A formulaic, trite and derivative swords-and-sorcery fantasy that reads like a novelized Dungeons & Dragons adventure.
Dark elf Jarlaxle and human assassin Artemis Entreri are back with more inane banter and ostentatious swordplay in this sequel to Servant of the Shard (2000).
Jarlaxle and Entreri are sent by their dragon masters to investigate a tower believed to be a construct of Zhengyi the Witch-King. In doing so, the duo destroy the tower and the magical tome that gave it birth. The dragons are not pleased, and send the pair to the wastelands of Vassa, where a new construct has been discovered, this one larger and more foreboding than the first. The two join with a diverse group of other adventurers—including the requisite turncoat—to storm the evil castle and destroy the source of its power. And if that sounds bland and bewildering . . . well, it is. The plot is a meandering mess strung together by numerous, lackluster battle sequences—plus clumsy prose and insufferable characters, all making for an adventure to miss.
A formulaic, trite and derivative swords-and-sorcery fantasy that reads like a novelized Dungeons & Dragons adventure.Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2005
ISBN: 0-7869-3823-4
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2005
A magical mystery tour through the mythologies of all cultures, a unique and moving love story—and another winner for the...
An ex-convict is the wandering knight-errant who traverses the wasteland of Middle America, in this ambitious, gloriously funny, and oddly heartwarming latest from the popular fantasist (Stardust, 1999, etc.).
Released from prison after serving a three-year term, Shadow is immediately rocked by the news that his beloved wife Laura has been killed in an automobile accident. While en route to Indiana for her funeral, Shadow meets an eccentric businessman who calls himself Wednesday (a dead giveaway if you’re up to speed on your Norse mythology), and passively accepts the latter’s offer of an imprecisely defined job. The story skillfully glides onto and off the plane of reality, as a series of mysterious encounters suggest to Shadow that he may not be in Indiana anymore—or indeed anywhere on Earth he recognizes. In dreams, he’s visited by a grotesque figure with the head of a buffalo and the voice of a prophet—as well as by Laura’s rather alarmingly corporeal ghost. Gaiman layers in a horde of other stories whose relationships to Shadow’s adventures are only gradually made clear, while putting his sturdy protagonist through a succession of tests that echo those of Arthurian hero Sir Gawain bound by honor to surrender his life to the malevolent Green Knight, Orpheus braving the terrors of Hades to find and rescue the woman he loves, and numerous other archetypal figures out of folklore and legend. Only an ogre would reveal much more about this big novel’s agreeably intricate plot. Suffice it to say that this is the book that answers the question: When people emigrate to America, what happens to the gods they leave behind?
A magical mystery tour through the mythologies of all cultures, a unique and moving love story—and another winner for the phenomenally gifted, consummately reader-friendly Gaiman.Pub Date: June 19, 2001
ISBN: 0-380-97365-0
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2001
SEEN & HEARD
APPRECIATIONS
An irresistibly sexy suspense tale.
A dragon shifter and exiled king gets more than he bargained for when he discovers a fiery and passionate phoenix in this paranormal romance.
Brand Astarot, a dragon shifter and rightful heir to his family’s gold throne, is driven by a single goal. He seeks revenge against Uther Hagan, the man responsible for the murders of his parents and siblings and the loss of his clan’s throne. For centuries, Brand has worked as a mercenary for King Ladon Ormarr, accepting the toughest assignments while developing a plan to avenge the killings. His latest mission takes him to a medical facility in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and a young woman described as a “supernova” by a staff member. The patient is Kasia Amon, a rare phoenix whose powers include prophetic visions. If Brand brings Kasia to Ladon, he will secure the support of the king’s clan and have the leverage he needs to defeat Uther. But Kasia is accustomed to life on the run, and she escapes from the facility. Undeterred, Brand pursues her, and they embark on a harrowing journey to Ladon’s clan in Ben Nevis, Scotland. Along the way, they discover they share a powerful and profound physical and emotional connection. Although Brand promised Kasia to Ladon, his desire to claim her as his mate leads him to reconsider this scheme. When Uther discovers Kasia is a phoenix, Brand is locked in a race to protect the woman he loves. This first installment of Owen’s (The Rookie, 2019, etc.) Inferno Rising series is an engaging and compulsively readable love story with the right mix of action and eroticism. Kasia and Brand are appealing protagonists whose slow-burn romance is punctuated by passionate chemistry and spirited and witty dialogue (“Who put you in charge?” “I’m your mate.” “That doesn’t mean a damn thing, lizard boy”). They are surrounded by a large and well-developed cast of supporting characters and a panoply of supernatural beings, including Brand’s friend and protector Ladon; Hershel, a demon who runs a very unusual biker bar; and Pytheios Chandali, a king who wanted Kasia’s mother, Serefina, and ultimately murdered her father. The sprawling narrative takes Kasia and Brand on a long journey from Wyoming to Scotland, but the author’s confident storytelling keeps the narrative moving at a brisk clip. The novel is perfect for fans of Sherrilyn Kenyon and Kelley Armstrong.
An irresistibly sexy suspense tale.Pub Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-531-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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