The Sword Of The South - David Weber

The Sword Of The South

David Weber

BAEN, Aug 4 2015, $27.00

ISBN: 9781476780849

In spite of the courage in the face of certain death displayed by the races of man, the great wizard and Last Lord of the Council of Ottovar, Wencit of Rum realizes his Light allies are losing the millennium war to protect Norfressa from dark sorcery.  Meanwhile on a stormy night in the Northern Empire of the Axe port Belhaden, a stranger enters a tavern owned by married couple, the Hradani Bahzell Bahnakson and the Sothoii human Leanna Bowmaster.  Though he has no money or memory of whom he is Bahzell welcomes him. 

While the amnesiac’s sits with a drink, Wencit comes to the bar.  As Bahzell has learned firsthand wizards tend to conceal important information from adults of races they perceive as children; he quickly assumes Wencit knows who this Kenhodan is.  The enemy assaults the bar, but the owners, the wizard, Blanchrach and their patrons successfully defend it.  Wencit persuades Bahzell and Kenhodan to begin a final quest to snatch victory from certain defeat.  As her father leaves, young Gwynna’s hybrid powers manifest.

Although years have passed in Bahzell’s realm (three years in publishing terms), readers will welcome the hero and his allies for what appears to be the final battle in the War God saga (see War Maid's Choice, Wind Rider's Oath, Oath of Swords and The War God's Own).  Filled with non-stop action and especially fantastic battle scenes, series fans will enjoy the beginning of the end (I think) though the storyline at times reads more like intriguing vignettes rather than an epic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner