The Books of Elita Series by Kate Jacoby

The first book in Kate Jacoby's epic fantasy series, the Books of Elita.Robert Douglas, Earl of Dunlorn, returns to Lusara after three years of self-imposed exile, to find his country trapped in the tyranny of the Guilde. While the people cry out for a saviour, events are unfolding that will determine the fate not just of Lusara, but of the whole world... moreThe first book in Kate Jacoby's epic fantasy series, the Books of Elita.Robert Douglas, Earl of Dunlorn, returns to Lusara after three years of self-imposed exile, to find his country trapped in the tyranny of the Guilde. While the people cry out for a saviour, events are unfolding that will determine the fate not just of Lusara, but of the whole world. Now Robert, possessed of powers of sorcery greater than any before him, must struggle against his conscience, for though he has sworn never to oppose the usurper King, he can no longer watch his homeland being destroyed. less

Jacoby's fantasy sequence, the Books of Elita, has an attractive sense of the difficulties of reclaiming lost knowledge and of the sheer fag of getting around a medieval landscape on horseback and on foot. She neatly balances her hero's sense of honour--he has sworn not to oppose a foreign usurper--and his sense of duty to oppressed people; Robert has also to cope with the problems of massive sorcerous power and the temptations to use it... moreJacoby's fantasy sequence, the Books of Elita, has an attractive sense of the difficulties of reclaiming lost knowledge and of the sheer fag of getting around a medieval landscape on horseback and on foot. She neatly balances her hero's sense of honour--he has sworn not to oppose a foreign usurper--and his sense of duty to oppressed people; Robert has also to cope with the problems of massive sorcerous power and the temptations to use it. Meanwhile, the usurper Selah constantly pushes his luck and others' loyalty; the young witch Jenn explores her powers, and the hidden villain, Nash, the King's smiling confidant, who is older than he looks, pursues his own agendas and desires. Jacoby has a good eye for the physicalities of her set pieces--sieges, escapes, sorcerous duels--but is also sensitive to emotions, particularly those of an older generation who feel betrayed by children with radically different values and priorities. This is a world in which there are no good choices and in which the most overwhelming presence is that of regret; for reasons that the characters will never know, an earlier generation largely abandoned magic and the knowledge of magic in the false belief that this would solve the world's problems. --Roz Kaveney less

The third book in Kate Jacoby's epic fantasy series, the Books of Elita.The sorcerer Nash, grievously wounded by Robert Douglas when he wielded the Word of Destruction, destroyed the evil Malachi and razed Elita almost to the ground, has spent years rebuilding his strength and increasing the unholy Bond that binds the usurper King Selar ever closer to him... moreThe third book in Kate Jacoby's epic fantasy series, the Books of Elita.The sorcerer Nash, grievously wounded by Robert Douglas when he wielded the Word of Destruction, destroyed the evil Malachi and razed Elita almost to the ground, has spent years rebuilding his strength and increasing the unholy Bond that binds the usurper King Selar ever closer to him. Jenn, though kept virtual prisoner by Eachern, her brutish husband, has had the solace of her son Andrew as he grows ever more in his father's image. But times are changing: Selar plots to spread his iron rule even further, coveting Mayenne, his brother's kingdom. Eachern plots to send Andrew from his mother so he can subdue his young, unwilling bride even more . . . and Robert plots to raise an army and free his beloved country from the dual threat of Selar and Nash, the Angel of Darkness. The Books of Elita combine magic, politics and romance in a magnificent tale of betrayal and revenge. less

The fourth book in Kate Jacoby's epic fantasy series, the Books of Elita.Nash, the Angel of Darkness, continues his mission to claim the entire world as his own. Only Robert, Jenn and their son can stand between Nash's awesome powers of darkness and complete annihilation – but can they put aside their own bitter feuds and work together after all the betrayals that had gone before?

The final book in Kate Jacoby's epic fantasy series, the Books of Elita.For years the Enclave has hidden the Salti Pazar, those gifted with magical powers, from the eyes of those who would wish to see them all destroyed. But now the mountain community has been revealed and its sorcerers must scatter across Lusara. The Enemy, Robert Douglas, the greatest sorcerer Lusara has ever known, brought together two magical artefacts, hoping for enlightenment and power... moreThe final book in Kate Jacoby's epic fantasy series, the Books of Elita.For years the Enclave has hidden the Salti Pazar, those gifted with magical powers, from the eyes of those who would wish to see them all destroyed. But now the mountain community has been revealed and its sorcerers must scatter across Lusara. The Enemy, Robert Douglas, the greatest sorcerer Lusara has ever known, brought together two magical artefacts, hoping for enlightenment and power. Instead, as he struggles for control, Jenn, leader of the Salti Pazar, must save her people. Lusara's greatest threat, the ages-old sorcerer known as the Angel of Darkness, has found them in their mountain fortress. After twenty-five years of tyranny, Lusara is finally boiling over into rebellion, not just against the evil King Kenrick, but also against the fully regenerated Nash, the Angel of Darkness . . . less