A Path to Coldness of Heart
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4.6 • 5 Ratings
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
At long last, the conclusion to Glen Cook's Dread Empire saga has arrived! King Bragi Ragnarson is a prisoner, shamed, nameless, and held captive by Lord Shih-kaa and the Empress Mist at the heart of the Dread Empire.
Far away in Kavelin, Bragia's queen and what remains of his army seek to find and free their king, hampered by the loss or desertion of their best and brightest warriors. Kavelina's spymaster, Michael Trebilcock, is missing in action, as is loyal soldier Aral Dantice. Meanwhile, Dane, Duke of Greyfells, seeks to seize the rule of Kavelin and place the kingdom in his pocket, beginning a new line of succession through Bragia's queen, Dane's cousin Inger. And in the highest peaks of the Dragona's Teeth, in the ancient castle Fangdred, the sorcerer called Varthlokkur uses his arts to spy on the world at large, observing the puppet strings that control kings and empires alike, waiting… For the time of the wrath of kings is almost at hand, and vengeance lies along a path to coldness of heart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This long-delayed conclusion to Cook's Dread Empire epic fantasy saga, begun in 1979, opens in chaos following King Bragi Ragnarson's ill-fated invasion of Shinsan. The false rumors of Bragi's death have thrown his kingdom of Kavelin into upheaval, as both would-be heirs to the throne are minors, and some of their supporters see an easy opportunity to seize power. Meanwhile, the wizard Varthlokkur, regretting his hasty decision to refuse Bragi aid, has found another lost soul to assist: the King Without a Throne, Haroun bin Yousif. As Bragi paces within his luxurious prison tower, his captor, Mist, the newly crowned empress of Shinsan, ponders what she can do with him and when the next battle might be. While the premise is appealing, the tale quickly falters as excessive numbers of extras come out of the woodwork for a last hurrah. Readers familiar with the Dread Empire will appreciate the final chapters, which arrive with a rush of events and information that pull together for a spellbinding conclusion, but a more careful introduction to the villains would assist those new to the series.
