THE ROAD TO EHVENOR

A long, long road indeed: sixth of Rosenberg's fantasy ``Guardians of the Flame'' series (The Warrior Lives, 1988), wherein various characters from Earth struggle to right wrongs in a world where magic works. Here, a doorway into the dark land of Faerie has opened, allowing assorted dire creatures through. So our heroes set forth to investigate: Jason, callow son and heir of the late, famous Karl Cullinane; narrator and leader, the gabby wiseacre Walter Slovotsky; the female warrior Tennetty; the dwarf Ahira; and Andrea Cullinane, who will expend all her wizardly powers to close the opening into Faerie. To complicate the picture somewhat, another ``warrior lives'' character has appeared, masquerading as the dead Karl Cullinane in order to attack and daunt the slave dealers; unfortunately, Mikyn, a friend of Jason's, has also taken to murdering law-abiding citizens. Oh, and Walter has marital problems. The same recipe as before: heroic travelogue in a hollow and makeshift setting, sustained by verbose commentary and interspersed with bouts of bloodthirsty action. An inflatable yarn with no real reason for being.