Six fucking months!
Yes that is the amount of time it has taken me to read this 396 page book. It took me less time to read Lord of the Rings or the Riftwar trilogy that came before it!
Partly I'm to blame as I've been too busy procrastinating again. Instead of reading I've been watching Booktubes and listening to others talk about books they've read instead of diving into the book, the world of Midkemia.
The book is also to blame. Set twenty years after the Riftwar trilogy which started with the excellent Magician and ended with A Darkness at Sethanon (the last book I read before this one).
It follows Arutha of Krondor's young sons Borric and Erland who keep getting into trouble. They use their Princehood as a get out clause too many times so Arutha sends them on a diplomatic trip to neighbouring Kesh.
Kesh is a vast Empire who's Empress is holding birthday celebrations.
As Borric and Erland travel to Kesh along with Duke James (Jimmy the Hand all grown up) and Locklear they are ambushed.
Borric is feared killed and the party continue to Kesh.
Borric is alive and has to warn his brother by travelling to Kesh alone with killers on his heels as there is a conspiracy involving the throne of Kesh.
I think the problem with the book is that it is more small scale than the previous trilogy which covered two worlds and many lands and a huge cast of characters. Not to mention the previous books had more grand scale action and events which included more magic and dragons.
This is more a political/royal thriller and some parts once I'd got into it were very good with enough twists to keep me going back.
But for me there wasn't enough action or magical elements and we only briefly see Pug one of the main protagonists of the trilogy.
It didn't help that I read this straight after the trilogy and with it being low key lost the grandeur of the world built in previous books. I feel I should have read something else before this.
The characterisation and writing is fine although the pacing in some parts is slow. This would have been better as a novella in a collection by the author than a full novel and it's hard to see what will come after. Although something is being set up as Pug senses a great evil and goes off for answers.
Overall - took too long to read for such a small book. I enjoyed it once I got reading it, but didn't hold my attention as well as the huge trilogy that came before it. More action would have been better. The main action is in the last 30 pages.
Score - 6/10
Next book - back to David Gemmell with Legend of Deathstalker.
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