written by Harriet Klausner on 11/08/2004
Elegy for a Lost Star
Elizabeth Haydon
Tor, August 2004 $24.95, 317 pp.
ISBN: 0312878834
Rhapsody and her half-dragon husband Ashe are enjoying the quiet serenity of married life. Both are elated that she is carrying his child and look forward to raising a brood of kids together. The calm has allowed their allies King Achmed and Grunthor to make progress on restoring the kingdom of Ylorc. Finally, they celebrate that their ward Gwydion has become an adult.
Everything is perfect. Not! Vengeance is in the air. Assassins plan to kill Achmed because of his killing of their lead; Anwyn the Dragon has arisen like a phoenix with plans to kill Rhapsody who put him into the death-sleep that he lived for the past three years. Finally Sorbold Emperor Talquist has a new ally the evil seer Anwyn. The war to end wars seems imminent.
The middle book of The Sympathy of Ages series is a solid fantasy that is a bit different in tone than the first series (see Rhapsody) or the first book in this trilogy (see REQUIEM FOR A SUN) as this tale contains much more action, but a lot less philosophical mythos. The story line starts slow as readers are lulled into the calmness that seems to be everywhere the trio are, but that serenity ends rather quickly into hyperspeed action packed thriller. Fans of the series will enjoy this rousing tale, but must adjust to the different tone.
Harriet Klausner