May 7, 2007
A
fter the disappointment of Kerr's first entry in her Silver Wyrm series, The Gold Falcon
(2006), part of her popular Deverry cycle, fans will welcome the author's usual intricate plotting and convoluted relationships in this second volume. Horsekin raiders, fired up by a bloodthirsty new goddess named Alshandra, are harrying the borders along the Westlands, forcing Prince Daralanteriel of the Westfolk to prepare for war. As Dar sends envoys to dwarven and human allies seeking assistance, the bard-mage Salamander frets over the fate of new-made wizards, husband and wife Neb and Branna, whose magical talents from their previous lives are now finally being realized in their current incarnations. In a lengthy flashback, Kerr lays out details of Neb and Branna's former incarnations and Salamander's history as a half-breed raised by elves before returning to the conflict with the Horsekin. Though not a good entry point for new readers, those already familiar with the Deverry setting and its complicated time lines and relationships should be satisfied.