This third and concluding volume of the Empire trilogy completes the process of revamping Tsurani society from the rigid, traditional system seen in the original Riftwar saga novels into something more familiar and comfortable. This means taking on the source of the traditional model, the Assembly of Magicians, and breaking their power by exposing their origins.
Like the first two Empire novels, Mara is the central character, weathering horrible personal and political tragedies with creativity and ingenuity. The authors have always done a nice job of varying the elements enough to keep the story from becoming stale, and in this case, the threat level of the magicians is far above anything else Mara has encountered. Even so, the authors struggle over the length of the book to keep Mara’s reactions interesting.
Something is also lost in the fight for democracy. One of the most interesting aspects of the Tsurani was the semi-exotic Asian-inspired culture. It was complex but consistent, challenging the reader to understand and appreciate a different point of view. While the second book introduced the idea of incorporating a more Western philosophy into Tsurani life, the culture as a whole was largely intact. Breaking the power of the Assembly is the final step in the conversion, and while much the Tsurani “flavor” persists, it’s clear that much of the unusual philosophy has been wiped clean.
Rating: 7/10
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