From Publishers Weekly
In his latest chronicle of the Dragaeran Empire, Brust (Issola) conjures the spirit of Dumas (the subtitle evokes the Viscount trilogy that includes The Three Musketeers), though he less successfully captures the panache of those classic swashbucklers. The mock historic narrative follows Khaavren and other heroes from the author's earlier books (The Phoenix Guards; Five Hundred Years After; the Vlad Taltos series) and gives the origins of later ones in the course of the epic restoration of the Dragaeran Empire. Piro, son of Khaavren and heir to his father's role of protector of the Emperor, seeks to help a childhood friend achieve her destiny. With polished manners and courteous speech, he must maneuver his way amid a number of similarly equipped folk to escort his friend to the Paths of the Dead, entryway to the Halls of Judgment (where sit the gods), so that she may retrieve the Imperial Orb, linchpin of empire. After that, the real work begins. Brust strives hard to recreate Dumas's charm, including a mix of humorous and tragic elements, a romantic tone, intersecting plot lines, themes of vengeance and return, slightly effete nobles and somewhat clownish (if sensible) commoners. The author might have done better to ascribe comic verbal ticks to only a few characters. Also, since much of the character interaction depends on knowledge of previous books, casual readers will be occasionally puzzled. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Two centuries after the event known as Adron's Disaster deprived the Dragaeran Empire of its emperor and its stability, the descendants of the Empire's greatest heroes set off on their own voyage of discovery, despite the fact that their diminished world contains little in the way of adventure. Their fortunes change when they encounter Zerika, a young woman who carries the lineage of the Phoenix within her and who provides the impetus for a revival of the old days of glory-provided she survives her journey along the Paths of the Dead. Continuing his swashbuckling epic fantasy (begun with The Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years After) with a new series and a new generation of heroes, Brust, with his arch humor and quasi-archaic narrative style, pays homage to Dumas, Zola, and other masters of swashbuckling adventure. A good choice for most fantasy collections. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
This sequel to Five Hundred Years After (1994) continues Brust's exuberant, if somewhat sprawling, fantasy pastiche of Dumas. The survivors of the fall of the Dragearean Empire are limping along without magic or capital city or emperor. They retain their taste for plot, counterplot, and general skullduggery, though, and the descendants of adventurers in earlier books of the saga are up to their teeth in all those activities. The stakes mount higher when Zorika, a surviving Phoenix heir, turns up, and the possibility of recreating the empire becomes excitingly real. But a great many more swashes must be buckled before that resolution can arrive, and this book apparently launches a new trilogy. Readers unfamiliar with Dumas need not retreat to Brust's inspiration to enjoy this yarn, though those who have read The Phoenix Guards (1991) and Five Hundred Years After may enjoy it somewhat more. Still, Brust is incapable of writing a dull book, and most fantasy collections should add this un-dull volume. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
The long-awaited sequel to The Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years After

Two hundred years after Adron’s Disaster, in which Dragaera City was accidentally reduced to an ocean of chaos by an experiment in wizardry gone wrong, the Empire isn’t what it used to be. Deprived at a single blow of their Emperor, of the Orb that is the focus of the Empire’s power, of their capital city with its Impe-rial bureaucracy, and of a great many of their late fellow citizens, the surviving Dragaerans have been limping through a long Interregnum, bereft even of the simple magic and sorcery they were accustomed to use in everyday life.

Now the descendants and successors of the great ad-venturers Khaavren, Pel, Aerich, and Tazendra are growing up in this seemingly diminished world, con-vinced, like their elders, that the age of adventures is over and nothing interesting will ever happen to them. They are, of course, wrong . . . .

For even deprived of magic, Dragaerans fight, plot, and conspire as they breathe, and so do their still-powerful gods. The enemies of the Empire prowl at its edges, in-scrutable doings are up at Dzur Mountain...and, unex-pectedly, a surviving Phoenix Heir, young Zerika, is discovered—setting off a chain of swashbuckling events that will remake the world yet again.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Two hundred years after Adron's Disaster in which Dragaera City was accidentally reduced to an ocean of chaos by an experiment in wizardry gone wrong, the Empire isn't what it used to be. Deprived at a single blow of their Emperor, of the Orb that is the focus of the Empire's power, of their capital city with its Imperial bureaucracy, and of a great many of their late fellow citizens, the surviving Dragaerans have been limping through a long Interregnum, bereft even of the simple magic and sorcery they were accustomed to use in everyday life.

Now the descendants and successors of the great adventurers Khaavren, Pel, Aerich, and Tazendra are growing up in this seemingly diminished world, convinced, like their elders, that the age of adventures is over and nothing interesting will ever happen to them. They are, of course, wrong.

For even deprived of magic, Dragaerans fight, plot, and conspire as they breathe and so do their still-powerful gods. The enemies of the Empire prowl at its edges, inscrutable doings are up at Dzur Mountain...and, unexpectedly, a surviving Phoenix Heir, young Zerika, is discovered - setting off a chain of swashbuckling events that will remake the world yet again.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In his latest chronicle of the Dragaeran Empire, Brust (Issola) conjures the spirit of Dumas (the subtitle evokes the Viscount trilogy that includes The Three Musketeers), though he less successfully captures the panache of those classic swashbucklers. The mock historic narrative follows Khaavren and other heroes from the author's earlier books (The Phoenix Guards; Five Hundred Years After; the Vlad Taltos series) and gives the origins of later ones in the course of the epic restoration of the Dragaeran Empire. Piro, son of Khaavren and heir to his father's role of protector of the Emperor, seeks to help a childhood friend achieve her destiny. With polished manners and courteous speech, he must maneuver his way amid a number of similarly equipped folk to escort his friend to the Paths of the Dead, entryway to the Halls of Judgment (where sit the gods), so that she may retrieve the Imperial Orb, linchpin of empire. After that, the real work begins. Brust strives hard to recreate Dumas's charm, including a mix of humorous and tragic elements, a romantic tone, intersecting plot lines, themes of vengeance and return, slightly effete nobles and somewhat clownish (if sensible) commoners. The author might have done better to ascribe comic verbal ticks to only a few characters. Also, since much of the character interaction depends on knowledge of previous books, casual readers will be occasionally puzzled. (Dec. 23)

VOYA - Donna Scanlon

Brust's latest book concerning the world of the Dragaeran Empire is the first book of the Viscount of Adrilankha trilogy and is also one of the so-called "Khaavren romances," purported to be written by Sir Paarfi of Roundwood and translated by Brust. These books, which include The Phoenix Guards (Tor, 1991/VOYA April 1992) and Five Hundred Years After (1994/VOYA August 1994), are written in a mannered style intended as a tribute to Alexandre Dumas. Several convoluted plots run parallel to each other, the defining story line being the one in which Zerika, Heir to the Empire, walks the Paths of the Dead to regain the Orb and renew the Empire. For the most part, the other plot lines are set up for future volumes, but not fulfilled. Readers familiar with Brust's Vlad Taltos books will recognize many of the characters and events, but newcomers will find it tough going, especially because there is nothing in the manner of a time line or a map. The narrative style is consistent and well done, but not all teens will have the patience for the arch mannerisms or long dialogues where most of the conversation consists of how Speaker A is going to tell something to Speaker B. Readers will either love this book or feel the urge to throw it against the wall. This title is a good choice if you have the earlier books in your collection or Brust fans among your clientele. VOYA Codes: 4Q 2P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 2002, Tor, 399p,

Library Journal

Two centuries after the event known as Adron's Disaster deprived the Dragaeran Empire of its emperor and its stability, the descendants of the Empire's greatest heroes set off on their own voyage of discovery, despite the fact that their diminished world contains little in the way of adventure. Their fortunes change when they encounter Zerika, a young woman who carries the lineage of the Phoenix within her and who provides the impetus for a revival of the old days of glory-provided she survives her journey along the Paths of the Dead. Continuing his swashbuckling epic fantasy (begun with The Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years After) with a new series and a new generation of heroes, Brust, with his arch humor and quasi-archaic narrative style, pays homage to Dumas, Zola, and other masters of swashbuckling adventure. A good choice for most fantasy collections. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews