To be fair to Thomas Harlan, the quality of his writing is unsurprisingly as top-notch as in the three previous books in The Oath of Empire series. But at the same time, this reader thinks that the excessive details and multiple plot threads, no matter how finely written they may be, could have easily hampered Harlan's ability to keep the story's development flowing nicely and within a reasonable maximum (or perhaps restricted) x number of pages. Plus, I imagine he was under a lot of pressure to meet an unforgiving deadline.The Dark Lord was at best rushed and unfinished. Regardless of how much best effort Harlan could put into making the final product, the result was an utter disappointment. This reader--and I can also imagine other readers--felt short-changed by a sub-par conclusion to an otherwise intriguing saga. Some plot threads, like the fate of Lord Mohammed, are in serious need of further development. The other gripe has to do with the way the final battle scene played out. The plot thread of Mohammed could easily lend itself to an offshoot book, while more pages should have been devoted to Maxian's role in the final battle scene.Still, there is no shortage of action. But after all is over, the reader will be in for a surprise ending.
