Fantasy/SF Book Reviews
Page Two of ThreeParagon Lost by Dave Duncan
Eos, October, 2002Hardcover, 348 pages
ISBN: 0380978962
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
Over a dozen years after the events chronicled in
the first books in the King's Blades series,
The Gilded Chain; Lord of the Fire Lands; Sky of Swords),
King Athelgar now reigns and the country of Chivial is
at peace. Athelgar decides to take a bride, and to send
his trusty friend, the elderly Lord Wassail, to fetch his
betrothed from the cold and forbidding realms of the
criminally insane Czar Igor. In order to defend
Wassail, Athelgar gifts his old
friend with three excellent swordsmen from the famed
school of Ironhall. Bound to Wassail in a magical ceremony
which involves Wassail striking a sword through the heart
of each swordsman, the three blades will be loyal to Wassail
for life. The exuberant and incredibly skilled Sir Beaumont,
the scholarly Sir Arkell and the steady Sir Oak take
to their duties with enthusiasm.
But the trip to the land of the Czar is filled with danger and
treachery, and tragedy strikes. Sir Beaumont is exiled from the
Blades in disgrace. The former paragon of virtue is barely
eking out a living when the legendary Sir Durendal, the
Master of Ironhall, offers Sir Beaumont a chance
to reclaim his sword and his place at Ironhall.
But this mission is a perilous one, and will require Beaumont
to face a terrible evil.
Although this is the fourth book set in the world of The King's Blades, Paragon Lost is a stand-alone fantasy which requires no knowledge of the prior books in the series. Sir Beaumont's story is a fascinating one. Amazingly skilled at both swordsmanship and tactics, he was known as a paragon of virtue and skill while a student at Ironhall. Now he has one chance to redeem himself, and he is determined not to let that chance slip by. Dave Duncan is one of the best writers in the fantasy world today. His writing is clear, vibrant and full of energy. His action scenes are breathtaking and his skill at characterization is excellent. With adventure, swordplay, magic and a host of vivid characters, Paragon Lost is an outstanding fantasy tale.
--Claire E. White
Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card
Tor, August, 2002Hardcover, 348 pages
ISBN: 0765300176
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
In this sequel to Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow,
and Shadow of the Hegemon, the story of the
brilliant children who saved Earth in continues. After defeating
the insectoid aliens, the children return home to find that the unity
brought about by the alien threat is dissolving. China
is determined to further its empire and is seeking to gobble
up nearby countries, and the arch villain Achilles
is once again up to his evil schemes. Bean and his
love Petra must once again take on Achilles, while
battling their own personal heartaches. They long to have
a child, but want to spare the child the effects of the gene
tampering that Bean was subjected to: the enhancements
made Bean a genius, but they are also killing him.
Meanwhile, Peter Wiggins, the older brother of
war hero Ender Wiggins, must find a way to
pull the diverse governments of Earth back together
before the entire planet dissolves into anarchy.
Orson Scott Card effortlessly keeps the ongoing story of Ender Wiggins and his friends fresh and entertaining. In this latest installment, there is lots of action, suspense and intrigue -- as well as a great deal of trauma for both Bean and Peter. Card makes his characters so interesting and believable that you immediately buy into the future that he has created for the Earth. This is another outstanding entry in a compellingly original SF series.
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