THE LAST BOOK OF SWORDS

Saberhagen's Lost Swords yarns have been appearing since 1986; here, he wraps up the entire idea in fine style, by destroying the Swords one by one. As before, it's not so much the characters or even the plot that fascinates, but the Swords themselves (each has distinct magical attributes and restrictions), how and why they are wielded, and how the various energies clash or combine. So: Vilkata, the Dark King, returns from the Moon (whence Prince Mark of Tasavalta banished him), attended by demons and equipped with Old World technology, to launch a do-or-die assault on Mark's family—represented by 14-year-old Prince Stephen, wearing Shieldbreaker and Sightblinder. As usual, the mysterious, clownish, godlike Emperor weaves in and out of the story; the Swords change hands, and one by one succumb; finally, the struggle comes down to Mark, armed with Woundhealer, the Sword of Love, against Vilkata, armed with Shieldbreaker, the Sword of Force. Sentimental? Undoubtedly, and particularly at the end. But Saberhagen's series, while uneven at times, has provided tireless entertainment in the seemingly inexhaustible combination of Swords and magics, and no fan of the series will want to miss this one.