Ironcrown Moon
Part Two of the Boreal Moon Tale
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3.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The continuation of a powerful new fantasy adventure filled with dark magic and deadly intrigue, from the worldwide bestselling author of the SAGA OF THE PLIOCENE EXILE.
King Conrig Ironcrown now rules the entire island of High Blenholme. But the peace he achieved after ruthlessly uniting its four quarrelling kingdoms into a Sovereignty is about to be challenged by enemies both mortal and supernatural.
Rumours abound that his vengeful first wife, Maudrayne, believed to have committed suicide when she discovered his infidelity, is in fact still alive and about to reveal a secret that could cost Conrig his throne.
A more tangible threat is posed by the ambitious sorcerer Beynor, and his crony, Conrig's traitorous former alchymist Kilian, who have stolen a trove of currently inactive moonstones capable of drawing tremendous power from the mysterious supernatural Beaconfolk. After initiating a civil war, the pair hope to utilize this power to vanquish Conrig's fatally divided realm and rule it themselves.
The King's unlikely champion is his royal intelligencer, Deveron, a young man secretly possessed of magical talents. But Deveron is torn between his loyalty to the iron-willed king and his own conscience. The resulting clash involves not only human beings, but also the ancient races who inhabited High Blenholme before them – and who now intend to take back their lost homeland.
Reviews
Praise for Julian May:
‘A writer of exceptional perception and power’ JEAN AUEL
‘Julian May has irrevocably placed herself among the greats’ ASIMOV’S MAGAZINE
‘A certain crowd-pleaser’ KIRKUS REVIEWS
About the author
Julian May is the author of the SAGA OF THE PLIOCENE EXILE (THE MANY-COLOURED LAND, THE GOLDEN TORC, THE NONBORN KING), THE GALACTIC MILIEU TRILOGY, BLACK TRILLIUM, (with Marion Zimmer Bradley and Andre Norton), BLOOD TRILLIUM and SKY TRILLIUM, and most recently THE RAMPART WORLDS. The author lives in the state of Washington.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Vivid characterization and deft world building lift May's second Boreal Moon novel (after 2004's Conqueror's Moon). Though King Conrig has gained control of the entire island of High Blenholme, he faces many challenges, not least keeping hidden his own illicit magical powers. He hopes that his new queen, Risalla, won't produce any children with magical talent, thus disqualifying them from inheriting the throne. While he has the support of the Conjure-Queen, Ullanoth of Moss, her unscrupulous brother, Prince Beynor, schemes against him. In addition, Conrig's first queen, Maudrayne, thought to be dead, is alive and working magic for her own purposes and may have borne Conrig an heir. When the collection of moonstones known as the Trove of Danasilo threatens to fall into the wrong hands, Conrig and his allies really have their hands full. The author's usual brisk pacing will keep readers turning the pages of this well above average high fantasy.
Customer Reviews
Iron crown moon
A good plot line though rather tedious in places as the author is overly descriptive in setting the scene for a minor and irrelevant part in the story. Central characters are true to the original and becoming more three dimentional as the story progresses. It's good to see that, like life, not all characters are completely good or evil, but instead complex organic organisms shaped by life's experiences and the inherent character flaws that evolve. Worth reading for a little escapism.