Ombria in Shadow
core novel 2002 Ombria in Shadow
Record
| First published | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.99 (5,505 ratings, collected 2026-09-14) |
| Page count | 298 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780441008957 |
Synopsis
When Ombria's ruling prince, Royce Greve, dies, his death leaves both his young son, the new heir Kyel, and his former mistress, Lydea, exposed to the ambitions of his ancient and formidable great-aunt, Domina Pearl, who moves swiftly to install herself as regent and consolidate control over the court. Lydea is driven from the castle, while Royce's bastard nephew, Ducon Greve, tries to protect the boy prince and navigate the nobles circling around him. Beneath the city lies a second, shadow version of Ombria, a hidden underworld of ghosts and ruins where a sorceress named Faey, who conceals her true face from everyone, works her own magic with the help of her strange assistant, Mag. As political intrigue tightens its grip above ground, the boundary between Ombria and its buried double grows increasingly unstable, drawing the fates of Lydea, Ducon, Faey, and Mag together.
Where it sits
- Universe: Ombria in Shadow
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Patricia A. McKillip
Awards (verified)
- World Fantasy Award (Best Novel), 2003: won; Tied with Graham Joyce's The Facts of Life.
- Mythopoeic Award (Adult Literature), 2003: won
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel (reader poll)), 2003: finalist; Locus reader poll placement: 7th place.
Notes
- A standalone novel with a fully resolved narrative arc, no sequel or companion material -- single-work by the same precedent as The Once and Future King/Stardust. Related, but confirmed a separate universe, to McKillip's own Riddle-Master and The Forgotten Beasts of Eld -- different world, different characters, no shared continuity.
Sources
← Ombria in Shadow dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.