Mistress of the Catacombs | ||||||||
David Drake | ||||||||
Tor Books, 672 pages | ||||||||
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A review by Cindy Lynn Speer
Mistress of the Catacombs is an intertwining of many characters and their related stories that branch off the main plot. Each
one is carefully crafted, four basic stories that are filled with exciting adventure and action. We are
introduced to well crafted different worlds and different aliens. It is nearly impossible to create such
separate stories and not only make each one equally exciting, but to make each one equally important, and
make each path meet satisfyingly in the end. David Drake carries this feat off admirably. His pacing and construction
are done very well. Sometimes such separate stories can feel like filler... but one realizes right away
that Drake has real stories to tell here, and they are necessary to the book. I also admire his characterization
that I care equally for each person. When we leave Carus to visit Garric, we don't mind, because we're
eager to find out what's next, what's been happening to the characters while we were reading elsewhere.
Garric is an intelligent and decent man, who would choose peace over war. He makes an excellent leader,
knowledgeable in both fighting and diplomacy despite his age. It is interesting that he shares his mind
with King Carus, who was king of the Isles a thousand years ago, and was widely considered to be the last
great king. Carus would rather lop off heads than talk, and makes a good foil for Garric. King Carus lends his
incredible charisma and experienced advice to Garric, which is part of what makes him such a capable
leader. In many stories when a young man manages to get an army of fighting men to follow him, it stretches
the reader's belief. Because of the relationship between the two, it becomes very sensible. This combination
of two minds in one head is unusual, and works very well.
The other characters are also well drawn. The loyalty and strength of Cashel, Ilna who can weave anything
and make people do it, or even feel it, and Princess Sharina, a ruler in her own right, who helps Carus,
in Garric's body find more peaceful solutions.
This is the fourth book in The Lord of the Isles series. Mistress of the Catacombs
can stand completely alone, and you can enjoy it with out having
read the others, in fact, it may prompt you to search the others out, as Drake manages to hint in context
what you need to know with out really spoiling the past stories. The other books in the series
are Lord of the Isles, Queen of Demons and Servant of the Dragon.
Cindy Lynn Speer loves books so much that she's designed most of her life around them, both as a librarian and a writer. Her books aren't due out anywhere soon, but she's trying. You can find her site at www.apenandfire.com. |
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