Lord of the Silent Kingdom

December 18, 2006
The elaborately wrought second installment (after 2005's Tyranny of the Night
) in Cook's dark military fantasy saga promotes Piper Hecht—previously known as Else Tage before he vanquished an immortal foe—to the rank of captain-general under Emperor Sublime V. While Piper staves off the menace of the Tyranny of the Night, which is slowly freezing the lands around the Mother Sea, he also battles the Patriarchs, stubborn in their opposition to imperial rule. Cook ups the intrigue when Piper discovers a necromancer lurking among his supposedly trustworthy allies, while a prophet thought long dead reappears and allies himself with the captain-general. The lovely and intelligent Anna Mozilla warms Piper's bed and heart when he's not occupied with magical and military threats. Though Cook makes few concessions to new readers, his fans will enjoy the sword fights and potent magic, all motivated by complex religious and political power struggles.

February 15, 2007
As the world grows colder, the evil forces known as the Instrumentalities of the Night continue to make their presence known in a world growing increasingly split by religion. Piper Hecht, once known as Else Tage, has been sent by the Kingdom of Dreanger to spy upon the Patriarch of the West but now finds himself caught up in the Church's internal struggles as well as its ties with the Grail Empire. The author of the "Black Company" series demonstrates his familiarity with the intricacies of politics and religious controversies as well as his knowledge of military tactics in this richly detailed socio-military saga of men and women caught up in causes greater than themselves. This sequel to "The Tyranny of the Night" belongs in most fantasy collections.

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.