Having finished this book during a two hour stretch of my shift at work today, when I had nothing else to do, I figure it is best to get the review done while the plot is still fresh in my mind. Crypt of the Shadowking by Mark Anthony is a Forgotten Realms novel, and the 6th book in the Harpers series. If you've read any of my previous reviews (especially the latest ones) you will know that the Harpers are a semi-secret organisation of agents, who work for the greater good of the peoples of the Realms.
This book centres around a Harper agent named Mari Al'maren who is sent by her superiors to find an ex-Harper by the name of Caledan Caldorien. She is to enlist his aid to drive the Zhentarim from the city of Irieabor, which they have occupied. The Zhentarim are some of the best villains in the Realms, a black network of wizards, evil priests and assassins who operate from the city of Zhentil Keep, and a dozen other dark citadels, all held by their thousands of murderous soldiers. The Zhentarim are the sworn enemies of the Harpers.
Unfortunately, Caledan wants nothing to do with the Harpers, he left the organisation seven years prior when his fellow Harper and lover Kera, was killed by their nemesis the Zhentarim Lord (though actually a Lady) Ravendas. It is only when he sees Ravendas in Irieabor (his home city which he has returned to, and found under occupation), and finds out that she is the one running the garrison there, that he decides to help Mari, he badly wanting revenge.
Ravendas as it turns out, is running the city into the ground, abducting people off the street to work on some mysterious mining project beneath the tor that the older part of the city is built atop. In an effort to find out wat she is up to, and to overthrow the Zhents control of the city, Mari and Caldean reunite his old adventuring parry of: Ferret the thief, Tyveris the warrior (only in the seven years since they were last together, he has renounced violence and become a priest of Oghma, the God of Knowledge), Morhion the mage and Estah the healer (who has gotten married to another halfling Jolle, and had twins, the noisy Pog & Nog). Naming themselves after the Inn that Estah and Jolle own, they are the Fellowship of the Dreaming Dragon.
Their quest ranges all over and out of the city, as they seek out ever more elusive clues in their effort to thwart whatever grand design Ravendas has planned. All the while Caledan is stalked by a mysterious (and very powerful) black robed assassin, which represents a third party interested in the outcome of the actions of both the Fellowship and the Zhents.
This is a very well written book, the characters while being a bit cliched are very likeable, apart from Caledan who is just bitter and angry all of the time and he argues constantly with Mari. Their interaction forms the central relationship of the book, though there are some very neat plot twists and flashbacks,which throw things into disarry more than once. For a 312 page book, the author sure packed a lot in, but it doesn't feel overfull. It reads and feels like a Realms novel, and for that it gets a solid 5/5. It also has a sequel which I'll be reviewing next once I've re-read it.
No comments:
Post a Comment