THE BURNING STONE

Third entry in the Crown of Stars series following Prince of Dogs (1998) and King’s Dragon (1997). The kingdoms of Wendar and Varre are riven by sorcery and strife. Young King’s Eagle Liath feels the magic potential burgeoning within her, but she’s torn emotionally by her love for Sanglant, King Henry’s immortal, outcast bastard son, and the child she will soon bear him. Liath’s sorcery calls her to investigate a portal to the land of the Aoi, the magical country where Sanglant’s mother was born, and from where she will eventually return in search of the child she abandoned. King Henry, meanwhile, wrestles with the familiar problems of the kingship, including invasions by the Quman and by the nonhuman Eika and their terrible dogs. A solid addition to this respectable series. And, at this whopping length, it should keep the most avid fans happy for a few days.