The Price of Blood and Honor - Hardcover

Willey, Elizabeth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312857845 ISBN 13: 9780312857844

Publisher: Tor Books, 1996

Synopsis

A powerful fantasy novel in its own right, set in an expansive and complex fantasy universe, The Price of Blood and Honor brings to a grand climax the tale, begun in The Well-Favored Man and A Sorcerer and a Gentleman, of the kingdoms of Landuc, Noroison, and Phesaotois. The bitter, centuries-old feud between Emperor Avril and his wizardly brother, Prospero, has broken into open warfare, and events and armies are unstoppably on the move. In the midst of all this, Prospero's two grown children - staunch, unworldly Freia, and her urbanely sorcerous half-brother, Dewar - find themselves thrust into the very heart of the action.
The Price of Blood and Honor is a rich, complex, and splendidly high-handed work, full of epic tragedies and comedies of manners, wars and romances, primal acts of creation, gritty military details, intricate espionage capers, talking animals, mythic beasts, ducks, and a great deal more besides, in the story that is the climax and completion of this series.

About this title

From Kirkus Reviews

Direct sequel to A Sorcerer and a Gentleman (1995), as the latter title wasn't to The Well-Favored Man (1993), though it was confusingly similar. The sorcerer Prospero of Argylle, keeping to his bargain with his brother, King Avril of Landuc, prepares to destroy all his books and sorcerous equipment--but he allows his equally sorcerous son, Dewar, to copy as much of the books as he can before the deadline. Then, dutifully proceeding to Avril's palace with his daughter, Freia, a disturbed and lonely girl, Prospero agrees to marry Freia off to Avril's heir, Josquin--who, secretly, is gay and prefers Dewar. Treated wretchedly by everyone, or so she feels, Freia drowns herself, only to be hauled back to life by Dewar, who must promise his firstborn child to an ancient, powerful Stone in payment. Freia goes to live with the honorable Prince Marshall, Gaston; Prospero returns to Argylle, where he falls under the influence of the evil witch, Odile, Dewar's mother. With Freia absent and Prospero preoccupied, Argylle's magical Spring dries up, the land dies, and its people suffer. Many years will pass before Freia and Dewar, becoming lovers, will return to Argylle in an attempt to restore the Spring and oust the horrid Odile. The scenario has its charms, but the characters--still above average--aren't given much to do, and what little plot materializes was already shaped in the preceding volume. Bloated and ordinary, then, and largely unsatisfying. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From Publishers Weekly

Willey's latest completes the fantasy series that began with The Well-Favored Man (which earned her a John W. Campbell nomination as Best New Writer) and continued in A Sorcerer and a Gentleman (1994). Defeated by his brother Avril in the War for control of the Throne, the sorcerer Prospero must?like his Shakespearean namesake?renounce his powers and turn his lands over to the new emperor. Prospero's children are also left vulnerable by the defeat. Although his self-assured son, Dewar, no mean student of sorcery himself, is more than comfortable in Avril's Court, Prospero's half-wild daughter, Freia, feels alienated by the petty plots and intrigues of the aristocracy. Behind the tangled schemings of the Court, however, are serious maneuverings for control of the Empire. Willey presents her story with the low-key wit and style her readers have come to expect. Her prose is smooth, at times sparkling, with more than a few forays into Shakespeare and Jane Austen for droll effect. Admirers of skillful writing and lively characters will enjoy this elegant high fantasy.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Tor Books
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0312857845
• ISBN 13: 9780312857844
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 445