Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2003 February #2 As the time of cataclysm approaches and the lost world of the Aoi seeks to return to the land that cast it out, a few heroes struggle to avert the coming disaster. While Sanglant journeys to the griffins' domain in search of allies, Liath returns from her voyage in space and time with desperate news. In the meantime, a group of spellcasters gathers together to work a grand spell to drive the Aoi back into exile, heedless of the danger their magic represents. Elliott's latest addition to her popular fantasy saga interweaves threads and characters from previous books (e.g., King's Dragon; Prince of Dogs) in a grand confrontation that signifies a time of endings and new beginnings. Libraries owning other series titles will want this intricately plotted, elegantly told tale of a world on the verge of change. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2003 January #3 Lovers of big, complex fantasy novels will welcome Elliott's fifth entry in her Crown of Stars saga (after 2000's Child of Flame), set in a world with a strong flavor of the Holy Roman Empire. Liath, one of the Ashioi, a subrace of humans with magical powers, returns after four years of exile to find that her husband, Prince Sanglant, is trying to ally with the griffins to save the Ashioi from his diabolically possessed father, Emperor Henry. Liath and Sanglant's daughter, Blessing, is in danger as well. Borrowing from medieval history, Elliott fills her story with characters, institutions, spells, strange creatures, fascinating religious practices and still more characters (until a list of them is direly needed). The considerable similarities to Katherine Kurtz's Dernyi series should attract Kurtz fans. (Feb. 4) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews : VOYA Reviews 2003 August The fifth book in Elliott's Crown of Stars series, this hefty volume picks up as a terrible cataclysm is about to engulf the world. The exiled land of the Aoi is returning to the earth from which it was cast forth millennia prior. Skopos Anne, a religious leader, is plotting to cast the Aoi again into the aether, an action that will destroy the earth. Following numerous characters on several different fronts, the narrative switches from the efforts of the devastated Alain, still grieving for his lost love Adica, to Liath, returned from her time in the aether, to Prince Sanglant, the illegitimate son of King Henry of Wendar and Varre. As they all try to stop Anne from completing her destructive plot, unions are formed and alliances change. Movement from character to character (or set of characters) allows several narrative threads to run at the same time. Strong plotting, thorough world building, and sound characterization and character development make this novel a must-purchase for those collections that have invested in the rest of the series, as this volume certainly cannot stand alone. Comparing favorably to Diana Marcellas's Sea Lark's Song (Tor, 2002/VOYA June 2003), this sweeping military fantasy will be welcomed by fans of the earlier books.-Ann Welton. 3Q 3P J S A/YA Copyright 2003 Voya Reviews
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