Review: one for the readers of LoTR and Pratchett type fantasy novels
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 9, 2013
Underworld (Dark Passage) M L WoolleyUnderworld is part 2 of the Dark Passage Series and is set for general release in January 2013. I was supplied with a copy by the author in return for an honest review.  I found this book incredibly intense, and as I hadn't read part one it took some time to work out what was happening and who the characters were and how they related to the story. Ivy, a 19 year old girl is a Chosen and needs to go into a sort of parallel realm called the Underworld to save her friends. The main focus seems to be on the age old good versus evil, light versus dark conundrum with Ivy being chosen to spearhead the war against the dark evil forces. It feels and if she's stumbling along blindly in parts as she has had certain skills all her life but nothing has prepared her for the enormity of the task she faces, and its very much learn as you go for her. It makes it easy to relate to her as an everyday person trying to do her best against forces she knows little of. I admired Ivy although at times I didn't understand her. She's loyal to her friends and trying her best to live up to something she's been plunged into without her consent. The story foes seem to jump from one crisis to another and often I hadn't really got to grips with what was happening when we were headlong into the next problem. I think if I'd read book one I'd have had a clearer picture of the world written about and maybe been better equipped to follow the plot. As it was I felt left behind much of the time, not knowing what had happened and what was going on.The physical descriptions of the lands are beautiful and its easy to imagine what the landscape looks like, and feel as though we're actually in there with Ivy. The dark forces though are very very dark and scary and poor Ivy is often scared - I like that, it makes her feel like a normal person not one of those heroines who are so capable they make the reader feel inadequate. Its good to have a heroine who struggles sometimes. Ivy's problematic background impacts on the way she behaves too, and she fights to get beyond the fears it has left her with.Its more fantasy in the LoTR, Eddings, Pratchett style than my usual urban fantasy and paranormal romance reading and its not a genre I favour and perhaps that's why I struggled with the story. The characters were good, and I enjoyed and could relate to the way their past problems impacted upon their current reactions. I just couldn't get into the actual plot lines and story itself. To be fair in the star rating I'm giving I feel I need to make it clear that although this book wasn't to my taste for those like Son No 1 who loves the above authors this book will probably appeal greatly. Its the second in a trilogy, and is certainly value for money in the complexity of the story and length of the book. Its definitely not a quick read but one to be savoured, and I'm sure if its the sort of novel you like you'll find more of interest on second and subsequent readings as its got so much incredible detail and drama.Stars: well only 3 from me but that's because its really not my sort of fantasy book but as I've said for lovers of Pratchett et all it'll probably be a 4 or 5 star book.