Mistress Of The Catacombs - David Drake Book Review

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Review Summaries

" Tor, Sep 2001, 26.95, 464 pp. ISBN: 0312873875 Former peasant, Prince Garric has done the impossible. Garric has forged a government with him in charge of the Kingdom of the Isles. This is the first central government in a millennium plus years. However, not everyone is content with Garric ruling the Isles. Rebels and their outside allies unite to try to overthrow the new regime. Led by wizards who see mortals as cannon fodder and the Children of the Mistress, who cast spells, Garric's foes have overwhelming superiority in numbers, weapons, and magic. Thus, when the final battle happens, Garric's chances of surviving is ground zero let alone winning, but then again he shares cerebral space with his ancestor, the brilliant strategist King Carus. The fourth book in the Lord of the Isles series, MISTRESS OF THE CATACOMBS, is a strong epic fantasy that will elate readers of previous tales and send newcomers seeking those novels. The tale has all the elements expected in a high fantasy adventure, but centers on the coming of age of a youngster thrust into a position of grave responsibility. David Drake flies like an eagle, proving he is one of the stronger speculative fiction authors. Harriet Klausner "
Harriet Klausner, Resident David Drake Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age Yes
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - saving govt/kingdom from external overthrow
Mental/magical powers focus Yes
magical powers: - good magical powers hunting non/weaker magical(s) (fantasy)
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - mage/magician
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - fire/thunder/weather cntrl - mind reading - can see into the future - can cast all sorts of spells - can read emotions
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Wielding a Red Sword - Incarnations of Immortality 4 by Piers Anthony
The Charnel Prince by Greg Keyes

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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