Review: Phoenix in Shadow, by Ryk Spoor

[jeriendhal]

With the e-arc release of seawasp's next Phoenix book, it was time I got off my ass and review the last one. :)

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Summary: Kyri Vantage, sole remaining true Justiciar of the god Myrionar, having driven out the false Justiciars from her home nation, sets out help her friend the exiled prince of Skysand Tobimar and his Intelligent Toad companion Poplock, to find the vanished homeland of the young prince and end his quest and exile.

To their surprise, they find it rather easily based on previously gathered clues. To their greater surprise, it's a veritable paradise surrounded by a jungle of deadly magic-mutated creatures. But despite the warm welcome they receive, there are snakes waiting below the surface. Snakes that have been waiting for a Prince of Skysand to return for a long time.


Review: I liked this story a bit better than the first novel Phoenix Rising. The previous book was very much in Epic Fantasy mode, full of travel to distant and exotic lands, with a large cast of characters. All well and good, but the piling on of details (particularly the stuff about the stranded Earth kids) got a little difficult to swallow after a bit. This time around Kyri and company have to deal with a single nation-state and the mysteries within it, which allows for a more focused plot and a somewhat smaller cast. [1]

All in all it's good fun, continuing an ongoing theme of forgiving one's enemies and the power of Good Feels Good to turn one's soul on the path of Light. Though I'll admit there were a couple of characters willing to dump a thousands of years old plan really quickly once Kyri showed up. [2]

Also there's a Kaiju. Because Ryk.

Recommended.


[1] Which fortunately also leaves out this universe's resident Mysterious Wizard ™, whom I grew to loathe in the previous book.

[2] It was rather odd that no commented (IRCC) on Kyri's rather unusual hair coloring. Then again, given some of the weirdness to be found in Zarathan, it might simply not have be worth mentioning. :)

Comments

[seawasp]

Yeah, the first book set in a new (to readers) world pretty much HAS to be somewhat burdened with the introductions of information.

You don't like Khoros? Well, as one notices, most people don't like him either. He's on the side of the angels, but -- as the Spiritsmith says -- he uses methods that no one is going to like, including Khoros. Khoros quite literally expects to die and go to one of the Hells for his sins; he just wants to make the world a better place AFTER he's gone, and make the people who killed his wife, his children, and his entire civilization PAY.

Khoros DOES show up, of course, in the third book.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

I think it's the Hat. I don't like All Knowing (But I'm Not Telling You Nuthin') Wizards in general, but a hat that specifically doesn't let you see his eyes no matter what angle you're looking at is a special kind of annoying.

I'm hoping Poplock knocks it off his head somehow at the climax... ;p

[seawasp]

Sorry, but NO ONE gets to take off the hat except Khoros. If my trilogy Demons of the Past gets published, you get to see him without the hat, and you'll see him without it in the Grand Finale, if I ever get to write it.

To a great extent he's based on Kaos (American name "The Ancient One", and pictured there in my icon) from Yoroiden Samurai Troopers (AKA Ronin Warriors), crossed with Nero Wolfe, and I don't think we EVER see Kaos' eyes throughout the entire series.

[seawasp]

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