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Publisher: Tor (Macmillan UK) |
Release
Date: October 1, 2004 |
ISBN:1405033533 |
Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Hardcover |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Fantasy |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer: Rachel A Hyde |
Reviewer
Notes: |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
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The Charnel Prince
Kingdoms
of Thorn & Bone, No. II
By
Greg Keyes
The
Briar King has awoken, and suddenly there are monsters from old
stories everywhere. But worse than that is the current political
situation: time is running out for Muriele and her lackwit son Emperor
Charles and all-out war seems imminent. Somebody has been pulling
the strings to engineer all this, and for some reason, Princess
Anne must be prevented from inheriting the throne. As assassins
track her and Austra down to the faraway country where they hide,
and Aspar White's forests are turning on all humans, Leoff, a young
composer, is writing a piece of music that is going to inspire people,
but to do what?
Following breathlessly on the heels of the
first book The Briar King, here is another tubby tome that carries
its length well and actually had me wanting more when I put it down!
This is classic high fantasy to please all true fans of the genre,
surely including those who usually want something clever and different.
Greg Keyes takes the trappings of standard fantasy and makes it
sing; the sort of book that makes me remember why I enjoy it so
much when it is done well. Political scheming, fearsome monsters,
plot twists to keep the reader guessing and lots of action and shifts
from one group of characters to another keep the whole thing bubbling
merrily like a simmering cauldron. Add to this some interesting
and lively characters, some clever word play and a very well realized
world for it all to take place in and you have a jolly good book.
Underlying all this fun and sparkle is a more serious theme of how
religious fanaticism makes nightmares out of everyday things, and
wages a war that has no true winners. Highly recommended.
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