Fire Dragon (Turtleback)

In the Time of Troubles (first third of the book), Maryn has finally taken the Holy City of Dun Deverry, and is putting the finishing touches on the defeat of the Boar clan to end the generations of civil wars that have raged among the various claimants for the high kingship. But despite Nevyn's best efforts, this man who's been shaped to be high king has a serious flaw: he's a womanizer who hasn't got sense enough to stay away from the wives, daughters, and sisters of some of his most loyal supporters; his current mistress, Nevyn's apprentice, sister of an influential tieryn, and betrothed to one of the silver daggers of Maryn's personal guard, is all three. Worse; Maryn's wife Bellyra truly loves him, and is too perceptive not to notice his affairs, but regardless of her feelings, she must stay with him for the kingdom's sake, being his claim on the Cerrmor side of the great conflict.

The curse tablet's spell on Maryn is still in effect, despite Nevyn's best efforts, but he's getting the nasty impression that he can see its subtle effects all around him, as Bellyra's distress is increased not only by her usual severe postpartum depression, but by another pregnancy only a few weeks after her last son's birth.

In the present, Evandar may have finally resolved not only the fate of his own people, the mysterious Guardians, but may provide the answers to some ancient riddles about the fall of the elven kingdoms of the West, as well as a chance for those great cities (the first love of his life) to be reborn. As part of one of his long-laid schemes, he's working on getting Ebany out of Bardek and back home to the Westlands, where his 'madness' can be cured. Rhodry, meanwhile, is working on keeping his oath to take Jahdo home to the northlands and catching the dark dweomermaster who kept taking the form of a raven and stirring up trouble among the Horsekin.

The ending of this book isn't the end of the series - there's one more volume to come - but Rhodry's final confrontation uses a very neat twist: something that a reader should have known for ages, but won't be expecting to see come into play. Very cool.

One aspect of this book, however, is less than satisfying. The section set during the Civil Wars contains infinetely more developed characters than the section set in "the present;" Kerr seems far more engaged and in tune with Nevyn, Lilli, Bellyra and Maryn than she does with Dallandra, Niffa, Raena and Rhodry. This has been a problem throughout the Dragon Mage series. As a result, the second half of this book feels flat compared to the first, and its characters seem strangely unrealistic when placed against the tortured, complex, wonderfully human characters described during the Civil Wars. Despite the imagination that has gone into the Horsekin, the Guardians and the dragon, these elements of blatant unreality detract a lot from one of the series' main strengths.

However, one shouldn't complain too loudly about a novel that's just "very good" instead of "brilliant." Anything by Kerr is usually vastly superior to the majority of fantasy novels out there (many of which seem to have been written on autopilot by authors trying to make condo payments). Deverry fans will find no reason here to stop loving the series!