Mistress of the Catacombs (Lord of the Isles, Book 4)

for The First Time In A Thousand Years, The Kingdom Of The Isles Has A Government And A Real Ruler: Prince Garric Of Haft. But The Enemies Joining Against Him Intend To Destroy Not Only The Kingdom But Humankind As Well. Reptilian And Insect Monsters From Out Of The Ages March On The Kingdom. Unchecked, Their Ravening Slaughter Will Sweep Over The Isles Like A Flood Of Lava. Watching It All From The Blackness Of A Tomb Walled Off In Time And Space, The Mistress Waits . . .. and Her Fangs Drip Poison! kirkus Reviews volume Four In Drake's Generic Fantasy On Future Wizardry (lord Of The Isles, Queen Of Demons, And 1999's Servant Of The Dragon), Which Fast Approaches The Length Of In Search Of Lost Time While Presenting Somewhat More Of A Struggle For Adults To Read. The New Doombubble Of Mankind Imperiled Does Have A Meandering But Sometimes Pleasing High Danger As Characters Strive Vainly To Rise Above Stereotyping. Drake's Big Problem Turns On His Following The Adventures Of Three Or Four Separate Groups Of Characters And Ending Each Group's Episode At A Pitch Of Excitement That Loses Its Zing Before Those Folks-among Them, Prince Garric Of Haft, Cashel, Tenoctris, Sharina, Merota, Ilna, And The Phantomy Intercessor Echea-return To The Page. Drake's Many Fans Doubtless Will Look Eastward For The Sunrise Of Volume Five. Return to the the epic tale of the Lord of the Isles, David Drake's saga of magic and might. For the first time in a thousand years, the Kingdom of the Isles has a government and a real ruler: Prince Garric of Haft. The enemies joining against him intend to destroy not only the kingdom but humankind as well. The rebels gathering in the West outnumber the royal army and the magic they wield can strike into the heart of the palace itself, but far greater dangers lie behind those. On the far fringes of the Isles, ancient powers ready themselves for a titanic struggle in which human beings are mere pawns--or fodder! Reptilian and insect monsters from out of the ages march on the kingdom, commanded by wizards no longer human or never human at all. If unchecked, their ravening slaughter will sweep over the Isles as destructively as a flood of lava. Garric, ripped from his time and body, must make new allies if he and his kingdom are to survive. Watching them all from the blackness of a tomb walled off in time and space, the Mistress waits... And her fangs drip poison!