THE ASSASSIN KING

The sixth book of The Symphony of Ages series (Elegy for a Lost Star, 2004, etc.) picks up on the further adventures of Rhapsody and the strange band of characters who’ve gathered around her over time.

Rhapsody faces a dire future as the lands around her begin to turn to war. The dragon race that protects the world has lost one of their kind, and it means a loss of the shields that keep the world safe. The evil demon race F’dor are out among humans causing trouble again, and to the south, the power hungry Talquist gets ready to invade the lands and people Rhapsody holds dear. The book begins slowly with a great many meetings being held and political alliances being made by both sides of the upcoming war. Once this is established, the pace picks up, with Rhapsody fleeing to safety with her old allies Grunthor and Achmed as her husband prepares for Talquist’s invasion. Talquist however, has a few tricks up his sleeve. Meanwhile, Rhapsody flees for the mountains as a dragon with a grudge does its best to kill her before she can reach safety. The fate of worlds and races relies on the outcome of the upcoming battle, which will come in a later novel.

Not for newcomers: Half of the book summarizes history covered in other books and involves people sitting around in councils of war, while the other half builds up to the first battle.