What do You think about Emperor And Clown (2002)?
This is a fantastic end to a great series. The twists and turns kept right on coming to the very last page. Just when you think it is going to go one way, it swings in a totally different direction. I have to say that the sections I enjoyed the most, Rap was the star. Then Kado and Inos. Then The 5, and Little Chicken/Death Bird, and Gathmor. I very much believe that Azak got what he deserved...as did...well, others!I am hard pressed to determine which book I thought was the best...but I would have to say, most likely this one. As for those that believe that there were unnecessary scenes in the series...unnecessary stops...I would put the question to them...would *any* of the main characters be who they were at the end? We learn from everything we do, see, or hear. If some of the scenes were obliterated...would the 5 learn their lesson? Would Little Chicken/Death Bird? Kado? But most importantly...would Inos or Rap be the people who they are at the end? Would Rap have even survived the trials? Would Enos have found the true meaning of the gods decree? I did not find anything that was not important in there to build the characters into what they needed to be. This is a very fantastic series. One that more people should enjoy!
—Cherry Dumas
[9/10]Master Rap the stableboy and the exiled princess Inosolan have been traveling towards each other without much success for the last two books in the series. It was about time they finally got together in the same place, and this place is the true hub of the world of Pandemia, the capital of the Impire, residence also of the four warlocks who control the use of magick. After all the slow build-up in the previous books, this encounter needed to be extraordinary, and Dave Duncan delivered the goods in spectacular fashion, mixing palace intrigue, warmongers, feuds between warlocks and more than a fair share of romance. Rap and Inosolan together will bring down the whole social edifice of Pandemia and built it back up from scratch in a new shape. How did they manage it? Well, Inosolan didn't do much except being pretty, headstrong and prone to getting into trouble. It is Rap who is the true hero of the story so far (view spoiler)[ although Inos gets her chance to woo the reader in the last chapters of the epic, as she returns to rule her tiny kingdom of Krasnegar, and gets involved finally in the magic system (hide spoiler)]
—Algernon
Okay, this series went to hell quickly.First half proceeds pretty much from where the previous ones left of, solving the current political issues a bit early, but whatever.Then it takes a weird turn into the metaphysical, and spends a couple of hundred pages of people not saying why they're doing stuff. It's incredibly frustrating. First of all it was brought about by the author breaking the rules of his own magic system for the purpose of his main character. Which is one of my least favourite tropes ever, but that's not too bad, there's some genuinely cool concepts of alienation and "with godlike power then what?" going on.But no, then the book whimpers out in a cookie-cutter happy ending. Overall the series is a showcase of wasted potential: There's a ton of neat ideas that aren't followed up, some interesting character and political dynamics that are ignored, and all in favour of some pretty lacklustre and cookie-cutter stuff.
—Emil Söderman
