Friday, March 20, 2009

Rides a Dread Legion-Raymond E. Feist

Rides a Dread Legion
Raymond E. Feist
Eos, Mar 31 2009, $26.99
ISBN: 9780061468360

For over a century, the horde of the Demon King Maarg has defeated the Taredhel elves, kicking the ancient race off of many planets and leaving few left. After their latest defeat on Andcardia, the desperate remnants of the Clan of the Seven Stars led by Laromendis the mage flee to their origin planet that they left millennia ago, the legendary home world Midkemia.

Pug the magician assumes the elves are friends united in a cause to defeat the demon legions who pursue them. He underestimates the newcomers whose leader plans to brutally seize control of Midkemia and use the orb in a desperate last stand that could readily mean extinction of everyone on the planet. Pug knows no one magician can stand against the coming invasion. He hopes to obtain the help of Amirantha the demon master Warlock of the Satumbria, the Order of the Dala cleric Sandreena, Queen Miranda the elf, and Tomas the warrior to join him and the Conclave of Shadows, unaware of previous relationships but not caring anyway. This is their last prayer to forge a stronger magical alliance to fight the coming Dread Demon horde.

Just when long running fans of Pug figure he is ready to retire, Raymond E. Feist begins a new adventure for the hero with the first book in the Demonwar fantasy. Pug struggles to put together an alliance of enemies as each is threatened by a greater opponent. The story line is fast-paced though the beginning is a bit slow but the opening act is needed to introduce the varying factions. RIDES A DREAD LEGION is filled with action, but it is the Machiavellian intrigue between allies who distrust everyone else on their side that makes this tale work, each expects betrayal so almost everyone plots betrayal even though none can stand up alone while Pug struggles to keep the alliance together as the legendary Dreaded Demon Legions are coming to Midkemia.

Harriet Klausner

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