Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Infobox novel series |
{{Infobox novel series |
||
| name = Chronicles of Ancient Darkness |
| name = Chronicles of Ancient Darkness |
||
| books = [[Wolf Brother]]<br />[[Spirit Walker (novel)|Spirit Walker]]<br/>[[Soul Eater (novel)|Soul Eater]] <br />[[Outcast (Michelle Paver novel)|Outcast]]<br />[[Oath Breaker (novel)|Oath Breaker]]<br />[[Ghost Hunter ( |
| books = [[Wolf Brother]]<br />[[Spirit Walker (novel)|Spirit Walker]]<br/>[[Soul Eater (novel)|Soul Eater]] <br />[[Outcast (Michelle Paver novel)|Outcast]]<br />[[Oath Breaker (novel)|Oath Breaker]]<br />[[Ghost Hunter (book)|Ghost Hunter]] |
||
| image = [[Image:429px-Series.jpg|200px]] |
| image = [[Image:429px-Series.jpg|200px]] |
||
| image_caption = The six books that make up the series |
| image_caption = The six books that make up the series |
||
| Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
===Ghost Hunter=== |
===Ghost Hunter=== |
||
{{Main|Ghost Hunter (book)}} |
|||
The Eagle Owl Mage, Eostra, sends a shadow sickness among the clans, and makes her owl kill one of Wolf's cubs and fly off with another. Renn and Torak venture to the Mountain of Ghosts with a grieving Wolf to stop Eostra from killing all life in the forest. When Renn injures her leg because of Eostra's demon dogs, Torak leaves without her: when she has recovered, she goes after him, furious. Torak is captured by a strange boy named Dark who has been cast out by his clan. After much pleading, Dark releases Torak and ventures with him to the Mountain of Ghosts. There they meet Renn, who had stopped to rescue Darkfur, who had gone miles in the snow with an infected wound to rescue her last cub. They find Eostra summoning the ghosts of the dead Soul Eaters, including Torak's father. The Walker, who appeared insane when Torak and Renn previously met him in Wolf Brother, arrives and reveals himself to be Narrander, the seventh Soul Eater thought to have been killed in a great fire years before. Narrander summons the Hidden People to cause a rockfall. Eostra falls into a crevice, pulling Torak with her. Shortly afterwards, Wolf finds Torak's body and forces Torak's spirit to re-enter it. Renn, Dark, Rip and Rek reunite with Torak and Wolf. Three months later, Dark is named the new Raven Mage, and, after saying goodbye to Fin-Kedinn and promising to return one day, Torak and Renn continue on their travels with Wolf, Darkfur, the surviving cub Pebble, and ravens Rip and Rek. |
The Eagle Owl Mage, Eostra, sends a shadow sickness among the clans, and makes her owl kill one of Wolf's cubs and fly off with another. Renn and Torak venture to the Mountain of Ghosts with a grieving Wolf to stop Eostra from killing all life in the forest. When Renn injures her leg because of Eostra's demon dogs, Torak leaves without her: when she has recovered, she goes after him, furious. Torak is captured by a strange boy named Dark who has been cast out by his clan. After much pleading, Dark releases Torak and ventures with him to the Mountain of Ghosts. There they meet Renn, who had stopped to rescue Darkfur, who had gone miles in the snow with an infected wound to rescue her last cub. They find Eostra summoning the ghosts of the dead Soul Eaters, including Torak's father. The Walker, who appeared insane when Torak and Renn previously met him in Wolf Brother, arrives and reveals himself to be Narrander, the seventh Soul Eater thought to have been killed in a great fire years before. Narrander summons the Hidden People to cause a rockfall. Eostra falls into a crevice, pulling Torak with her. Shortly afterwards, Wolf finds Torak's body and forces Torak's spirit to re-enter it. Renn, Dark, Rip and Rek reunite with Torak and Wolf. Three months later, Dark is named the new Raven Mage, and, after saying goodbye to Fin-Kedinn and promising to return one day, Torak and Renn continue on their travels with Wolf, Darkfur, the surviving cub Pebble, and ravens Rip and Rek. |
||
Revision as of 21:23, 15 April 2011
 The six books that make up the series | |
Wolf Brother Spirit Walker Soul Eater Outcast Oath Breaker Ghost Hunter | |
| Author | Michelle Paver |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Orion |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback & Audiobook) |
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness is a series of six fantasy books British author Michelle Paver, her first books for children.[1] The books chronicle the adventures of Torak, an adolescent boy from the Wolf Clan, and his friends Renn and Wolf. The main story arc revolves around Torak and his quest to defeat the Soul Eaters, a group of evil clan mages who seek out to destroy all life in the forest.
Since the May 30, 2004 release of the first book in the series, Wolf Brother, the series has gained critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide. Wolf Brother became a national bestseller in the United States, and the rights to the series were bought by 20th Century Fox to be made into major motion pictures.
The books are set 6000 years ago in the pre-agricultural Stone Age. The main character, Torak, alone in the world, soon meets a lone wolf cub, Wolf, with whom he can communicate (having spent around three months in a wolf den as a baby). A girl named Renn, who is part of the Raven Clan, soon befriends them and supports them throughout the series. Torak's quest, along with Renn and Wolf, is to defeat the Soul Eaters, a group of former clan mages who have turned to evil, and who seek to control the forest.[2]
The series consists of six books, first published between 2004 and 2009.
Main characters
Torak, the protagonist, comes into the story as a naive, defensive, and estranged boy of twelve and leaves at the age of fifteen or sixteen. Over the course of the novels, he acquires several spiritual titles, including "Spirit Walker", and "Soul Eater": this last title causes numerous difficulties. He is slow to mature emotionally, but from the fourth book on he is described as taller and becoming more muscular, in a sharp contrast to the short, scrawny boy he was in the first three books. He is protective of Renn in the later books, which often annoys and frustrates her.
Renn, the niece of the Raven Clan's leader, Fin-Kedinn. She is the same age as Torak. She is described as slim and small, though in the first few books, before Torak grows, she is taller than he is. She is strong and expert in archery. She has been estranged all her life because of her eerie skill with magic, and is unkind, antagonistic, and suspicious of everyone. She is tough and courageous, saving Torak's life several times. She is also less impulsive and more clear-headed than Torak. She matures much faster than Torak, and is often frustrated by his seeming thoughtlessness.
Wolf, a grey wolf, Torak's guide and adoptive brother. He grows from a wobbly cub to a young adult over the course of around a year, but stays with Torak and Renn throughout the series of books. As a cub he is black, but he matures to a strong, steely grey tinged with red, with black about the shoulders. He has amber-golden eyes, which are unusually clear and wise, even as a cub. At first he hates Renn intensely, and in the chapters that are from his point of view, he refers to her as the "female tailless" (his word for humans) or "bad female tailless": as he develops affection to her, he begins to call her "pack-sister". The author gives him an unusual vocabulary which often describes exactly what things are.
Story
Wolf Brother
Torak is twelve years old when his father is killed by a bear possessed by a demon. As he is dying, he tells Torak to swear to find the Mountain of the World Spirit and ask for the Spirit's help in destroying the bear. On his journey he encounters Wolf, a lone wolf cub whose family is killed by a flash flood. Wolf becomes Torak's guide. Torak and Wolf are captured by the Raven Clan; they are befriended by Renn, the prickly and outspoken niece of the clan's leader Fin-Kedinn. Torak appears to be the fulfilment of a prophecy about a "listener" who will give his heart's blood to the mountain of the world spirit, kill the bear and defy the Soul Eaters, a group of erstwhile mages who once were called the healers but then turned to evil and are trying to take power over the forest. Together Torak, Wolf and Renn journey to the Mountain, collecting the three parts of the Nanuak that Torak needs to offer to the World Spirit. Renn's brother Hord follows Torak. At the Mountain, as the bear gets closer, Torak and Hord fight. Wolf runs off, taking the Nanuak to the mountain, as Hord and the bear are killed in an avalanche. Wolf leaves to join a pack of wolves and Torak returns to the Raven Clan.
Spirit Walker
The clans fall prey to a stalking sickness. Torak embarks on a search for a cure, which takes him to mysterious islands where the Seal Clan live. The Seal Mage, Tenris, promises to help him make a remedy. Torak meets a Seal Clan boy named Bale, who later becomes his friend. While on the island, Torak discovers that he is a spirit walker: his souls can move into other creatures, allowing him to feel and think as they do, but still remain himself. Tenris is not as helpful as he originally seemed: he is one of the Soul Eaters and plans to increase his powers by eating Torak's heart and becoming a spirit walker. Torak finds out that Tenris was actually his uncle. As Tenris is about to kill Torak, Renn wounds Tenris, allowing Torak to escape. Tenris is killed by a killer whale. Eventually, they discover the reason for the mysterious sickness. It's because Tenris sent tokoroth to poison juniper berries.Tokoroth are demon possessed children.
Soul Eater
In their desire to subjugate all the clans, the Soul Eaters have captured a range of hunting animals - including Wolf - which they will sacrifice to unleash demons. They plan to control the demons with a fire opal. Torak and Renn make a dangerous journey across the frozen wilderness into the Far North to rescue Wolf; their friendship is tested to the limits and they become separated. They escape, but not before the Soul Eaters brand Torak against his will as one of them. Renn, meanwhile, has possession of the fire-opal and is about to sacrifice herself to destroy it. Nef, one of the Soul Eaters, saves her and sacrifices herself instead, to repay Torak's father for a favour he once did her. Fin-Kedinn and some of the Raven Clan make the journey North and save Renn and Torak, and bring them back home.
Outcast
After the secret of his Soul Eater mark is discovered, Torak is cast out by the clans, though Renn fiercely and furiously does all she can to stop it. Bale, who has travelled to the forests from his island in the sea, teams up with Renn to go after him: Renn helps him and then both Renn and Bale follow him as Torak wanders, suffering from insanity. Renn and Bale fight along the way, as Bale treats Renn condescendingly because of his beliefs about women, and he is confused about how strong and insistent Renn is. Renn sends help to Torak in the form of two ravens, which Torak has named Rip and Rek. While Torak is recovering his reason, Seshru the Viper Mage, a Soul Eater, uses her powers to draw him to her so she can control him. Renn and Bale together defy clan law by trying to help Torak. Seshru is revealed to be Renn's mother. Torak shows the clans that destroying him will not help them in their struggle against the Soul Eaters, and they accept him back. Fin-kedinn makes torak his foster son. Renn is about to kill Seshru, but Bale steals her bow and kills Seshru himself, because Renn would be tainted if she killed her own mother. Fin-kedinn changes toraks outcast tattoo , making him part of all types of clans.
Oath Breaker
Bale is murdered by Thiazzi the Oak Mage, who then takes the final piece of the fire opal. Torak vows to avenge Bale's death, and with Renn, Wolf and Fin-Kedinn follows Thiazzi into the Deep Forest where the Forest Horse and Auroch (sic) Clans are at war. As Torak, Renn and Fin-Kedinn are about to enter the Deep Forest, Fin-Kedinn is injured and turns back. Torak and Renn discover that Thiazzi is controlling the Deep Forest clans by impersonating their mages. A forest fire takes hold and Torak and Renn are separated. Torak finds his way to Thiazzi, while Renn is kidnapped by a Deep Forest tribe. She defies the tribe and their belief that women can't be mages, by insisting that she is a mage and showing them her bond with Wolf and the ravens, Rip and Rek. She is then kidnapped by Thiazzi and imprisoned in a giant, hollow tree, where she cuts herself free in time to avoid choking on smoke. She climbs to the top, from where she sees Torak fighting Thiazzi. She throws a burning brand of wood to Torak, and a burning ember sets fire to Thiazzi's hair. He falls to his death as Eostra's Eagle Owl snatches the fire opal from the Oak Mage. Many months later, Wolf and his mate Darkfur show Torak and Renn their new cubs.
Ghost Hunter
The Eagle Owl Mage, Eostra, sends a shadow sickness among the clans, and makes her owl kill one of Wolf's cubs and fly off with another. Renn and Torak venture to the Mountain of Ghosts with a grieving Wolf to stop Eostra from killing all life in the forest. When Renn injures her leg because of Eostra's demon dogs, Torak leaves without her: when she has recovered, she goes after him, furious. Torak is captured by a strange boy named Dark who has been cast out by his clan. After much pleading, Dark releases Torak and ventures with him to the Mountain of Ghosts. There they meet Renn, who had stopped to rescue Darkfur, who had gone miles in the snow with an infected wound to rescue her last cub. They find Eostra summoning the ghosts of the dead Soul Eaters, including Torak's father. The Walker, who appeared insane when Torak and Renn previously met him in Wolf Brother, arrives and reveals himself to be Narrander, the seventh Soul Eater thought to have been killed in a great fire years before. Narrander summons the Hidden People to cause a rockfall. Eostra falls into a crevice, pulling Torak with her. Shortly afterwards, Wolf finds Torak's body and forces Torak's spirit to re-enter it. Renn, Dark, Rip and Rek reunite with Torak and Wolf. Three months later, Dark is named the new Raven Mage, and, after saying goodbye to Fin-Kedinn and promising to return one day, Torak and Renn continue on their travels with Wolf, Darkfur, the surviving cub Pebble, and ravens Rip and Rek.
Two new possible series
In March 2007, in a question-and-answer session conducted on a fansite, Paver announced that there may be a prequel series to the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. She also said that she had not been able to give it much thought as she was too bound up with the story of Torak, Renn and Wolf.[3]
According to Surrey Life magazine in March 2010, Paver is currently working on a new series for the same readership as the Chronicles. She said "It will still be set in pre-history, but at a slightly later time and a different part of the world." She also revealed that a volcano would definitely come into it at some point.[4]
In November 2010, fanforum Chronicles of Ancient Darkness published the following announcement:
After months of speculation, we can finally tell Clanners that yes - there WILL be another BIG series by Michelle - and it will be published by Puffin Books! The new series will be called GODS AND WARRIORS. It's set during the Bronze Age in the Mediterranean, and Michelle has already begun work on it. "I've been overwhelmed by Puffin's passion for GODS & WARRIORS", says Michelle. "As a child, my bookshelf was crammed with Puffin paperbacks, and I'm thrilled that my next series will become part of that tradition."
Film rights
In 2004, 20th Century Fox purchased the rights to make feature films of the book series. The first book in the series, Wolf Brother, has been optioned from $250,000 against $1 million. The film series will be produced by Ridley Scott and Erin Upson. A script is in production, according to an answer to a fan letter.[5]
There has been no recent news in the past years on the production of the film.
References
- ^ "An Interview With Michelle Paver". The New York Times Sunday Book Review. July 15, 2007. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
- ^ "Author Interview - Michelle Paver". BookBrowse website. undated. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "The Clan - The Front Page". Torak.info. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- ^ "Wimbledon wanderer Michelle Paver, author of the best-selling Chronicles of Ancient Darkness". Surrey Life magazine. March 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
- ^ "The Clan - The Front Page". Torak.info. Retrieved 2010-07-26.