The Walls of Air
- 304 pages
- 11 hours of reading
A whirlwind fantasy classic set in the richest world imaginable, with unforgettable characters and the highest stakes - The Walls of Air is the second book in Barbara Hambly's epic Darwath Trilogy.
Barbara Hambly possesses a masterful way of spinning stories that range from fantasy to historical fiction. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, and inventive devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own. Hambly has proven that it is possible to succeed as a writer, despite many claiming it was impossible.







A whirlwind fantasy classic set in the richest world imaginable, with unforgettable characters and the highest stakes - The Walls of Air is the second book in Barbara Hambly's epic Darwath Trilogy.
A whirlwind fantasy classic set in the richest world imaginable, with unforgettable characters and the highest stakes - The Armies of Daylight is the third and final book in Barbara Hambly's epic Darwath Trilogy.
The thundering conclusion to Barbara Hambly's landmark quartet, The Winterlands, Dragonstar is a riot of magic, demons and dragons that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
1840. When Eve Russell vanishes into thin air, her frantic parents call on free man of color Benjamin January for help. Did the teenager run away - or was she kidnapped? The answer lies in distant New York, a hotbed of new religions, of human circuses . and of dangerous slave traders. If January uncovers the truth, will he ever get home to tell it?
The summer of 1833 has been one of brazen heat and brutal pestilence, as the city is stalked by Bronze John - the popular name for the deadly cholera epidemic that tests the healing skills of doctor and voodoo alike. Benjamin January's Paris medical training keeps him all night long with the dying at Charity Hospital. Then his work as a music teacher takes him out again into the fetid, empty midday streets. Empty except for Cora Chouteau, a dark-skinned plantation waif come to town in search of her lover, sold in slavery to one of its prominent families. Though January's certain she's a runaway, he agrees to try to pass a message to the man she seeks. Soon, however, he learns that Cora is accused of murdering her lecherous master, Otis Redfern, and poisoning his wife almost to death. Yet it seems that Emily Redfern herself, iron-willed and socially ambitious, had cause to wish her profligate husband dead. And Cora, too - or so the girl insists.... Before Ben can unpick one story from the other, Cora disappears into the torrid night. Risking both his life and his freedom, Ben pursues the truth through a lush and fevered world of opulent town houses, grim cemeteries, and raucous taverns.
Entering Texas, the "Slaveholders' Republic", in 1840 as a black man is a risky business. They are putting their life at risk, which is exactly what Benjamin January needs to do when he is tasked with locating a kidnapped girl. During his search he is saved from the noose by the wife of a wealthy ranch owner, who soon needs January's help herself.
New Orleans, 1840. Benjamin January has little use for politicians, but when a giant rally is planned to stir up support for the Whig presidential candidate, he finds himself intrigued. Trouble is brewing though, both political and romantic, and soon January finds himself investigating a murder ... with an innocent woman's life on the line.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1835 New Orleans during Mardi Gras, the story follows Benjamin January, a free man of color who becomes embroiled in a dangerous plot after rescuing impresario Lorenzo Belaggio from an attack. The controversial operatic adaptation of Othello raises tensions among local citizens, leading January into a web of intrigue fueled by love, jealousy, and ambition. As he navigates the perilous landscape, he must uncover the truth behind the violence threatening both the production and his life.
While chaos reigned in the Eastern Lands, the Keep of Dare stood as a bastion against war and bandits and the spawn of unnatural sorceries. Then twin blows rocked the citadel: the fearsome Alketch army mounted siege, even as young Prince Tir was snatched from the heart of the Keep. Behind the terror was the depraved, hook-handed general Vair na-Chandros. He had learned that the royal child possessed forbidden wisdom: a secret with which the bloodthirsty Vair intended to conquer the world. One single man posed a threat to Vair's vaunting ambition: the legendary warrior known as the Icefalcon. Banished by his own people and scorned as a barbarian by others, only he could hope to free the boy from Vair's clutches. With his sister Cold Death--a sorcerer whose magic was as sharp as her tongue--the Icefalcon embarked on a dangerous mission of rescue and redemption. Braving nightmare demons and the endless hordes of Vair's inhuman soldiers, he shadowed Vair and his small captive beyond the reaches of the known world. And when the boy led Vair to the forgotten Keep of the Shadow at the End of Time, the Icefalcon would face his greatest battle . . . for his prince, for his honor, and for all eternity.
A rich and breath-taking fantasy classic full of whirlwind adventure, magic and dragons - Dragonsbane is the first book in Barbara Hambly's landmark epic quartet, The Winterlands.