Rating: 5 out of 5
Arithon is back in action! And, yet, he is not the main character we observe during the majority of the book (although the other ones come up more or less equally). But, at least we are also not forced to ensure the oppressive nonsense of the Light for too long. It’s a brilliant volume in the battle between the two, and what makes it this is the method of combat against the Light: laughter.
But, of course, it’s never that simple with Ms Wurts. The language is complex as ever, but also picking the series up after a while, the curt and brisk nature of the majority of characters, where what is implied is always more important than what is said, gets tiring. I read many a passage more than once in order to see the same sleight in it that the person in the book did, and sometimes I had to give up. Of course, this could not be the case if the author hadn’t come up with such a deep world, but I wish it was easier to keep track of such things.
The characters… Lysaer’s impossible, but that’s no surprise. Arithon comes out well, but he doesn’t have an overpowering effect on this book as he sometimes did in the past. Elaira is, of course, very strong, and the moments she and Arithon can spend together are perfect (except for when they are not). The reader seems to know more about Davien’s motives by the end of the book compared to the sorcerers with whom he worked for nine thousand years which strikes me a bit odd — indeed, in the wide range of characters that we have been given, the Betrayer is a surprisingly straightforward one (at least thus far). Sulfin Evend – very good to see him develop a fair bit, and I think his story can only become more difficult as the inherent contradictions between his allegiances come to play against each other.
I’m going to keep on going, but I wish it was more straightforward… Nevertheless, these characters are vivid and I enjoy diving back into their world.
