove did a great job in creating a new world and I am glad that there are several books after Into the Darkness to give a complete ending instead of a sudden stop ending. The book gives you a great sense of reality in how the world and characters are portrayed but the ending could have a more subtle e I rated Into the Darkness a five because it is a very good book and the author does a very good job at portraying what is happening and what the characters are thinking at the same time. Harry Turtledove did a great job in creating a new world and I am glad that there are several books after Into the Darkness to give a complete ending instead of a sudden stop ending. The book gives you a great sense of reality in how the world and characters are portrayed but the ending could have a more subtle ending instead of having ended with Colonel Sabrino going to sleep and waking up to eggs falling out of the sky. I would definitely read another book from Harry Turtledove because Into the Darkness is part of a series and I definitely would love to read the next book in the series. This is one of those books that has a lot of characters, but that's okay, because they're mostly interesting.

Some are occasionally infuriating, particularly the idiotic French* noblewoman who is so full of herself that she won't even have oral sex with a guy who had previously had oral sex with a commoner. Oh, and by the way, there's sex, just so you know. Even a scene involving what is more or less rape, so be advised. There are other characters, though, who I really hope stay alive, so it sor This is one of those books that has a lot of characters, but that's okay, because they're mostly interesting. Some are occasionally infuriating, particularly the idiotic French* noblewoman who is so full of herself that she won't even have oral sex with a guy who had previously had oral sex with a commoner.

Oh, and by the way, there's sex, just so you know. Even a scene involving what is more or less rape, so be advised.

There are other characters, though, who I really hope stay alive, so it sort of balances out. All in all, an interesting start to what looks like an interesting fantasy analogy for World War II. *French by analogy. If you haven't read it, it might not make as much sense if I wrote 'Valmieran'. But yes, Valmiera is this world's France. Take a look at the series Wikipedia.

I thought this would be really great since I've heard that Turtledove is a great writer of alternate military history, and being set in a fantasy world full of dragons, behemoths, unicorns, and sorcery,where would I go wrong? For me, there were about five different nations to keep track of, and unlike The Lord of the Rings, which I gotta say, towards the end of the series.I was getting bored. Get to Mordor already! But I digress. I am able to mostly keep the characters straight, the storylin I thought this would be really great since I've heard that Turtledove is a great writer of alternate military history, and being set in a fantasy world full of dragons, behemoths, unicorns, and sorcery,where would I go wrong?

For me, there were about five different nations to keep track of, and unlike The Lord of the Rings, which I gotta say, towards the end of the series.I was getting bored. Get to Mordor already! But I digress. I am able to mostly keep the characters straight, the storyline just isn't keeping my attention, which mostly surrounds how each nation strategizes to wage war on the other. That, and the characters are out of the middle ages, but have sorcery.but still have to deal with headlice? Isn't there a spell for that? As stated in a few of the other reviews.

The start of the book was kinda hard to get past. It felt like work getting through all the character introductions and the story foundations. Even after I got past it all I would have to go back to the beginning of the book to remind myself who this or that character was. But I think it was worth it.

The story is engrossing I couldn`t put it down once i really got into it. Most of the characters stories were fun to read.

Some more then other of corse but As stated in a few of the other reviews. The start of the book was kinda hard to get past. It felt like work getting through all the character introductions and the story foundations. Even after I got past it all I would have to go back to the beginning of the book to remind myself who this or that character was. But I think it was worth it. The story is engrossing I couldn`t put it down once i really got into it.

Most of the characters stories were fun to read. Some more then other of corse but there were relatively few that I didnt care for. The stories premiums was awesome. Come on ww2 with magic and mythological creatures. So if you a fan of fantasy and ready to make a comitment to a series (because i would consider this a commitment.) Then I recomend this series to you. Fantasy version of WWII with dragon replacing aircraft, ley line caravans replacing trains etc.

A long book (and, of course, the first of many volumes) told from multiple character view points on every side of the conflict. The characters and their individual stories are well handled; they cover a broad range from peasant conscripts to head of the army.

The book is certainly easy to read and quite engaging, subject to the limitations of the form namely: - Once you figure out which fantasy country i Fantasy version of WWII with dragon replacing aircraft, ley line caravans replacing trains etc. A long book (and, of course, the first of many volumes) told from multiple character view points on every side of the conflict. The characters and their individual stories are well handled; they cover a broad range from peasant conscripts to head of the army. The book is certainly easy to read and quite engaging, subject to the limitations of the form namely: - Once you figure out which fantasy country is a proxy for which WWII power there isn't a lot of suspense regarding the big picture, but still some around the individual characters arcs.

- As part of a multi-book epic there isn't much/any closure on the characters stories at the end of this volume. So, as the other reviews of this book indicate, this is basically World War Two, with magic. Instead of airplanes and tanks, you have dragons and behemoths. Instead of submarines, you have leviathans. This is a fun premise, no doubt. True, there's a bit of wide-scale plot spoiling involved; if Algarve is the fantasy version of Germany, and Unkerlant is a stand-in for the Soviet Union, then we all know how it's going to play out.

The interesting things are 1) how exactly it's going to So, as the other reviews of this book indicate, this is basically World War Two, with magic. Instead of airplanes and tanks, you have dragons and behemoths.

Instead of submarines, you have leviathans. This is a fun premise, no doubt. True, there's a bit of wide-scale plot spoiling involved; if Algarve is the fantasy version of Germany, and Unkerlant is a stand-in for the Soviet Union, then we all know how it's going to play out. The interesting things are 1) how exactly it's going to translate (what's the magical equivalent of the atom bomb, for instance?) and 2) what happens to the viewpoint characters. I can guess, naturally; the poor guy who's in the French-equivalent country's army is probably not going to enjoy military successes. But it's still fun to read. I normally love Harry Turtledove and own several ( around 20) of his books but theis was one series that I stopped dead on at the first book.

I forced myself to finish this book picking at it over the course of several years and plan to sell it now that I've finished it. I normally love his technique of following several characters over a large landscape but for some reason the fantasy charaters and especially the different countries were confusing for me. I never seemed to be sure where I was i I normally love Harry Turtledove and own several ( around 20) of his books but theis was one series that I stopped dead on at the first book. I forced myself to finish this book picking at it over the course of several years and plan to sell it now that I've finished it. I normally love his technique of following several characters over a large landscape but for some reason the fantasy charaters and especially the different countries were confusing for me. I never seemed to be sure where I was in this landscape or what culture the characters were supposed to be from and who was at war with who. I read a lot of fantasy and alternate history so it wan't just the strange names or the number of them.

This book just never hooked me and I had no desire to find out what happened next. There are a LOT of characters in this story. The views jump around between them quite a bit. It's a story about a world moving into war, and the opening moves of the war, and diplomacy both successful and failed. There are dragons, and magic, and silly and smart moves. It was a long but enjoyable read. Being the setup for several novels it moved kind of slow in the first half but really started picking up by the end.

Turtledove is extremely meticulous in setting up his worlds and characters There are a LOT of characters in this story. The views jump around between them quite a bit.

It's a story about a world moving into war, and the opening moves of the war, and diplomacy both successful and failed. There are dragons, and magic, and silly and smart moves. It was a long but enjoyable read. Being the setup for several novels it moved kind of slow in the first half but really started picking up by the end.

Turtledove is extremely meticulous in setting up his worlds and characters and their parts in the play. I am up to page 200, so far the theme is that money power and land cause kingdoms to go to war, this could also be related on a personal level. If i was going to make play the first scene would go like this.

There is a man center stage with a bunch of bored looking boys around him. He would be going on and on about plants, one boy would make a loud sight and they would get in an argument.they would fight and all the others boys would laugh boys.the teacher and the other boy would look at eac I am up to page 200, so far the theme is that money power and land cause kingdoms to go to war, this could also be related on a personal level. If i was going to make play the first scene would go like this.

There is a man center stage with a bunch of bored looking boys around him. He would be going on and on about plants, one boy would make a loud sight and they would get in an argument.they would fight and all the others boys would laugh boys.the teacher and the other boy would look at each other and laugh. Dr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction. Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. In Byzantine history in 1977.

Turtledove has been dubbed 'The Master of Alternate History'. Within this genre he is known both for creating original sce Dr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.

Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. In Byzantine history in 1977. Turtledove has been dubbed 'The Master of Alternate History'.

Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.

This article possibly contains. Please by the claims made and adding. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (December 2008) () () The Darkness Series is a series of six novels. Though a fantasy the general history, geography, and combatants are analogs of, or the 'Derlavai War' in this universe. Many of the characters are also the equivalents of historical people.

Magic and other fantastic beasts, like dragons, are also stand-ins for World War II technology. Important battles in the series are also based on famous World War II battles, like the Battle of Sulingen which is an analog to the. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Novels [ ] • (1999) • (2000) • (2001) • (2002) • (2003) • (2004) World of Derlavai [ ] Most of the action in the series takes place on the main continent of Derlavai, located in the southern hemisphere of an unnamed planet. There are also some lesser land masses and island chains mentioned in the story and on the map included in the novels. The planet also has the smaller continents of Siaulia and The Land of the Ice People. There are only 12 independent countries: Algarve, Forthweg, Gyongyos, Jelgava, Sibiu, Kuusamo, Lagoas, Ortah, Unkerlant, Valmiera, Yanina, and Zuwayza. There are also three dependent territories (Bari, Grelz, and Rivaroli).

Populations are for the most part homogeneous enough that a difference in hair color is easily enough to make one stand out. The vast majority of the members of a given Derlavaian ethnic group have the same hair and eye color combination.

All nations in the Darkness series are monarchies with the exception of Kuusamo, in which seven princes have a hereditary power-sharing arrangement. While by no means all, in all of them kings (or princes in Kuusamo) seem to have the executive power. There are foreign ministers, but no prime ministers and no cabinets - a foreign minister evidently reporting directly to the King. None of the people have, even if they are members of the nobility. To the extent that monarchs are limited in their power, the limitation comes mainly from hereditary aristocracies which still maintain many privileges of times. The nations in the Darkness series do not have randomly invented names for their people and locations.

Rather, each nation has personal and geographical names taken from a real nation on Earth. Turtledove has, however, mixed up the attributes so that any given Derlavaian kingdom is not instantly recognizable as a cognate of the countries which took part in World War II. For example, Unkerlant has (,, and ) place and personal names. [ ] Forthweg has a Germanic language,. Similarly, the Algarvic nations all speak -derived languages: Algarve speaks Italian, Lagoas has, and Sibiu. Kaunian languages are based on modern - is Classical Kaunian and for Valmerian and Jelgavian.

[ ] Magic [ ] Magic in the Darkness series is not created by mages but rather harnessed by them. The mages of Derlavai gather magical power from the various power points scattered around the planet and the ley lines which link them, a recent discovery made only 200 years before the start of the books. Mages can also gather magic from human sacrifice. As such, the operation of magic is heavily reliant on location.

Large, modern cities tend to be located on or near strong power points which provide the energy for the operation of the city's lighting, heating and other comforts. In addition, large power points tend to be linked to greater numbers of ley lines, which are utilised for transportation between cities and towns. Mages [ ] There are fundamental laws of magic, which require intense studying to master in order to become a mage. Though popular 'how-to' books for the general public do exist, the spells published in them are not always reliable, and can backfire in dangerous or embarrassing ways.

Professional mages are divided into 'theoretical' and 'practical.' Theoretical mages research the relationships and underlying laws governing the behaviour of matter and energy, formulate hypotheses expressed in complicated mathematical formulas, and devise careful experiments in order to prove or disprove these hypotheses empirically. Practical mages use the theories devised by theoretical mages to make devices that can be used by the general public. Magic and Technology [ ] Derlavai has gone through a 'Thaumaturgical Revolution' [ ] instead of an, using magic as the basis for much of its technology. Because of magic, there appears to be less of a need for mass industry. There are plants producing pottery, for example, in large amounts, but behemoths and dragons are bred on farms and clothing appears to be made by tailors instead of in factories.

On the civilian scene, magic is much less important, being limited to applications such as rest boxes (an analogue to the refrigerator which operates by slowing the effects of time on its contents), lighting (in places where such sorcerous power is available) and ley line ships, while in the military magic is involved in the production and use of almost all their weapons and supplies. Most of the magical items in the world of Derlavai are analogues to everyday, or military, devices in our world. While the series is more concerned with military affairs than with economic ones, it seems that there are three competing ways of producing things: • By direct magic, using the law of similarity which can obviously be applied to mass production.

This method is fast, but can produce inferior goods if not conducted with skill and effort. • By artisans, who work by hand and use a limited amount of magic.

Each profession has some spells, and the knowledge and use of them is considered a normal part of that trade rather than a form of magecraft. • Mass production by machines, as in our world. There is a mention of the Kuusamans rapidly building a new port in a newly conquered island by magic, which is evident from all buildings being the same (indicating that the spells made extensive use of the law of similarity). It is noted that only a country with many skilled mages could have spared the resources for such construction.

In another place it is noted that printing is usually done by mechanical means, but the Valmieren resistance utilises magic for reproducing a propaganda sheet in order to avoid detection by the occupying authorities. The result of this magical duplication is readable, but the ink smudges easily as it was produced without the aid of a power point or an experienced mage.

Magical Items in the Darkness series [ ] Crystals: Described as smooth spheres of glass, crystals are imbued with spells which allow them to be used for communication, and thus take the place of in the world. Cinema 4d R14 64 Bit Crack. If operated away from a power point or ley line, they require regular recharging by some other means, which in one instance in the series involves the sacrifice of captive humans for their life energy which is used to power the crystal. Crystals can operate as videophones, showing an image of the person at the other end, as well as in audio-only mode. The emanations by which speech and images are transmitted between them are subject to interception by other mages, something at the forefront of the minds of most military planners in the series. Eggs: The name given to the Derlavaian equivalent of bombs and shells, eggs are thin metal shells filled with magical energy which burst, or explode, when they impact a target or are triggered by an appropriate spell. A variety of uses for eggs are seen in the series. Armies launch them like shells from magically powered 'egg-tossers', which may be standalone devices or mounted on ley-line ships or behemoths.

Dragons can carry eggs beneath their bellies for their fliers to drop on enemy forces or cities. Eggs may also be buried in the ground and enchanted to explode like if they sense pressure, or can be buried along ley lines and set to explode if a ley line caravan passes over them, which simultaneously destroys the caravan and overloads the ley line's controlling spells. Leviathan riders also use eggs for mining enemy ships. Later in the series, the Algarvian army develops a hand held egg which can be thrown like a hand grenade; these eggs are encased in small pottery sugar bowls rather than metal shells.

Sticks: Sticks are the analogue to guns in the world of Derlavai. A stick emits a beam of energy which leaves behind a sharp scent like that of a nearby lightning strike. A soldier's stick is a large device and is activated when bare flesh such as an uncovered finger is inserted into its 'blazing hole'. The beam from a soldier's stick can burn a hole through a person with little difficulty, although they are largely ineffective against dragons and behemoths, which are not only naturally tough but also armored or painted silver to reflect beams. Smaller sticks are seen owned by civilians for blazing vermin or hunting game, or used by constables. Larger sticks, known as heavy sticks, are carried by behemoths on the battlefield, and can blaze through several men, another behemoth's armor or even take down dragons.

Even larger heavy sticks can be used as fixed installations on the ground, used for air and sea defense, and carried on ley-line warships for use against ships, dragons and leviathans. Portable sticks used away from a power point or ley line require periodic recharging, which can be achieved in some unspecified way through the delivery of what is only described as 'charges' in supply wagons, or by the interventions of a mage drawing energy from a power point or sacrifice. Rest crates: in function, much like a refrigerator or freezer, only considerably more effective. Rest crates are often mentioned as an archetypal application of modern sorcery, based on a spell used by the ancient Kaunian Empire to paralyze enemy soldiers.

After counterspells were developed, it fell into disuse until modern systematic sorcery discovered that it operates by dramatically slowing the rate at which time affects objects under its influence. The rest crate, therefore, operates by slowing down the passage of time within its volume while its lid is shut. Food placed within it does not decay at a noticeable rate, but also requires no defrosting or other preparation before being used.

A variant on this technique is also used by medical mages, who can slow down people suffering from serious injury in order to give them time to perform surgery, or to transport the victim to a place of treatment. The Naantali Project [ ] The equivalent of the. The project included over a hundred mages working on a secret project for Kuusamo to create a new magical weapon. Due to the inability to hide their magical experiments, attempts were made by Algarve to disrupt it but this failed. At one point it is led by the viewpoint character. The weapon requires grandparent and grandchild rats, rabbits or any other living creatures.

Given the appropriate spells and mages able to perform them, the grandparent is pushed forward in time and the grandchild backward, killing them in the process and deriving enormous magical energy. Moreover, the mages themselves can deliver the energy to any target, by simply pointing out the spot on the globe.

The magic can also create a protective spell to defend a city and deflect the magical energy hurled against it. It is speculated that using humans may make a more powerful magical explosion.

Nations [ ] Turtledove depicts his nations as being analogous to real European nations, including as far as possible actual linguistic relationships. For example, the Derlavaian analogs of the are the Algarvic nations of Algarve, Sibiu, and Lagoas, but to confuse things somewhat, each uses names drawn from a different language. In addition, the vast majority of the individuals belonging to each language group share the same hair and eye color; Algarvic peoples have red hair and green eyes, Kaunian peoples have blond hair and blue eyes, and the Unkerlantic peoples and most others have dark hair and eyes.

Algarve [ ] The equivalent to, ruled by King Mezentio, who is analogous to. Algarve was defeated in the Six Years' War a generation ago, which was analogous to [ ], and forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Tartus. Mezentio and his generals have spent much time and energy in preparing for a revenge on all their foes - especially the Kaunians. Located in the center of the continent, Algarve's people are characterized as and green-eyed, given to flamboyancy in word and gesture, and its males exhibit manifest macho behavior. Their typical dress includes. To their enemies, Algarvians often seem arrogant and overbearing, and their conduct amply earns them the hatred of those who had the misfortune to live under their rule. While capable of great cruelty, Algarvians can also be quite generous on occasion; they doff their hats (sometimes literally) to an enemy whose conduct earned their grudging respect; and the same cultural traits which make them seem insufferably arrogant in victory also enable them to face adversity - even the certainty of imminent death - with admirable courage and fortitude.

Algarvian names are drawn from. Forthweg [ ] The equivalent to. [ ] Its people are dark-haired, stocky, bearded, and prone to wearing long tunics. Part of the Kaunian Empire many centuries ago, about one-tenth of the prewar population were blond ethnic Kaunians, the only people in Derlavai to speak classical Kaunian as a birth language. Previous to Six Years' War Forthweg was partitioned between Algarve and Unkerlant, but later gained independence after that war.

King Penda declared war on Algarve as part of the initial coalition against Algarve, but was attacked by both Algarve and Unkerlant and the country got re-partitioned; later, the whole is occupied by Algarve and at the end of the war is occupied by Unkerlant, which decides not to annex it outright but make it a satellite. Forthweg has a subtropical climate, with olive and citrus groves a prominent part of its agriculture.

Forthwegians and Kaunians alike are extremely fond of gathering mushrooms. Forthweg's largest city as well as its capital is Eoforwic. Forthwegian names are drawn from. Gyongyos [ ] The equivalent to. Located in far-western Derlavai, it is separated from Unkerlant by a vast mountain range. Its people are described as tall, broad, and muscular, with wirey blonde hair and beards, and are the only nation described as having varying eye colors. Names in their language come from.

It is ruled by an ekrekek (emperor) instead of a king; he is seen as a direct descendant of the stars and is the person with whom the stars commune. Their religion is different from that of all other nations, distinguished by worship of the stars (those upon whom the stars shine are blessed, while those who are denied their light are cursed) and a very strong taboo against eating of the flesh of. Gyongyos and Kuusamo had been fighting a war over possession of islands in the Bothenian Ocean when the Derlavian War broke out. In the second year of the war, Gyongyos attacked Unkerlant from the west, but never threatened the Unkerlant homeland in the same way Algarve did, partly because Unkerlant stretches a 'fourth of the way around the world' and the valleys that Gyongyos seizes are very sparsely populated. For several years, the Kuusamans made slow headway against Gyongyos in the Bothenian theater, capturing several key islands. In the sixth year of the war, Kuusaman magic destroyed the island of Becsehely; Gyongyosian prisoners of war watched the display, but could not convince the ekrekek's government to capitulate. Kuusamo responded with a magic attack on the capital, killing the ekrekek and forcing the horrified and demoralised Gyongyosians into surrender.

Another contributing factor to their ultimate defeat was the simultaneous invasion of Gyongyos by Unkerlant, a move analogous to the 1945. [ ] Jelgava [ ] The equivalent of and.

[ ] Jelgava is portrayed as a smaller nation closely akin to Valmiera in language, ethnicity, and culture, and possesses colonies in Siaulia. Jelgava is dominated by an oppressive and reactionary aristocracy, and is ruled by the odious King Donalitu who was replaced by Algarvian King Mezentio's brother when the nation was occupied by Algarve (in this case, based more closely on the than on World War II). Jelgava has a subtropical climate where olives and oranges grow, and is separated from the rest of the continent by a high mountain chain. The capital of Jelgava is Balvi. Kuusamo [ ] The equivalent of the. It occupies most of the island it shares with Lagoas.

Its people are in appearance and are deliberate and low-key in their work, and names in their language are taken from. The Kuusamans are proud of their heritage of having been in their land before the Kaunians and the Lagoans came; a chant to this effect is recited as a ceremony before classes and before spells. Instead of a king, Kuusamo is ruled by seven hereditary princes who share power between each other. The largest city is Yliharma.

Kuusamo was involved in a war with Gyongyos over the possession of islands in the Bothenian Ocean when the Derlavian War started; they stayed neutral until the second year of the war, when Kuusamo declared war against Algarve over the massacre of Kaunians for their life force. The Algarvians retaliated with a magic strike against the capital city, killing two of the Seven Princes and destroying the princely palace in the city. Kuusaman sorcerers succeed in discovering a new method of magical energy release, first using it to counter Algarve's murder-fueled spells, and eventually, a more powerful version of the spell is used to destroy the capital of Gyongyos. Unlike in the historical World War II, the Kuusamans first demonstrate the power of the weapon for Gyongyosian captives (who are then released) but the Gyongyosian government refuses to believe in the demonstration and the spell is used to devastating effect. Lagoas [ ] The equivalent of, with names drawn from. [ ] Its capital is Setubal and it is ruled by King Vitor.

It and Kuusamo share a large island off of the southeast coast of Derlavai, which is described as being considerably larger than Algarve. Its people are also Algarvic in blood and mannerisms - red-haired and wearing kilts like Algarvians - which is sometimes startling for other members of other peoples who had learned to hate Algarvians. Lagoans are, however, unique in the habit of tying their hair in ponytails - which Algarvians do not, and many of them have noticeable Kuusaman ancestry, including the viewpoint character. Lagoas joined the war against Algarve when Sibiu was invaded and underwent several air attacks from Algarvian dragons based in Valmiera. Lagoan and Kuusaman forces invaded Derlavai from the east in the fifth year of the war under the command of Kuusaman Grand General Nortano. Lagoas capital, Setubal, is described as being the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan city in the world. This is due in part to Setubal sitting at the confluence of more ley lines than any other city.

Setubal has an extensive public transportation network and is described as having many unusually tall buildings. Ortah [ ] The equivalent of. [ ] Isolationist, mountainous, and protected by swamps - its people are generally left alone on the political stage. Ortah is sandwiched between Algarve and Unkerlant.

As a result, Ortah is invaded near the end of the war, and ends up an Unkerlanter satellite like Forthweg and Yanina. The people of Ortah are supposed to be related to the Ice People, and their language is similar to theirs, in both cases drawn from.

[ ] Sibiu [ ] Equivalent to, and the. [ ] It is an island chain nation off of the southern coast of Derlavai. Its people are Algarvic in blood, but it allies against Algarve. Sibiu, a member of the initial coalition, was overrun in a surprise attack by Algarve in the first year of the war, and freed in the third year of the war. It is mentioned that some 300 to 250 years in the past Sibiu fought a with Lagoas, over trade and control of the sea.

Sibiu is named after a. [ ] The capital of Sibiu is Tirgoviste. Sibian names are drawn from. Unkerlant [ ] The equivalent to the. It occupies nearly all of the western part of Derlavai. Ethnic Unkerlanters are dark-haired and stocky, clean-shaven, and wear long tunics (the tendency to be clean-shaven being what distinguishes them from the Forthwegians), but Unkerlant is apparently home to ethnic minorities such as the people of the Mamming Hills in the south, who look 'more like Kuusamans than anything else.'

Its people are brutally treated by the paranoid and ruthless King Swemmel, analogous to. Swemmel is a hard, suspicious man who is fond of boiling his enemies alive. Swemmel defeated his brother Kyot in the Twinking's War, the equivalent to the, shortly after the Six Years' War. The capital of Unkerlant is Cottbus. Names in Unkerlant are of or pseudo-German origin. Valmiera [ ] Equivalent to.

It is located on the southeastern section of Derlavai. Its people are descendants of the ancient Kaunian Empire and as such are slim, blonde and blue-eyed and their dress is typically trousers and tunics. Valmiera was one of the states which declared war on Algarve in the first year of the war.

The Algarvian offensive in the spring of the second year led to the defeat and occupation of the country. Activities of the Valmieran Resistance under the occupation, seen through the eyes of the character, are closely equivalent to the in, while the collaboration of most nobles and the Valmieran police with the occupiers resembles the regime. [ ] Kuusaian and Lagoan victors give the Valmierans a share in the spoils after the war is over.

Valmiera's capital is Priekule, describes as a center of high culture. Yanina [ ] The equivalent of and Nazi Germany's other allies in general, although, strangely, their names are clearly (e.g., ). Allied with Algarve in the beginning of the war, its people are most noted for being incompetent militarily, though individual soldiers and dragon flyers sometimes show bravery. Also, Yanina has a colonial possession in the strategic Land of the Ice People, which it is unable to defend against Lagoas, and is being forced to pass effective conduct of the war there into the hands of the Algarvians.

However, in the last phase of the war, when the Unkerlanter/Soviet army approaches its border and the Yaninan King quickly changes sides. The pom-poms which Yaninans wear on their shoes are the source of constant ridicule by members of other nations. Yaninas are described as being small, swarthy, dark-haired, and big-nosed, somewhat like Unkerlanters but shorter and less stocky. They share with the Algarvians a love for ostentatious mustaches and macho behavior; arguing is semi-humorously considered the national sport.

The capital city is. Zuwayza [ ] The equivalent of. Located on a on the far northern part of Derlavai.

Due to the hot climate, the people of Zuwayza typically go nude except for jewelry, sandals, and broad-brimmed hats. They are described as very dark-skinned, and Zuwayzin names are taken from. [ ] The Zuwayzi are known to use when fighting. Zuwayza was once ruled directly by Unkerlant but gained independence after the Six Years' War. Unkerlant attacked Zuwayza in the first year of the war and gained territory.

In retaliation, Zuwayza allied with Algarve against Unkerlant. When Algarve was driven back, Zuwayza was forced to sign a separate peace, allowing Unkerlant great advantages, but preserving its independence. The Zuwayzin capital is Bishah. The Land of the Ice People [ ] The equivalent of located on an icy continent near the south pole. [ ] Ice People of both sexes have extensive body hair, on the order of primates.

Their language is represented by, as in Ortah. [ ] Ice People introduce themselves by describing their genealogy into the remote past ending by saying they are related to a god. Magic that works well in Derlavai will not work well in the Land of the Ice People; the Algarvians learned this to their disadvantage when they tried murdering Kaunians there. The Ice People are the only people known to worship gods, instead of spirits. The Duchy of Bari [ ] Roughly, the equivalent of the. [ ] Once the southern part of Algarve, it was politically separated at the conclusion of the Six-Year war and given independence under Duke Alardo.

Algarve's annexation of the region caused Valmiera, Forthweg, Jelgava, and Sibiu to attack, sparking the Derlavaian War. The Duchy of Grelz [ ] The equivalent of.

[ ] Located in the southern part of Derlavai. Its people are Unkerlanter but speak with a strong accent. While under Algarvian occupation, it is made into a puppet 'Kingdom of Grelz' and is ruled by Mezentio's cousin Raniero. Support for the foreign king is very mixed. The Marquisate of Rivaroli [ ] Equivalent of and the.

Dil Chura Liya Saathiya Mp3 Download. [ ] It is an area long disputed between Algarve and Valmiera, which was incorporated in the latter at the end of the Six Years' War. The people of Rivaroli have an Algarvian allegiance, revolting upon the approach of the Algarvian army in the early part of the war - for which they pay dearly at the war's end, being expelled en masse by the Valmierans. Kaunians [ ] Kaunians are both equivalents of the and Jews.

Kaunians are characterised as on the slender and tall side, with fair skin and blonde hair. Kaunians face suspicion and prejudice, a separate and vaguely detested minority in many nations. Kaunian names (including those in Valmiera and Jelgava) are drawn from the. Originally most of the continent was covered by the Kaunian Empire. When the Kaunian Empire fell thanks to the 'Algarvian Irruption' - analogous to the - the Kaunians remained the dominant cultural and ethnic group in Eastern Derlavai. First they lived in independent city states and small principalities which later coalesced into the successor-states Jelgava and Valmiera. Jelgavan and Valmieran have developed to the point that their speakers don't understand the classical language unless they study it especially.

Ancient Kaunian is a language of many tenses and verb forms, [ ] which makes for a language of precision. Kaunians bring this precision into play when they switch to a more modern language, generally to the disdain of others.

In the parts of Lagoas and Kuusamo which were part of the empire, Kaunians disappeared completely. In the more westward parts of the continent, in contrast, Kaunians became an ethnic minority in countries formed by the invading 'barbarians': maintaining a distinct and largely separate minority culture, keeping the ancient language in more or less its original form as their daily speech, clinging to the short tunics and trousers common in the days of Empire, and frowning at the idea of mixed marriages. The wearing of trousers by the Kaunian women tends to be a distraction for other peoples, as the tight pants reveal more than the more modern knee-length tunics do. This often results in Kaunian women being regarded as sexually promiscuous - a widespread which is deliberately used by King Mezentio in fomenting hatred of Kaunians. In Algarve itself, Kaunians seem, already for several generations, to be deeply assimilated in the surrounding society.

They speak Algarvian, wear kilts, call themselves by Algarvian names, and their males have Algarvian-style moustaches and behave in the blatant macho way encouraged by Algarvian culture. Until their persecutions started, there were prominent Kaunian scholars at the University of Trapani. What happens to the Kaunians in the Darkness series is the equivalent to the, where Kaunians under Algarvian control are systematically stripped of their rights and violence against them is ignored by the authorities. Eventually, Algarve, facing a desperate stalemate against Unkerlant, begins slaughtering Kaunians en masse to fuel vast quantities of death-energy-powered sorcery in an attempt to break the impasse.

Mezentio's official aim is not to exterminate Kaunians but to win the war, thus Kaunians are provided with adequate food to keep them alive until they need to be sacrificed for the war effort. Unkerlant responds to these magical attacks by sacrificing their own people to attack Algarve in the same way.

Many Kaunians do not die without any resistance. The remaining Kaunians in Eoforwic join in the uprising in the city which is the equivalent to the. Other Kaunians use magic to make themselves look like everyone else and are able to hide in plain sight. Late in the war, as they got desperate, and as it became obvious to the Algarvians that non-Kaunians were now far more of a worry than the thoroughly cowed blonds, the Algarvians began to display a somewhat more pragmatic, open attitude toward the Kaunians. They allowed Valmierans and Jelgavans to join their army, and they played an important role on the southern front against the Unkerlanters and in Jelgava. Their mages still defaulted toward wanting to kill Kaunians out of habit, including the soldiers fighting on their side, but Algarvian officers increasingly refused to allow this, leading the mages to turn to killing Yaninan deserters or turning to other magics. Viewpoint characters [ ].

• ^ (1999)... Retrieved 2009-06-19. • ^ Ian Nichols (2003)... Retrieved 2009-06-19. • ^ Paul Hanley (January 10, 2005).. SF Crowsnest.com. Archived from on July 5, 2008.

Retrieved 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2009-06-19.

Retrieved 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2009-06-19. • ^ Steven H Silver.. Retrieved 2009-06-19. • Paul Hanley (January 10, 2005).. SF Crowsnest.net.

Archived from on May 27, 2008. Retrieved 2009-06-19. Meagher (August 29, 2000)... Retrieved 2009-06-19. External links [ ] • on official website.