Citadels of the Lost
Tracy Hickman
Daw, Jul 5 2011, $24.95
ISBN: 9780756406721
The Rhonas Elven Empire kept expanding using Aether magic to win battles and conquer countries and destroy the humans. They made slaves of mortals, manticores, goblins and other species using torture and other indignities while using magic to keep control of the slaves who love in a dream world. When the Aether Well in the Western Provinces fell at the House of Timuran the slave Drakis and others were free to remember. The people want to believe Drakis is the man from the prophecy who will gather an army and crush the disdainful Elven oppressors.
To prove his companions wrong, he takes them to a place where the dragons are to come, but Drakis knows that is a myth. He is shocked when a thousand dragons arrive and the group is forced to go through a portal. Drakis’s companion Ethis shuts the portal and they figure out that they are hundreds of miles from where they were months ago. The journey back is filled with action, betrayal and warfare with the dragons playing a significant role. The Rhonas Emperor wants Drakis returned to him as he is the rallying point for 60,000 people who want freedom from the Elven odious yoke.
The latest The Annals of Drakis avoids second book syndrome as the story line stands on its own yet expands on the action and social cultures established in the first entry (see Song of the Dragon). Readers will be enthralled by the story line as the Rhonas Empire is similar to the Roman Empire with client states though there are differences especially involving how slaves are treated and other once free sentient species. Drakis may be the man of the prophecy but even if he is not he is bodacious as a leader seeking freedom for all. Citadels of the Lost is what epic fantasy is all about.
Harriet Klausner
No comments:
Post a Comment