The Deceiver

This is book 1 of a trilogy which follows on from the original trilogy about the conflict between Chaos and Order, and which told the story of Tarod, who was one of the Chaos gods in human form. At the end of book 3 of that trilogy, a hard-won Equilibrium was achieved in which Order had to concede a place in the human world to Chaos. They now share the day/night hours between them. As part of the agreement, neither can intefere in human affairs unless a direct appeal is made.

Some years have passed when the current story starts, and life has settled down to a comfortable and prosperous one for the people of the various provinces. Yet there is a glimmer of trouble when the dying Head Initiate at the magicians' castle, who held the post at show more the time of the first trilogy and was a sometime friend and later enemy of Tarod, indicates that the birth of a child to a visitor is an omen of something sinister. He soon dies and the problem is forgotten, by all except Karuth, serious minded daughter of the new Head Initiate, and possessed of an uncertain psychic ability as well as being a trained mage and physician.

The baby is adopted by her great-aunt, the head of the Sisterhood Cot, one of the triumvirate of leaders (along with the High Initiate and the High Margravine, the political leader, who lives on Summer Isle), and all seems well apart from the growing girl's headstrong, willful character until at her fourteen birthday party an event occurs which triggers off eventual disaster.

The story is possibly a bit drawn out until it becomes clear just who Jglora's father was and what his plans are for her and humanity, and for the gods of Chaos. However, I did like the character building which is natural and believable. Certain characters are very sympathetic and it is therefore a jar when tragedy strikes them. The growing disagreement and distrust between Karuth and her younger brother, who becomes High Initiate too early when their father dies suddenly is also believable, with the young man following the same rigid and hidebound outlook of those who have preceded him in the post.

(Minor note - gorgeous cover but wasn't sure if that was supposed to be the anti-heroine or Karuth - Karuth does invoke a fire elemental at one point but she is seated at a table, uses a crucible not being silly enough to hold it in a cup, and she certainly isn't wearing gorgeous clothing like that - not her style!)

I rate this at 4 stars and look forward to reading the next book in the series. show less