Joshua Palmatier, The Cracked Throne

The Cracked Throne

Joshua Palmatier

Daw, November 2006, $24.95

ISBN 0756404037

The White Fire caused pandemic destruction as it swept through the coastal city of Amenkor (see THE SKEWED THRONE). Rich and poor were impacted; few were immune to its devastation. Slum child Varis should have been an obvious victim of the carnage, but somehow the orphaned waif survived the lethal White Fire, just like she endured the streets living as a thief and assassin.

Fate twists further as Varis has becomes the Mistress of Amenkor; a city in ruin spiraling into further chaotic annihilation as civil war seems imminent, but against who is unknown, as some force keeps attacking the cargo vessels that bring food to the city. Most people lack the necessities of life because of food shortages; contaminated water and a lack of decent shelters. Varis must do for many what she has always successfully done for one, herself. Her hope lies with her precursor, Eryn who survived the White Fire, but apparently lost her mind while doing so. Sitting on the Skewed Throne provides Varis access to the collective wisdom of her predecessors, but only one of those before ever faced the aftermath of the White Fire, and that long lost dead ruler had no organized insurrection to cope with.

This terrific complex sequel continues with the premise of placing Lord Acton's warning that "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely", even with a fresh idealist on the throne, especially when a world goes from complacency to overnight crisis. The storyline focuses on Varis' efforts to feed the people while coping with political challenges, the insanity of Eryn, a possible civil war and a need to stop those preventing the in-coming shipments. Fantasy readers will appreciate that powerful condemnation of absolute power works absolutely terribly when it comes to easing a mass crisis.