The Door Into Sunset

by Diane Duane

Book Overview

Only Freelorn, the banished Prince of Arlen, can rescue the dying land of Arlen from the usurper king and the evil that threatens it, by rediscovering a missing ritual, lost at the time of Freelorn's father's murder. Reprint. AB.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812514319
• ISBN13: 9780812514315
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

The Door into Sunset

This, the conclusion of The Tale of Five (or is it??) brings the fate of the dragons full circle. One is left wondering whatever happened to The Door into Starlight? A tale left unfinished is a sad thing.....

The White Lion Awakes

The Door Into Sunset (1993) is the third novel in the Tale of Five series, following The Door Into Shadow. In the previous volume, Segnbora loses her sword Charriselm within Glasscastle, but, in return, gains Skadhwe, the shadow blade of Queen Efmaer. Herewiss and Segnbora close Barachael Pass by dropping a mountain on it and then Eftgan and Freelorn shore up the failing Bonds at Bluepeak to hold back the Shadow. There, too, Segnbora finds her Flame, kills all the Fyrds, returns all Reavers and Darthenes to their homes, heals Freelorn's wound, and provides Hasai with a body. In this novel, Freelorn dreams true about his father and thus returns to Arlen alone from the south. Herewiss and Moris travel to Prydon, the capital of Arlen, as messengers for Queen Eftgan, carrying a declaration of war and showing Herewiss with the Flame. Segnbora and Hasai travel to the dragons to request their assistance. Eftgan and her levies travel to Prydon a short time later to make war. Freelorn begins to sense the land as he travels through southern Arlen in the disguise of a tinker. He finds mercenary soldiers everywhere, mostly well behaved, but oppressing the countrymen merely by their presence. He also finds a daughter who had been reported as dead and he continues to dream of the white beast. Herewiss is wined and dined in Prydon, not to mentioned poisoned and attacked in the Lionhall by a keplian. Intrigue is everywhere and very few of the 400 can be trusted, but somehow Herewiss is beginning to trust Cillmod, usurper of the throne. Moreover, the power behind the throne seems to be Rian, a sorcerer who does not believe in the Goddess but instead follows the Shadow. Segnbora and Hasai meet numerous other dragons, establish Segnbora's claim to dragonhood, and gain admittance to the Dweller, chief among the dragons. However, gaining assistance within the current century is beginning to look problematical. This novel takes the battle to Arlen. If Freelorn wins the throne, he and Eftgan can fully repair the Bonds. Otherwise, the Shadow wins everything. In regard to the mass wedding, keep in mind that most of the main characters have known Eftgan for many years and all have fought together and like each other. Since sharing is a social grace, a group marriage would seem to be a logical extension of the Goddess philosophy and, indeed, is shown earlier in the story. Moreover, this marriage is not just personal but also political, joining the rulers of Arlen and Darthen, as well as Brightwood. Thus, it stabilizes the succession, brings the two countries even closer together, and adds a reason for mutual celebration after a hard and bitter time. Highly recommended for Duane fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of sword and sorcery with great characters and devious machinations. -Arthur W. Jordin

Boy do I feel like a dip.

OK. Obviously she hasnt writen the rest of them yet. My ratings still a five and I reafirm every thing I wrote before. I strongly support the reader from Philo on "Starlight."

Door into Sunset was definitely worth the wait!

If you haven't read the first two "Door" books, make every effort to find and read them before reading this one. Although each can be read alone, you will have much fuller appreciation if you start at the beginning. It was worth waiting almost ten years for "Sunset". This series is my all time favorite! I hope at some point they will all be in print again. As usual, in Door Into Sunset, Diane weaves an inticate mythological tale, steeped in the knowledge that risking what our heart requires of us can bring pain but also transformation. She is a master storyteller with a delightfully devious mind. One of the things I most appreciate about this series is a worldview that is open to many variations of relationships. There is great joy as well as terror in this book, and I'm glad that joy wins out. After the way this ends, I'm anxious to see what further adventures are in store for Freelorn's band. Could we please have "Door into Starlight" before 2004?

Third in the series, and best yet!

Continuing the tale of Freelorn & friends' battle against the Shadow, this book has a consistently riveting storyline, and is one of Diane Duane's best works. A must-read that is alternately exciting and insightful, and a rousingly good story besides.