Sethra Lavode

April 26, 2004
In Brust's stylish conclusion to his Viscount of Adrilankha trilogy (after 2003's Lord of Castle Black
and 2002's Paths of the Dead
), which pays homage to Dumas père's D'Artagnan swashbucklers, Empress Zerika the Fourth tries to consolidate her hold on the realm, but her challenger, Kâna, isn't ready to give up the fight. The last desperate days of the battle for the Dragaeran Empire feature plenty of magic and intrigue, and fans are forewarned that some of the lovable characters from past installments won't survive. As before, nobles converse in absurdly stilted dialogue, while the humor is sharp enough at times to induce outright laughter. Inventive chapter headings (e.g., "How Morrolan, Attempting to Find a God, Found Instead What His Sword Could Do") add to the faux period feel. For full understanding of all the heroics, newcomers may want to start with the author's two prequels, The Phoenix Guards
(1991) and Five Hundred Years After
(1994). Agent, Valerie Smith.

May 15, 2004
Even as a ruthless dragonlord tries to rebuild the ruined Dragaeran Empire in his name, Zerika, the true heir to the throne, retrieves the Orb from the Paths of the Dead. In the midst of political turmoil, the undead enchantress Sethra Lavode enters the picture, determined to see Zerika come to power. Brust's mesmerizing conclusion to his swashbuckling tale of magic, adventure, and intrigue brings together a cast of appealing characters from previous novels (The Paths of the Dead; The Lord of Castle Black). Many loose ends are tied up, but room is left for future tales. Brust's archly humorous style has garnered a large and faithful following; his novels are suitable for most fantasy collections.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2004
The conclusion to Brust's Dumas-indebted Khaavren series includes all the action, romance, and pathos of its predecessors " The Phoenix Guards " (1991), " Five Hundred Years After" (1994), " The Paths of the Dead " (2002), and " The Lord of the Castle Black " [BKL Ag 03], and fleshes out the pasts of the Dragaeran Empire and the legendary Sethra Lavode. The Phoenix Zerika has reclaimed the Imperial Orb from the Paths of the Dead and now means to reestablish the empire, in chaos since Adron's disaster. But through conquest and diplomacy, Dragonlord Kana has risen to control about half the territory of the old empire, and he intends to wrest the orb from Zerika, even if it means allying with powers that hate Dragaerans. Old enmities, new sorcery, capricious gods, and inimical powers clash in a climactic battle for the throne. Said battle--indeed, the whole book--may not be irresistable for readers starting Brust or the Khaavren saga, but there's no denying Brust's fine pacing and worldbuilding and his sheer pizzazz. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)