October 8, 2007
Fans of Kurtz's Chronicles of the Deryni will enjoy this convoluted conclusion to the newly revised trilogy (after Deryni Rising
and Deryni Checkmate
) originally published some 30 years ago. After much struggle, 14-year-old Kelson Haldane has become the first king of magical Deryni heritage to rule Gwynedd. He still faces trouble, however, from a suspicious Church that doesn't trust magic or anyone of Deryni blood, and from certain nobles who would exploit that distrust. Chief among these is Wencit of Torenth, a sorcerer king who is determined that he, not Kelson, will unite and rule the 11 Kingdoms. As Duke Alaric Morgan and Father Duncan McLain, powerful lords excommunicated for their use of magic, work to reinstate themselves with the Church and gain its support for Kelson, Wencit schemes to weaken Kelson's hold on the throne. With a complicated cast and tension-reducing plot twists, this volume doesn't stand alone well, but series completists will be more than satisfied.