Newcomb, Robert 1951–

views updated

Newcomb, Robert 1951–

PERSONAL: Born 1951; married. Education: Earned a bachelor's degree from Colgate University. Also studied at the University of Southampton, England, through the American Institute for Foreign Study.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Del Rey Publicity, Random House Publishing Group, 1745 Broadway, 18th Fl., New York, NY 10019.

CAREER: Novelist and business consultant. Served as chairman of an industry-related consulting firm before becoming a full-time writer.

WRITINGS:

"THE CHRONICLES OF BLOOD AND STONE" SERIES

The Fifth Sorceress, Del Rey/Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2002.

The Gates of Dawn, Del Rey/Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2003.

The Scrolls of the Ancients, Del Rey/Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2004.

OTHER NOVELS

Savage Messiah (first novel in "The Destinies of Blood and Stone" series), Del Rey/Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS: Author Robert Newcomb began his career in business, serving as the chairman of his own industry-related consulting group in New York. After he and his wife moved to Florida, Newcomb left consulting behind and began writing full time, specializing in fantasy novels.

In 2002, Newcomb published his first novel, The Fifth Sorceress. The book was the first in the author's "The Chronicles of Blood and Stone" series. The novel begins in the kingdom of Eutracia, where four sorceresses were convicted and exiled for their destructive quest for endowed blood. Endowed blood is the concept that individuals from a certain bloodline possess the ability to perform magic. Centuries later, the exiled sorceresses are plotting to kidnap Princess Shailiha. Shailiha's brother Tristan becomes the novel's protagonist as he struggles with his desire for adventure and his duties as prince and heir to the Eutracian throne.

Critics responded positively to The Fifth Sorceress overall. Many found Newcomb's prose to be strong and developed, with a story line that takes the reader on a well-crafted journey. Newcomb's first novel is a "well-written and compelling epic fantasy," wrote Jackie Cassada in a review for the Library Journal. Other readers liked the book's clean ending, and looked forward to reading more of Newcomb's novels. In The Fifth Sorceress, "the finish is neat, but it leaves you wanting more," observed a Publishers Weekly contributor.

Newcomb's next novel was 2003's The Gates of Dawn. This book finds the prince Tristan a fugitive, blamed for the death of his father. Tristan fights to show his countrymen that he was not responsible for the death and, at the same time, works to strengthen the country that has fallen apart around him. These misfortunes are heightened as the Paragon, the crystal harnessing the power of endowed blood, begins to lose its power. Tristan and others begin a quest to find out who is draining the stone and how to stop it.

Like its predecessor, The Gates of Dawn was also met with generally positive reviews. The book's unique story and refreshing approach to the fantasy genre were qualities that appealed to some readers. Newcomb's novel brings a "certain originality to this epic struggle between wizards and sorceresses," wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Others thought the novel's plot and characters were rich with vivid detail. The Gates of Dawn is full of "lavish descriptions," commented Cassada in another Library Journal review.

In 2006, Newcomb published Savage Messiah, the first novel in his "The Destinies of Blood and Stone" series. This novel and series is set in the same world as Newcomb's previous series, and continues with many of the same characters as well. In this story The Orb of Vigors is causing destruction across the country, and Tristan is thought to be the one man who can repair the damage. Like Newcomb's other novels, this work is filled with wizards, puzzles, assassins, and mystery.

After its release, Savage Messiah garnered praise by critics and readers alike. For some readers, the book moved at a satisfyingly rapid pace and contained enough fantasy novel devices to keep the plot interesting. The book has "magic, intrigue, and plenty of action," wrote Cassada in a Library Journal review. For others, Savage Messiah was simply another welcome addition to the fantasy genre. Newcomb's book has a "breathless quality that makes for a fast and entertaining read," observed a Kirkus Reviews contributor.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2002, review of The Fifth Sorceress, p. 626; June 15, 2003, review of The Gates of Dawn, p. 839; April 15, 2004, review of The Scrolls of the Ancients, p. 367; October 15, 2005, review of Savage Messiah, p. 1114.

Kliatt, November, 2002, Miles Klein, review of The Fifth Sorceress, p. 45.

Library Journal, August, 2002, Jackie Cassada, review of The Fifth Sorceress, p. 151; June 15, 2003, Jackie Cassada, review of The Gates of Dawn, p. 104; November 15, 2005, Jackie Cassada, review of Savage Messiah, p. 65.

Publishers Weekly, June 17, 2002, review of The Fifth Sorceress, p. 47; June 2, 2003, review of The Gates of Dawn, p. 39; October 31, 2005, review of Savage Messiah, p. 36.