Of Truth and Beasts

November 29, 2010
In the capable ninth Noble Dead installment (after 2010's Through Stone and Sea), young sage Wynn determinedly pursues proof of her theories of a coming attack by the legendary "Ancient Enemy." Accompanied by telepathic wolf Shade, loyal vampire Chane, and secretive dwarf Ore-Locks, Wynn seeks an ancient dwarven stronghold described at the end of the possibly apocryphal Forgotten History, a chronicle recorded by the long-lived vampires known as the Noble Dead. There Wynn hopes to find one of the Enemy's magical orbs. Trailed by a black wraith and the mysterious elf Chuillyon, Wynn's party uncovers unexpected and potentially deadly secrets. Once again the Hendees deliver a crowd-pleasing mix of intrigue, epic fantasy, and horror. The pace occasionally slows, but there's more than enough mystery and suspense to keep it moving.

December 1, 2010

Clunky prose encrusts a tedious quest through an already overpopulated genre landscape in the third volume of the second Noble Dead Saga (Through Stone and Sea, 2010, etc.).

Journeyor Wynn Hygeorht of the Guild of Sagecraft is looking for the ruined dwarf stronghold of Bäalâle Seatt; concealed within it may be the second orb, a weapon of the legendary Ancient Enemy, whom she believes will rise again. Her companions are Chane, the vampire who would do anything—even defy his own bestial nature—to keep Wynn safe; Ore-Locks, a dour dwarf seeking evidence that his reviled ancestor did not cause the seatt's destruction; and the loyal but stubborn elven dog Shade. Her guild superiors, fearing the exposure of long-buried secrets, attempt everything in their power to block Wynn's search. Meanwhile, several interested parties are following Wynn and surreptitiously aiding her with less-than-benevolent intentions, hoping to seize the orb for themselves. The series story line—the search for five elemental, magical MacGuffins—belongs to many forgotten '80s trilogies and the less-sophisticated anime shows, and the creation of umlaut-, circumflex- and apostrophe-studded words is a task best left to the professionals.

Tolkien-with-the-serial-numbers-filed-off plus vampires fails to add up to anything much.

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