Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In the arresting second Eidyn Saga epic fantasy, Anderson creatively builds on the wild twist at the end of The Lost War. Series protagonist Laird Aranok is now fully aware that King Janaeus, whom he'd once thought of as a best friend, is corrupt, having altered the memories of almost everyone in the kingdom to conceal his wrongdoings. Convincing said civilians of this conspiracy will be difficult, however. Aranok, along with the surviving members of his company (including his lover and bodyguard, Allandria), must team up with the magician Mynyngogg, book one's purported villain, to take down Janaeus and solve a lingering whodunit around the murder of Aranok's former teacher. Readers will be eager to see how Anderson handles his rewritten world order, and he pulls it off with aplomb. The result is another page-turning adventure propelled by an inventive plot and three-dimensional characters. Readers will once again be left clamoring for a sequel. Agent: Ian Drury, Sheil Land Assoc. (Dec.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
This story picks up right after the stunning conclusion of The Lost War, and even more twists abound in this thrilling sequel. Aranok, Allandria, Nirea, Samily, and all the rest of the characters are reeling from every grotesque revelation, and the fight commences to take back the crown. Waves of countless horrors rise up against them, but worst of all is the bigotry against the draoidh. Aranok is conflicted about how to save his people from persecution. Tempers are high, and the characters are desperate to do the right thing when maybe there is no right thing to do. Secrets and betrayal, love and loyalty, magic and mayhem--this war-ravaged adventure has all the ingredients of an exciting and ruthless epic fantasy tale. Add to that an inventive use of time and memory manipulation and a cast of ragtag heroes who contend with seemingly insurmountable odds, and the result is a strong sophomore novel that propels the series forward. VERDICT The second entry in this saga is fast-paced, action-packed, and maintains its DnD and RPG undertones. Great for fans of Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan.--Andrea Dyba
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