In The Hounds of Avalon we get some answers to questions which have been nagging away since the Age of Misrule series. Finally, we discover what happened to the British government and military forces during the Fall. We also have an up close and personal view on exactly what they've been doing since the Battle of London, where most of the RAF was destroyed by Fey forces. In addition to the two new Brothers of Dragons called into being by Existence, we see the return of some old favourites. Sophie Tallent, Sister of Dragons and major league practitioner of the Craft. Mallory, trained as a Knight Templar and armed with the supernatural sword Llyrwyn. Caitlin Shepherd, former Sister of Dragons and some time host to the terrible Fey warrior spirit known as the Morrigan. Ruth Gallagher, Shavi, and Laura DuSantiago from the Age of Misrule also make appearances, as Hunter attempts to bring together a new five. Five, being the magic number when it comes to those empowered by the Pendragon Spirit. Two major players from the Age of Misrule, Ryan Veitch and Jack 'Church' Churchill, are not present in physical form, but nonetheless play their parts. Veitch, an unwitting traitor to the original five, is now the subject of a cult, who believes that he will return from the dead to lead them. Church, is even further away, lost in space and time, but the part he is destined to play eventually becomes clear, at least to Hal.

Any more explanation would risk revealing too much, so let me just say that those who have been following this series will already have a pretty shrewd idea of how Church fits in to the grand scheme. All of the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons mesh together well, and by the time they meet, Chadbourn has done such a good job with his characterisation, that nobody is upstaged. As might be expected, there are clashes, but those which are obvious are offset by others that are delightfully unexpected. There's a lot of action in this book, veering between uncomfortably close personal battles and epic conflict on a vast scale. This is nicely juxtaposed with quieter moments, where both human and Fey characters are allowed to reflect and develop. Most of what occurs centres around Oxford, the new seat of British government, but there are essential forays into other areas, both in the UK and the Otherworld. Hunter provides the brawn and Hal the brains, each working in his own way to save humanity.

As with his previous works in this world, Chadbourn's take on the true nature of magic, magical creatures, and the way that humanity reacts, is superb. In the sub-genre of magic versus modern technology, he remains unsurpassed. My sole criticism is the on-going issue of what happened to the rest of the world. What we learn in The Hounds of Avalon strongly suggests that the remnants of the British military have more than enough resources at their disposal to reach further afield. At least as far as formerly powerful, geographically close allies, such as France. But such issues are sidelined with a blanket statement about not being able to contact other countries. On the one hand, the plot is clear and easy to follow with the UK as its sole focus, but on the other, we're left wondering what wonders and madness are to be found, out there in the post Fall world. Having said that, choosing not to deal with anywhere outside of the UK gives Chadbourn the breathing room to dwell on the nature of those who would govern us, from a very British perspective.

In summary, The Hounds of Avalon features a wealth of memorable characters, more twists than Chubby Checker, and an ending which smacked me right between the eyes. The last few pages will leave most readers screaming for more. If you are sick to the back teeth with humdrum fantasy fodder, hairy Hobbits and boy wizards, Mark Chadbourn is the cure.