Traitor's Moon

Nightrunner, Book 3

By: Lynn Flewelling

Narrated by: Raymond Todd

Master spies Seregil and Alec are no strangers to peril. Their assignments, night running for wizards and nobles, have led them into many deadly situations. But sometimes the greatest danger can lurk beneath a traitor's moon.

Wounded heroes of a cataclysmic battle, Seregil and Alec have spent the past two years in self-imposed exile, far from their adopted homeland, Skala, and the bitter memories there. But as the war rages on, their time of peace is shattered by a desperate summons from Queen Idrilain, asking them to aid her daughter on a mission to Aurenen, the very land from which Seregil was exiled in his youth. Here, in this fabled realm of magic and honor, he must at last confront the demons of his dark past, even as Alec discovers an unimagined heritage. And caught between Skala's desperate need and the ancient intrigues of the Aurenfaie, they soon find themselves snared in a growing web of treachery and betrayal.

Don't miss the other volumes in Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series.©1999 Lynn Flewelling (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

Excellent story

The story worked extremely well with intricate details of politics and world building for the Night Runner series. I hope the rest of the series can have an equal portrayal complex characters and plots!

More then just a fantasy novel

Flewelling offers us a full flavored reading (or listening) experience. I absolutely loved this series.

With a great plot and unexpected twists, Traitor's Moon is a great book. But, we also get tragedy, characters or love (or hate), politics, and power plays. I have to make sure I listen on w weekend so my work isn't interrupted.

For those upset because there is sex or gay characters, get your books from a church or kids section. This is tame compared to most popular fiction out there.

Written by a fan

I have read all 3 books in the Nightrunner series, thought I'd try them in audio format, & I'm very glad I have. I found the mix of action & character development to be a good balance. The reader does an excellent job of conveying emotion, and I like the accents he employs to add variety. The relationship between the two main characters is more pronounced, but never very graphic. I highly recommend the book and the series to anyone enjoying a well developed fantasy world with strong character development.

A rushed mess

The series had a strong story but the story felt long yet rushed. Many aspects of relationships between characters were very rushed. Yet pages where nothing happens. The story is slow and boring for most of it. To many characters and names. The audio is well done.

Enjoyable Fantasy if sometimes too Slow

Lynn Flewelling's work clearly owes a great debt to the work of David Eddings. She even scatters character names from his novels throughout her work as a tribute to him. In book 2, you'll find an apothecary's apprentice named Durnik and in book 3, you'll find a person named Geran. From Eddings, she takes a very slow approach to the narrative, making sure that each plodding day of travel is described. This can be enjoyable or wearing, depending on the listener.

The best thing about the novels is the way Flewelling questions the assumptions about gender and sexuality that bedevil so much high fantasy. Eddings women always let the men do the fighting and the only heroic couples Eddings can imagine are male-female.

Like Mercedes Lackey, Flewelling has strong dynamic women warriors and men who can both wield a sword and love each other. It makes a refreshing change. I was curious about the other reviewers who were made unhappy by having a same-sex couple be at the heart of a fantasy novel.

Fantasy should challenge us to imagine wider and more wondrous worlds. Flewelling is doing great when it comes to characterization, gender, and sexuality, I only hope that she learns to practice a bit more brevity as she develops as a writer.

Disapointment

I really enjoyed the first two books in the series but wasn't able to enjoy this one as much. The homosexual love affair between the main characters was a bit repellant to me. I guess I get too involved with the characters and want to identify with them but as I'm heterosexual the homosexuality sort of spoils it for me.

Ok but slow

I have enjoyed the two previous Nightstalker books. Well, once I got used to the narrator's eccentricities and limited vocabulary. His pronunciation of debacle is a total tongue twister and he's never obviously stood on a quay before. That aside, the first two books were cheerful romps through an colourful world, populated by interesting characters, with some truly bizarre names. Unfortunately, this third instalment, went away from this and bogged itself down in a political tale and the description of a culture. When the characters complain of their boredom and chaff under inactivity, I could only sympathise. I will still read the fourth instalment when its comes out in the hope that it will represent a return to night running.

I found it compelling and absorbing

Would you consider the audio edition of Traitor's Moon to be better than the print version?

I've not read the series, but enjoyed the listen.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tough question, with the standard two hero types - a cynical experienced older guide, and a novice/apprentice being taught how to deal with the world as imagined by the author. The narration switches between the two, and my alliegance switches with it.

What does Raymond Todd bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His voice has merged entirely into the background of the story for me - which is just about as good as it gets!

Any additional comments?

I was sorry to hear the series draw to a conclusion, with no obvious dangling threads to draw me on.

Recommended reading

I just love the night runner . Have them all in paperback. Series beautifully written the love between Seregil and Alec is wonderful and now I have it all though Audible listening to Raymond Todd he brings it to life thank you so much Lynn flewelling . 😇 Hoping there will be more in the future .

Thank you

I’m going to read all the books!!!we listen to it all together at our house, which is just we two but we love the story thanks Lynn Flewelling.