Dark Prince

Lion of Macedon: 2

ISBN: 1-85723-666-1 Order from: Amazon.co.uk

A sweeping, heroic fantasy, with uneven pacing, pleasant classical mythical themes, well-handled combat and somewhat unsatisfying magic.

Reviewed by David on December 25, 1999

Genre: Fantasy (Sword and Sorcery, High Fantasy, Alternate Reality, Historical, Multiple Worlds, Military)

Synopsis: In this concluding sequel to Lion of Macedon, the young Prince Alexander is once again the battleground between the powerful Spirit of Chaos, and the valiant but mortal spirits of Man. Parmenion, the legendary general who helped king Philip of Macedon become the strongest ruler in Greece, must fight not only the mortal battles of sword and intrigue, but the supernatural battles for the sake of young Alexander, whom he loves as a son. When the prince is magically snatched into a world being overrun by Chaos, Parmenion and a few of his friends must save not only the Alexander, but also the remains of honor, kindness, and magic still left in the alternate world.

Full Review: In a battle where Alexander's precioucious intelligence and courage are slowly losing ground to the malevolent spirit that shares his body, the fate of men and nations are decided by Parmenion and a few of his friends. This is a novel that tries to span the epic struggle for the future of Greece with the personal struggles of the handful of mostly fallible characters: the struggle of fear and honor, revenge and forgiveness, conflicted loyalties and strained honesty. There is even a love story.

On the whole, the novel succeeds well, bringing the excitement of battle, both magical and mortal, together with the personal tribulations of interesting characters. It is not without flaws, however. The pacing is quite uneven, going from a quick, histoty-book monologue to detailed episodes with the favored protagonists. The magic, while overwhelmingly strong, is still rather vague. The love story, forming a bakdrop to the epic, is relegated to such a small area that it feels like a human-interest afterthought. And finally, the conclusion, while pleasant, appears a bit too pat.

In general, this is one of the better alternate history, with enough excitement and magic to make the reading a worthwhile experience.

Note, the book is out of print in the US. It's available in Britain, and from used book stores.

Overall: 6; Plot: 5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 6; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 5.5;

ISBN: 1-85723-666-1 Order from: Amazon.co.uk