From Publishers Weekly
Rosenberg's intrepid retainers of the Castle Cullinane return in this jaunty addition to his popular Guardians of the Flame series. Doughty men-at-arms Pirojil, Durine and Kethol are stuck with the dirty work when sneaky outworlder Walter Slovotsky avoids accepting a commission from the Dowager Empress to investigate claims that Lady Leria Vor'sen is being pressured to marry Lord Miron, the son of ambitious Elanee, baroness of nearby Keranahan. Along the way they're joined by the wizard Erenor, whose arcane powers may be rivaled by his theatrical ability, and whose background is as colorful as those of the Cullinane retainers. Though Lady Leria denies feeling any pressure under the watchful eye of Elanee, the three decide it's best to escort the young woman back to speak directly with the Dowager Empress?a plan that sets in motion a dangerous chain of events, all designed to keep Leria from reaching Cullinane safely. Fortunately Pirojil, Durine and Kethol, ably assisted by Erenor, are equal to the task of protecting Leria under almost any circumstances, given a little help from Slovotsky and Cullinane's dragon, Ellegon. Rosenberg writes his usual competent mix of earthy characters and gritty action, including a surprising climax that will irrevocably change the trio of friends and soldiers. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Review
"Picaresque."--Kirkus Reviews

"A rollicking saga of swordmanship and intrigue, spiced up with dragons, damsels, and droll wizards."--SF site



Review
"Picaresque."--Kirkus Reviews

"A rollicking saga of swordmanship and intrigue, spiced up with dragons, damsels, and droll wizards."--SF site



Book Description
Kethol--The pretty fellow, a long and lanky redhead with an easy smile and an easygoing attitude that his clever eyes deny. He is quick with a quick...and quicker with a sword.

Durine--The big man, a head taller than most and twice as wide, built like a barrel, with a loyal heart and hands too thick to use anything more delicate than an ax handle.

Pirojil--The ugly one, his face heavy-jawed, with an eye ridge that would mark him as a Neanderthal only to the most gracious. But looks deceive, and his might be the rarest gift of all.

Athos, Porthos, and Aramis they're not.



About the Author
Joel Rosenberg is the author of the best-selling Guardians of the Flame books as well as the D'Shai and Keepers of the Hidden Ways series. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Home Front is the first in his Ernest "Sparky" Hemingway mysteries, a delightful new series with a wonderfully quirky character set in the land of the Cohen Brothers' Fargo.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Not Exactly the Three Musketeers is a swashbuckling parody of Alexandre Dumas's classic novel. Irreverent? Heck yes, but more fun than a dozen bodice-rippers combined. Meet the heroes of Castle Cullinane: Kethol - the pretty fellow, a long and lanky redhead with an easy smile and an easygoing attitude that his clever eyes deny. He is quick with a quip ... and quicker with a sword. Durine - the big man, a head taller than most and twice as wide, built like a barrel, with a loyal heart and hands too thick to use anything more delicate than an ax handle. Pirojil - the ugly one, his face heavy-jawed, with an eye ridge that would mark him as a Neanderthal only to the most gracious. But looks deceive, and his might be the rarest gift of all. Athos, Porthos, and Aramis they're not.... What they are is part of the loyal household of the Castle Cullinane, sworn to protect the Cullinane manse ... and the sometimes heroic Jason Cullinane, who (some say foolishly) chose to renounce his family's right to the throne. When our heroes are summoned by the reigning Dowager Empress (who is convinced that Jason's renunciation is merely a ruse to destroy her own aspirations) and are sent on a mission to investigate whether an errant noblewoman is being coerced into an arranged marriage, our heroes know that things are more complicated than they seem. But they have no way of knowing who is friend or foe ... or whose hand holds the killing blade. And if they play the wrong card, they won't lose only their lives but will help destroy the house that they have sworn to protect.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Rosenberg's intrepid retainers of the Castle Cullinane return in this jaunty addition to his popular Guardians of the Flame series. Doughty men-at-arms Pirojil, Durine and Kethol are stuck with the dirty work when sneaky outworlder Walter Slovotsky avoids accepting a commission from the Dowager Empress to investigate claims that Lady Leria Vor'sen is being pressured to marry Lord Miron, the son of ambitious Elanee, baroness of nearby Keranahan. Along the way they're joined by the wizard Erenor, whose arcane powers may be rivaled by his theatrical ability, and whose background is as colorful as those of the Cullinane retainers. Though Lady Leria denies feeling any pressure under the watchful eye of Elanee, the three decide it's best to escort the young woman back to speak directly with the Dowager Empress--a plan that sets in motion a dangerous chain of events, all designed to keep Leria from reaching Cullinane safely. Fortunately Pirojil, Durine and Kethol, ably assisted by Erenor, are equal to the task of protecting Leria under almost any circumstances, given a little help from Slovotsky and Cullinane's dragon, Ellegon. Rosenberg writes his usual competent mix of earthy characters and gritty action, including a surprising climax that will irrevocably change the trio of friends and soldiers. (Feb.)

VOYA - Ruth Cox

Readers of the eighth book in the Guardians of the Flame series, which Rosenberg has been writing for fifteen years, meet up with minor characters from previous novels. Many of Rosenberg's followers are into role-playing games, the subject of the first book, The Sleeping Dragon (Roc, 1993). Kethol, Durine, and Pirojil are hardly Athos, Porthos, and Aramis from Dumas's classic, but they are as humorous and likeable. Kethol is handsome, Durine is huge, and Pirojil is just downright ugly. The heroes use these physical attributes to their advantage as they set out to rescue a noble woman from an arranged marriage. With unrest in the empire and noble plotting against noble, the threesome knows this is more than just a rescue mission. Add to the mix of characters Erenor, the young magician. First thought of as cumbersome human baggage, Erenor proves his worth by using his "seeming," the ability to alter human appearance, to help the group escape from Lady Elanee and her son Miron. Lady Elanee has more than her son's unwilling paramour on her mind; her treacherous activities have all been employed to lure the imperial dragon Ellegon to his death by pitting him in battle against a much younger dragon. Her plan fails when Erenor saves Ellegon by "seeming" himself into dragon shape. Although Durine, Lady Elanee, and her dragon do not survive this melee, there are many remaining charismatic characters to continue the battle of wits and swords into a ninth book. This latest fiendishly funny and sometimes gruesome installment in the series will not disappoint fans or readers encountering the multidimensional characters for the first time. Rosenberg wields his pen as deftly as Kethol does his sword. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12 and adults).

Kirkus Reviews

An addition to Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series (The Road Home, 1994, etc.), set in a world where magic works and various immigrants from Earth are attempting to introduce civilization. This time, three soldiers utterly loyal to the do-gooder Cullinane family must, at the behest of the Dowager Empress Beralyn, proceed to Keranahan and discover if, and why, a young, rich noblewoman, Leria, is being coerced into marrying handsome Miron, son of Baroness Elanee. As the title promises, the three vaguely resemble Dumas's immortal trio in that they value honor above all: dim-witted redhead Kethol gambles and likes to rescue damsels in distress; huge swordsman Durine prefers to seek out whores; ugly Pirojil likes his beer. Along the way they acquire their D`Artagnon, the mediocre wizard Erenor, who poses as their servant as they wend their way in and out of trouble. Elanee quickly agrees to allow Leria to accompany the three back to Beralyn, but she's definitely up to no good; Durine's nearly killed spying on her as she feeds a mysterious creature she keeps in a cave. The trio survives an assassination attempt-but who sent the assassins, and why? A peasant gang seeking the gold dowry they're supposedly carrying attacks them-but who told the peasants this?-and only Erenor's magical illusion saves them. It emerges that Elanee's creature is a dragon she's trained to kill the public-spirited dragon Ellegon, who protects Emperor Thomen. A graphically, sometimes nauseatingly detailed gut-ripper with a carefully crafted backdrop, a picaresque but otherwise rudimentary plot, and few attempts at originality: should please Flame fans. .