Courage of Falcons

The Secret Texts: 3

ISBN: 0-446-67397-8 Order from: Amazon.com

A satisfying but not overly orignal conclusion to the fantasy trilogy, this novel has magic, war and romance; multiple viewpoints and old plots.

Reviewed by David on December 25, 2000

Genre: Fantasy (High Fantasy, War)

Synopsis: Kait, a shapeshifter and one of the few scions of the Galweigh Family left alive after a massacre by the rival Sabirs, led by the society of vicious wizards called the Wolves.

An ancient and even more ambitious group of wizards, the Dragons, whose magic had devastated the world, killed billions of people and mutated many more, have used the chaos to return from their exile and to grab new bodies for the ancient, corrupt souls.

Now, with many Families devastated in the resulting war the good wizards, the Falcons, lead the battle against overpowering greed. Kait, joining her modest magical power and her considerable talents in leadership, diplomacy and warfare, is a part of the struggle. Using the deadly and treacherous artifact known as the Mirror of Souls, the Falcons battle the Dragons. However, behind the ruthless Dragons lie the plot of another, one whose thirst of power will use both the sides—and the legions of the mutated Scarred—to pave his way to immortality.

Full Review: The book brings to the conclusion the epic of magic war in a world devastated by magic and the fear of shape-shifters. The rather intriguing evidence of techology—like digibles introduced in the first novel—play almost no role in this mostly conventional story of sorcerers, fighting and politics. The multiple viewpoints, used to introduce mutliple plots, are somewhat distracting. The major characters are well drawn, but somewhat predictable.

On the whole the conclusion is satisfying, but offers little originality and only a modicum of suspense.

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

ISBN: 0-446-67397-8 Order from: Amazon.com