Illusion
core novel 1991 The World of Vonahr
Record
| First published | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.00 (1,592 ratings, collected 2026-10-28) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780575051386 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
In the kingdom of Vonahr, the Exalted class has ruled for centuries by virtue of its legendary magical gifts, indifferent to the misery of the common people, and revolution is in the air. Eliste vo Derrivale, a young provincial noblewoman, comes to the capital, Sherreen, to take her place at court as a lady-in-waiting to the queen. Then the old order collapses: in the reign of terror that follows, she is stripped of her rank, her home and her family, and must survive in a city where her birth has become a death sentence. Volsky draws on the French Revolution, with touches of other revolutions, for a romantic historical epic laced with magic.
Where it sits
- Universe: The World of Vonahr
- Series: The World of Vonahr core; position 1 of 5 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Paula Volsky
Awards (verified)
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 1992: finalist; Locus reader-poll placement; rank not confirmed.
Notes
- First published by Gollancz (London) in 1991; Bantam Spectra published it in the United States in 1992.
- From the series record (The World of Vonahr): Five standalone novels set in the same world, readable in any order.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series The World of Vonahr: position 1 of 5: next The Wolf of Winter (1993)
Sources
- Wikipedia: Paula Volsky
- Reader ratings: Paula Volsky series page
- Encyclopedia.com: Volsky, Paula
- Worlds Without End: Illusion
- Fantasy Literature: review of Illusion
- Fantastic Fiction: Paula Volsky
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