Kings of the North

January 3, 2011
The languorous sequel to 2010's Oath of Fealty finds many characters moving up in the world, including Kieri Phelan, the king of Lyonya, and Dorrin, now Duke Verrakai. Now those newly stationed must deal with assassination attempts, counterfeiting, and a new enemy who has taken to calling himself Duke Visla Vaskronin. Kieri doesn't understand why his elven grandmother and co-ruler, the Lady, often refuses to come when he needs her, even when a war with the Pargunese and their possibly unbeatable weapon is imminent. He will also discover that his elven heritage runs stronger than he thought. The pace is slow enough to immerse readers in the world as the characters are immersed in self-discovery, with larger events impending but usually not seen directly. There's action a-plenty, but this series most appeals to readers who enjoy their fantasy more thoughtful and intellectual.

November 15, 2010

War, domestic strife and evil magic threaten the rulers in various lands in the latest in the Deed of Paksenarrion series.

Half-elven Kieri, once the head of a famous band of mercenaries and now the rightful king of Lyonya, desires the aid of his co-sovereign, his ageless elven grandmother, in uniting his human and elven subjects, but she does little but pressure him to remarry. Meanwhile, the demon Achyra continues to seek the destruction of Kieri and his loved ones. In neighboring Tsaia, Kieri's former military subordinate, Duke Dorrin Verrakai, deals with the hazardous remnants of her magelord family's many atrocities. And both Lyonya and Tsaia will ultimately have to confront their former ally, the pirate Alured the Black, who now calls himself Duke of Immer and prepares for conquest. Readers new to the series will suffer confusion; fans seeking resolution to the many-stranded plot will require the concluding volume. Moon wrote the first Paksenarrion book more than 20 years ago; it may seem dated to populate a world with elves, dwarves, gnomes and so on, but she works hard at instilling these creatures with character and unique magic. There's a healthy dose of action, clearly informed by the author's military experience, which is no doubt also the source of her blunt criticism of those who object to women in combat.

Decidedly a middle book, but not without its charms.

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

March 1, 2011
The sequel to Oath of Fealty (2010), set in Moons famous world of Paksenarrion, continues the tale of troubles faced by a pair of new kings. Mikeli of Tsaia has to deal with hidden dangers left by the notorious magelord clan of the Verrakai. The only loyal member of that clan, Duke Dorrin, is also his only lord he can trust to lead his army. But will the rest of his court accept her? Kieri of Lyonya is trying to bring both internal and external peace to his realm, which is shared by elves and men. But his elvengrandmother and co-ruler is not cooperating. There are even hints that she is plotting against him. Plus, he is under constant pressure to marry and produce an heir, and he faces an invasion from a neighboring king he only recently defeated. Moons novels of Paksenarrions world have been considered classics since they were first published more than two decades ago. Her storytelling is as electrifying as ever, and her readers should be delighted with this new vista of a well-known world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)