|
-
Hivemind social net
-
News
- Features
- Blogs
- Events
Calendar
- Editorials
- Monthly
Zine
- Offworld
Report
- Our Daily
RSS Feed
- Google Toolbar scifi
- Movie/TV
Reviews
> Recent movies
> Movies by year
> Movies by title
- Book
Reviews
> Recent books
> Books by year
> Books by title
- Home
- Worlds
- Biography
- Bibliography
- Appearances
- Reviews
- Blog
- Community
- Press
- Links
Become
an Advertiser
- Web
Site Directory
- Search
the Net
- StephenHunt.net
- WoodenRocket.com
- Check
your E-mail
- Non Sci-Fi
News
|
Dragon Venom (book 2 of The Obsidian Chronicles) by Lawrence Watt-Evans
01/02/2004 . Source: Lucy A.E. Ward 
pub: TOR. 416 page hardback. Price: $25.95 (US), $35.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-30279-9. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.tor.com
Lord Arlian 'Triv' Obsidian is a dragonslayer and Warlord of the Duke of Manfort. His duty is to find and destroy all dragons alive in the Lands of Man. Guided by legends and old maps, he and his select band of warriors carry out their duty with grim enthusiasm. There are few who have not lost kin to the ravages of the ancient beasts.
Arlian's task is made more difficult by the Dragon Society, a renegade group of humans who believe the dragons deserve their dominance. In exchange for their loyalty, they earn the right to become 'dragonhearts', meaning a life-span of one thousand years and several other powerful benefits.
The negative to this deal is that this longevity is bought by acting as an incubator for dragon seed and, as well as gradually losing all human emotion, the host perishes at the new dragon's birth.
'Dragon Venom' is the third book in 'The Obsidian Chronicles', but it doesn't matter if you haven't read the first two. Watt-Evans always writes unique tales and I've not yet read one of his novels which didn't successfully stand alone.
I hadn't read the first two books when I picked this one up, but within the first few chapters I knew everything I needed to fly through this book.
And fly I did. The pace and action are spectacular. You want heroic fantasy? You'll find it here. Arlian the dragonslayer-dragonheart is a warrior of epic proportions, who carries a weapon of every substance known to harm the many magical and supernatural beasts in his world. He is set on vengeance for the death of his grandfather and to provide true freedom and peace for his people.
He is willing to travel huge distances and explore the unthinkable in order to achieve his goal. An emotional sub-plot adds greater depth to the tale, with Arlian wrestling with the fact that he has never known true humanity, as he was exposed to dragon venom - the vile substance that turns humans into hosts - when he was just a boy.
I like a tortured hero and Watt-Evans does not disappoint when exploring Arlian's irony: the fact that the one man who stands a chance of annihilating the dragons can only do so as a result of his affliction.
Not only would I recommend this but it had a place on my Christmas list for those I know who love good fantasy. It is a fun, enjoyable read with plenty of surprises and some startling open-mouth moments. Well-written and accessible, it is another top-notch book by one of my all-time favourite fantasy authors.
Lucy A.E. Ward
|
|
