RAGE OF A DEMON KING

Feist's fantasy saga continues (Shadow of a Dark Queen, 1994; Rise of the Merchant Prince, 1995) as the folk of Midkemia, already battling the snaky Saaur and their Emerald Queen, face an invasion of hungry demons seeking new wellsprings of toothsome lifeforce for their insatiable leader, Great Maarg. Returning to the fray are the familiar magicians Pug, Miranda, and Macros, along with soldiers Erik von Darkmoor and his sidekick, Roo Avery—and they will still need help from their former enemies, the Black Robes of Kelewan. There's probably a kitchen sink in here somewhere, too. Somehow, Feist always manages to wring out another plot twist or scrape together a new and improved gaggle of bad guys to keep the stew bubbling; the real puzzle is how the fans tolerate his graceless, often downright inept prose and limping dialogue. (First printing of 100,000)