Review by Booklist Review
At the conclusion of Death's Mistress (2017), our group of travelers powerless Wizard Nathan Rahl, the former Death's Mistress Nicci, and their companion Bannon came upon the magnificent city, Kol Adair. Now, it has vanished, and in its place is an army of ancient stone soldiers. They soon discover the soldiers were once the army of Emperor Kurgan, set to destroy the legendary city of Ildakar centuries before. It turns out the city they saw was Ildakar, long hidden by a shroud that is now failing. In Ildakar, our heroes face corruption, unrest, and the terrible entitlement of powerful wizards in a city that has stagnated in its centuries-long isolation, becoming ever more decadent. But the city offers Nathan the opportunity to get his magic back and Nicci the opportunity to save, if not the world, some small corner of it. This is a solid work of epic fantasy, in which grand gestures are made and future adventures set up. It isn't ground-breaking, but it sure is entertaining.--Schroeder, Regina Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Goodkind (the Sword of Truth Series) brings his typical epic scope to this slow-building second volume of the Nicci Chronicles. Reformed evil sorceress Nicci, newly powerless wizard Nathan, and overeager warrior Bannon travel widely to spread the word of benevolent emperor Rahl. When they arrive at Ildakar, they are surprised to discover a spell has kept the city hidden, safe, and frozen in time for 15 centuries. The city's culture relies heavily on brutalizing the enslaved masses to perpetuate the hedonistic entertainments of the powerful wizard leaders, including icy Sovrena Thora and her smug and despised husband, Maxim. Goodkind's boundless worldbuilding provides a complex setting for the newcomers as they reveal horrifying secrets and start to chafe against the injustice. Nicci's growing righteous indignation parallels the shadowy rebellion led by the anonymous Mirrormask, while Nathan acts somewhat more conciliatory in hopes that these wizards can return his abilities. A secondary plot involving two groups of scholars racing to a legendary library is an underdeveloped distraction, and the draconian ruling council's tolerance of Nicci's feisty opposition is rather unbelievable. However, the intriguing mythologies and the excitement of the final, all-consuming melee will resonate with fans of classic fantasy. Agent: Russ Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
