Description:
With this book, popular epic fantasy writer Niles begins a new series, the Seven Circles trilogy. Each of the seven circles of this new world is home to a different race (the usual dwarves, trolls, goblins, centaurs, etc.), and all are ruled by the wise elven Senate at Nayve, the great city in the Circle at Center, seat of the elven College and the mystical Grove where druids and enchantresses serve the One True Goddess. The story gets going in the first circle, when evil Delver dwarves destroy the city of Axial, ancient home of the good Seer dwarves. Fearful of rising darkness, well-meaning druidess Mirandel summons human warriors from many different times in earth's history to teach her peaceful people how to fight, but gets more than she bargained for when one of them turns out to be an insane Crusader named Sir Christopher, who is bent on razing the Circles of "infidel" Goddess-worshippers. Sir Christopher murders the Keeper of the magical Stone of Command and uses the Stone to build an enormous army of Delvers, centaurs, and others who long to overthrow the elven hierarchy. Although Niles's characters seldom rise beyond stereotype and the climactic outcome arises thanks to a convenient (and predictable) deus ex machina, Niles's many fans are sure to forgive these flaws in favor of the detailed setting and the excitement of a brisk plot filled with derring-do. --Charlene Brusso
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