Time for another book review, my having just finished this book in work yesterday. Curse of the Shadowmage by Mark Anthony, is a Forgotten Realms novel and the eleventh book in the Harpers series. It is a direct sequel to the last book I reviewed Crypt of the Shadowking, set 2 years after the events of the first novel.
The focus shifts in this book, as while Caledan Caldorien was the primary character in the first book, here he is the protagonist, and the book more closely follows the story of his lover Mari Al'maren and her group of: Morhion the mage, Kellen Caldorien (Caledan's son), Jewel Talondim (a thief guildmistress) and Cormik (a thief guildmaster) as they set out in pursuit of Caledan who has gone missing.
Along the way they realise that the shadow magic that once turned a bard by the name of Verraketh Talembar into the first Shadowking, is now slowly doing the same to Caledan, and through Morhion's research, they learn that Caledan is seeking the Nightstar, an ancient amulet and the key to the Shadowkings transformation. From Cormik and Jewel's connections, they learn that the Nightstar is in the possession of a mysterious thief lord known only as Stiletto. So they are in a race to find Stiletto before Caledan does.
Also after Caledan is K'shar, a half-elf hunter, possessed of truly amazing stamina (he can run faster than a horse!), sent by the Harpers to hunt down and destroy Caledan before he becomes a new Shadowking. Because this task had been originally appointed to Mari, and she had refused it and resigned from the Harpers in protest, he hunts her, knowing that she is after Caledan and will lead him to him.
For his part, Caledan is fighting the growing evil presence within him, but not very well. It's willpower is much more powerful than his own, and so he leaves signs along his route, hoping that the friends he can barely even remember will find them, and use them to find him.
The book is good, the storyline moves along at a good pace, and is stuffed with character moments, some surprising revelations, and it makes you think, which in my opinion, is always a god thing. I don't like the character K'shar though,while the idea of a hunter sent to take out a threat is coherent with the Harpers, in that they often send a single agent to do what an army cannot, the character as written is ruthless to the point of being evil, something the Harpers are sworn to oppose. He doesn't fit as a character that is believeable in the context of the organisation he works for, because his methods do not match their goals.
Also, Kellen's ability with the shadow magic seems to increase anytime the group get stuck. Lost Caledan's trail? No problem, he just conjures up shaows of the past, and they can see which way Caledan's shadow went. Under attack by a shadow dragon? Easy, he just pulls all the shadows in the area together into a vast shadow knight to kill it. And that's just a couple examples. Yes, it shows that he has amazing skill with the magic even at the age of 11, but it is used a little too often, so that it becomes very much a deux ex machina solution to the groups troubles.
All in all I'm going to give this book 4/5, it is a good sequel and the focus on other characters who did not get as much detail in the first book is good (though I missed Tyveris, he only gets a couple cameo appearances here). Morhion is easily my favourite character from this book, the mage both impressed and envious of Kellens ability, knowing that the child is going to far surpass him someday. Jewel and Cormik provide light comedy as the two ageing thieves bicker ceaselessly, with a never-ending store of mild insults for each other!
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