Huh - I've read later Ethshar stories that referenced this one, but I didn't recognize it until nearly the end (when they came up with the unstoppable stuff). She's an utter idiot - I wonder how much is attributable to the dagger and its effects, and how much is natural? Given how she got the dagger spell, at least some of it is natural. She's quite obsessed with power, and doesn't really notice that power in and of itself doesn't do anything, you have to know how and when to use it. Huh, I hadn't noticed - that's kind of the same path, or the reverse of the path, of the other viewpoint character (can't remember either name). She makes a proposal, investigates, and is proven correct; she's promptly invested with power, and then with more power and more, all of which she uses the way she's been taught, to fulfill her duties. Deeper than I noticed while I was reading. It's also interesting seeing the With a Single Spell guy and his wives from the outside, and reading some of the reactions to them. I do enjoy Ethshar. Oh, and there's also a reference to the new Empire from The Unwilling Warlord (I was wondering if there would be). ( )

Another in Lawrence Watt-Evans' loosely connected Legends of Ethshar series. This one wasn't bad, but wasn't as strong as the first three or so in the series.

I have found that the strengths of this series are not in the setting -- which is only vaguely described, and what is described is boring or at least run-of-the-mill; the characterization -- they are largely ciphers; or the dialogue -- it's OK, but nothing special. So why have I purchased the entire series and continue to read them? I guess it's because of the strength of the first few novels, because the plots are usually fairly interesting, and because the magic present in the setting is pretty interesting.

This one is about a young woman who is a small-time burglar. She spies on a wizard and attempts to replicate a spell she watched him teach his apprentice and ends up mis-casting it. Thus, she inadvertently creates a magical dagger that drains the souls of the beings it stabs and passes on the special abilities and life force to the wielder of the dagger. She ends up killing some animals and takes their strengths and capabilities then kills a bunch of people. Along the way, she seemingly becomes insane and tries to take over all of Ethshar, declaring herself empress.

Characterization on this one was really poor. The female thief is only hastily sketched out and it's not at all clear why she ends up committing the dastardly acts she does. The various people who attempt to stop her are described in even sketchier detail, including a few who have appeared in earlier books. Absolutely nothing interesting about any of the characters in the book.

I didn't hate this one, but it wasn't great. Kinda boring, actually.

Review copyright 2008 J. Andrew Byers ( )