This continues the story that began in The Verdant Passage and is the second part of the Prism Pentad by Troy Denning.  I was glad to see that the second book would focus on the character I liked most from the first novel, Rikus.  Unfortunately, I didn’t especially enjoy the novel. 

On the good side, the novel focuses on Rikus, Neeva, and their adventures out in the world of Athas.  Agis and Sadira go off with some other characters, no doubt to have adventures in later books.  This one really drills down on Rikus.

Unfortunately, the story quickly becomes a dogged revenge tale, where Rikus wants to kill his old master Maetan, and will stop at absolutely nothing to get the job done.  He’s so single-minded as to become fairly simple-minded.  Maybe if this book had been 150 pages long, I could have dealt with how frankly stupid Rikus is, but with over 400 pages to sit with it, my eyes wouldn’t stop rolling.  All I could think about was how this guy could ever have survived, much less ever have instilled love or loyalty in anyone else, if he’s this intensely dumb.  There’s “tragic flaws” and then there’s stupid.  It then makes other characters, especially Neeva, seem dumber for staying at his side.  We eventually reach Padme & Anakin levels of WTF? when it comes to “romance” between those two.

We get more world building for Athas, seeing some new cultures and new locations.  A bit of the overall history, cosmology, and politics of the world are explored.  That’s all fine.  And honestly, the sort of slow-motion chase of armies across the desert landscape that makes up the plot of the book isn’t bad.  It all just falls apart around Rikus, which again, really frustrates me, because I liked him in the first book so much more.

Normally, I don’t bother with reviews of stuff I don’t like anymore.  But I decided to write this review in case I do go on to read the rest of the Prism Pentad.  Unfortunately, this kinda took the wind out of my sails on that count.  Especially disappointing considering how much I enjoyed The Verdant Passage.  So, we’ll see.  I mean, this isn’t as poorly written as Dragons of Autumn Twilight, or anything.  

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