The Hero's Lot

May 27, 2013
Carr takes the somewhat unusual tack of offering no recap of A Cast of Stones, the first book in the trilogy, so readers will want to have it close at hand to make sense of this busy second volume. True to form, the story opens with a fight scene and sticks close to the formula of chase and battle, with somewhat more political maneuvering and somewhat less idiosyncratic, living detail than characterized Carr’s debut. The adrenaline level remains high, without “middle book” doldrums—in large part because the trilogy’s overarching plot is neglected while protagonist Errol undertakes a secondary quest: tracking down the first book’s villain, Sarin Valon. Errol is once again under compulsion, once again traveling with a merchant caravan, once again accompanied by Ru and Rokha and Rale... Despite the page-turning zest of the narrative, a sense of high-level stall colors the plot. There’s a lot of activity, but nothing changes. Agent: Steve Laube, Steve Laube Agency.