"Drenai epic sword and sorcery saga"
A thousand years ago, Skilgannon heroically died in
battle. Over time the legend of the hero grew to
monumental proportions. Now Drenai is under threat of
annihilation with no champion arising to stop the dark
sorceress Eternal or her Joinings of man and beast into
one. Desperate for a defender, none have any hope except
Landis Kan, who has some doubts but wonders if he can
fulfill the ancient prophecy that stated Skilgannon would
return when his people were on the brink of disaster. Landis believes he has found Skilgannon's resting place.
He experiments on another set of bones bringing back a
churlish individual who Kan writes off as a loser. He
next performs the ritual on the remains of Skilgannon, but
instead of a Herculean warrior, the reincarnation seems
much less than the legend and even Kan questions whether
this youngster could save the realm. Skilgannon realizes
that not him, but the other experiment is the only chance
for the realm to find victory This Drenai epic sword and sorcery saga can stand alone as
a delightful fantasy that points out what time does to
heroes (similar to much of the George Washington legendary
feats came out in a book in 1817 or about that stuck for
decades as truth). The story line is fast-paced and
loaded with action yet characters like Kan and Skilgannon
come across as genuine. Though trying to make this book
fit into the full saga will need an access database, fans
of the series and newcomers will enjoy this fabulous
fantasy. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted March 3, 2004
|
|
Even in death, Skilgannon the Damned's name lives on. Now,
as an ancient evil threatens the Drenai heartlands, he
returns. A thousand years after they fell in battle, two heroes --
Druss and Skilgannon -- are revered throughout the war-torn
lands of the Drenai where men and women live in abject fear
of the Joinings, abominable meldings of man and beast, and
of their mistress the dark sorceress known as the Eternal.
None can stave off these ruthless foes. But what if the
soul of a hero could be called back from the void, his
bones housed again in flesh? An ancient prophecy foretold
that Skilgannon would return in his people's darkest hour.
To most, this is a foolish hope, but not so to Landis Kan.
For years Kan searched for the tomb of Skilgannon the
Damned. And at last, he found it, gathered up the bones and
performed the mystic ritual. But the reborn hero is an enigma; a young man whose warrior
skills are blunted and whose memories are fragmented. This
Skilgannon is a man out of time, marooned in a world as
strange to him as a dream, remote from all he knew and
loved. Or nearly all. Before bringing Skilgannon back,
Landis Kan had experimented with other bones in the hero's
tomb. That ritual resulted in a surly giant who possessed
astounding strength, but no memories. To Kan, he is a
dangerous failure. To Skilgannon, this giant represents
their last hope. As the ageless evil of the Eternal threatens to drown the
Drenai lands in blood, two legendary heroes rise again.
|
