Death's Master (1979)

*note to self. Copy from A. - 1979 first printing Daw books.

Death's Master, the second in her "Flat Earth" is as good as the first, This book focuses on Uhlume, another prince of the Underearth who is Lord of Death. Lee creates and unforgettable world in this series that doesn't feel derivative of any other fantasy world, and with lush, luminous prose. In fact, I think I love this book, which is structured more like a novel, even more. Lee's prose is gorgeous and though the novel deals with such heavy themes as illusion and immortality there's plenty of leavening humor and wit. A fairy tale for adults. ( )

Second in the Flat Earth
series, with more focus on Uhlume/Death (and now I finally know where
that old alt.gothic poster got his handle from!) with some meddling by
the prince of Underearth. Uhlume doesn't appear quite so much in this
novel, but the characters are driven by their immortality and the
quest for it and to get rid of it. Interesting musings on what it can
mean to live forever and what people are willing to do to get there
and to pass the time once they have. I'd had hopes that the one
character who could switch between male and female bodies would spend
an equal amount of time as each, but he's mostly male (though the
pronouns are well handled). Love and trickery and revenge thread through the story as well. ( )