"
Bantam, August, 6.50, 336 pp.
ISBN 0553581961
After a particular horrific vacation, all Master Lizard-Maker Finn wants to do is work on mechanical lizards at his store in Fyxedia and enjoy the charms of his beloved Letita Louise, his wife in everything but name. Unfortunately, his sovereign, Prince Aghen Aghenfleck the Fourth, does not take his wishes into account. The prince wants Finn to travel by hot air balloon to Heldessia to deliver a lizard clock to the king.
This order makes no sense to Finn because Fyxedia and Heldessia have been at war for over seven hundred years. Since the matter is of some urgency, Finn leaves the next day and when he lands in Heldessia, he finds Letita Louise and Julia Jessica Slagg (his mechanical thinking and talking lizard) waiting for him. Getting into the palace is not easy but leaving is even harder because they keep stumbling into plots and making enemies everywhere they go.
THE TREACHERY OF KINGS is a very funny book especially when the author gets on the topics of the Newlies and mechanical lizards. The Newlies are a species of animals that were was changed into near humans seven hundred years ago. There is a lot of action and derring do in the exciting sword and sorcery novel but it is the eccentric and colorful cast of characters that make this fantasy a first class winner.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Neal Barrett, Jr. Scholar
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Overall Review
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 20% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story
Yes
Plotlets:
- exploring a wondrous planet or phenomena
Political power play
Yes
Political plotlets
- preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mage/magician
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
