Rating: 
Summary: A great fantasy story
Review: Tired of a world filled with death and decay, Garth the overman is directed by an oracle to go south into the human lands and serve one known as the Forgotten King, where he will win fame that will endure to the end of the world. But, the King's first command sends Garth off to find and bring back a nightmare creature out of legend, and to get it Garth must overcome bandits, foul magic, greed and madness. But, why does the Forgotten King want this loathsome creature? This is a strange and difficult quest, one that might give Garth what he does not want.I am a great fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans' wonderful Ethshar series, and now that I can't find any more to read, I decided to move onto his Lords of Dus series (of which this is book one). Well, I was not disappointed! This is a great fantasy story, complete with magic, strange creatures, and lots of swordplay. In particular, I found the author's use of a non-human as the protagonist to be quite intriguing and masterfully done. So, if you are a fan of fantasy literature, then you must get this book. You will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Watt-Eve¿s Finest
Review: Watt-Evens is an excellent, if overlooked sci-fi/fantasy writer, and I have been a fan almost as long as he's been writing. This book, the first of the Lords Of Dus or Garth series was the first he published, Dus is his best work, and this is the best of Dus. I can still remember the amazement I felt reading Watt-Evens' book, one of those rare fantasy novels that seems surrounded by a very real and fleshed out world. The main character, acting out of neither good nor noble compunctions is however, a good 'man', which gives hint to the complexity with which Watt-Evens draws his characters and spins his plots. Nothing is as it seems in a Watt-Evens story, and surprise lurks around every corner, and The Lure Of The Basilisk is no exception. I especially enjoyed Garth's practical matter of fact take on everything, truly a convincing character. Shang, The Baron and even The King In Yellow are also fascinating, well drawn characters with complex motivations and realistic reactions. But oh, Garth's poor feet!
| 
