The Blood King: Book Two of the Chronicles of the Necromancer
by Gail Z. Martin
Published by Solaris
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Review by Jennifer Johnson
Gail Z. Martin’s The Blood King is a fantastic sequel to The Summoner. After a quick refresher plot summary of the first book, you jump right back into the story with our hero Tris and his group of friends as they continue on their quest to overthrow King Jared and his evil sorcerer Foor Arontola in hopes of restoring Margolan under a peaceful and fair reigning ruler. All the same characters from the first book are still in action but as the plot continues, we come across new faces, friends, and enemies, as well as countryside and scenery, which help to keep the story moving forward and your imagination flowing.
As the trials and tribulations of our group of heroes continue and their objective looms ever more closely, the allies are under pressure to put their plans and training into action. Each member of the group, each with their own unique skills as healers, fighters, thieves, soldiers, guides, magicians, and sorcerers, has a part to play in the battle to come. Our tightly knit friends have to separate into different task groups in hopes that in the end they will be reunited in their victory. The spread of the adventures among the characters, and their combined effort working as a whole to one final challenge, will continue to keep you on the edge of your seat rooting for their success.
All this comes to a head at the end with the final confrontation, which is an incredible battle of good and evil spirits and of magic, between Tris and Foor Arontola. I won’t reveal or ruin the outcome of this battle but I will say that a powerful moving scene brings us to our conclusion. After the battle all the loose ends of the story are neatly tied up so you are left with no questions of what happened or why.
This book is as wonderfully rich and full fantasy, and you become so attached to the characters that you don’t want it to end.
Armchair Interviews says: Another great series for Fantasy fans.
Author’s Web site: http://www.ChroniclesoftheNecromancer.com