by
Ken Hood
ISBN: 0-06-105759-2 Order from: Amazon.com
This third volume continues a tale of a hero with plenty of fighting, interesting magic and pseudo-medieval politics.
Reviewed by David on July 23, 1998 (rev. 2)
Genre: Fantasy (Alternate Reality, Sorcery, Demons, Historical)
Synopsis: In an alternate world, where Christianity never took hold, magic is real, and Batu Khan had conquered Western Europe, a young Scottish outlaw, Toby Longdirk, fights against a demon conqueror masquerading as the king of England. His struggle is aided and complicated by his Hob—a spirit that possesses Toby, less malicious than a demon, but as ignorant and destructive as an animal. Three years after the events in the previous novel, Demon Rider, Toby is becoming famous in Italy as a talented mercenary captain. This time, he is trying to unite the warring principalities of Italy against the crushing weight of Nevil's invasion.
Full Review: Ken Hood built a fascinating world—at the end of the fifteenth century Europe is much like ours, except for the drastic absence of Christianity. Instead, the population centers are guarded by the tutelary spirits—domesticated versions of the gods of hills and streams. The human wraiths abide with their local tutelaries after death.
The sorcerers are able to control, through evil rituals, other spirits that become eager for murder and torture—demons. Sometimes, these demons prove stronger than the sorcerers and possess them. This has happened to the ambitious young king of England—Nevil.
Rather than describing every episode in Toby's struggle, Ken Hood (a.k.a. Dave Duncan) wisely chose to skip three years. Rather deftly, we are told of Toby's recent unexpected success in defeating one of Nevil's generals. In this sixteenth century Europe, much as in our own, Italy is a collection of warring states. Even in the face of overwhelming threat from the north, the princes cannot trust each other with their armies. Toby, as a foreign captain, has the only chance to lead the combined armies of the peninsula.
The military adventure is complicated by politics, fading but influential power of the Golden Horde, fugitive royalty and romantic subplots. It is interesting to see the Vatican as a collection of pious clerics denouncing the use of sorcery, while keeping the largest collection of the bound demons in the world.
There are a few elements that feel a bit artificial, especially Toby's unexpectedly devious schemes and the fortuitous shaman. However, this is a highly readable adventure series told with skill and minimum melodrama, and well worth continuing.
Overall: 6.5; Plot: 6.5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 5.5;
Copyright date 1998, HarperCollins (HarperPrism), June 1998, Mass-market, 434 pages
ISBN: 0-06-105759-2 Order from: Amazon.com