The Ships of Merior

The Wars of Light and Shadow, Book 2

By: Janny Wurts

Narrated by: Colin Mace

A powerful, layered weaving of myth, prose and pure imagination – The Ships of Merior is book two in the epic fantasy series, The Wars of Light and Shadow.

The second volume of Janny Wurts's incomparable series following Arithon and Lysaer, two brothers forced to take opposite sides in a relentless conflict.

After defeating the malevolent fog that blighted Athera, Arithon and Lysaer battle the throes of the Mistwraith's insidious retribution: a curse set upon them at their moment of triumph compels them each to seek the other's downfall.

Lysaer, the charming and charismatic Lord of Light, drives his brother out of hiding and hounds Arithon with a massive army at his command. Meanwhile Arithon, Master of Shadow, the sensitive mage who prefers music to violence, must take to the seas to evade capture and strike back against Lysaer's mighty war host.

Locked into lifelong enmity, the brothers’ pursuit of each other's destruction will test the foundations of human morailty, even as threat to the world’s deepest magic rides on the outcome.

THE SHIPS OF MERIOR weaves a rich and complicated tapestry, bringing readers deeper into the mystical world of Athera. Striking a balance between epic scope and intricate subtlety, the Wars of Light and Shadow is a must-read series for readers of fantasy.

©1994 Janny Wurts (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers

A twisting fascinating tale with little in the way of genre tropes

I liked the character arc of the prince of shadow the most. I think the story somewhat suffers in that we cannot care as much for the prince of light knowing what we know. That feels by design though, must in part to push us to the cause of rhe underdog and maybe challenge us to not only share in his struggle but his compassion for his misled well intentioned brother. Long term I cannot know where this story is going, but I look forward to the pay off.