Customer Reviews

The Dragon's Doom (Band of Four, Book 4)

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I am a big fan of the author and enjoyed the first books in this series, BUT this latest apparition is just bizarre. It is somewhat reminiscent of the hack and slash in Spellfire but there is barely any plot as the tale jumps from action scene to action scene. It is like riding an out of control train and waiting for the crash.

Though now overdukes, sorceress Embra, warrior Hawkril, thief Craer, and sorceress Tshamarra along with ex-regent Ezendor Blackgult cannot rest on their laurels. To bring peace to the realm, the Overdukes must confront those who oppose their monarch. They must fight the priests of the Serpent and the wizard Ambelter as well as their supporters if they are to make Aglirta safe.

Currently the priests and their minions are posing the greatest threat. They are using a nasty form of a plague to send innocent people into a killing frenzy. Those who survive the berserker spree become mythical creatures enslaved by the priests to reuse again. With their work cut out to just avoid becoming victims of the bloody plague, let alone going on the offensive, the Band of Four still wield the Dwaer stones to embellish their counter spells in order to defeat their enemies. However, it looks bleak and hopeless.

The latest Band of Four adventure is not a cozy as this blood and sorcery tale flows red rather freely. Fans of the series will appreciate the gore that is cleverly interwoven into an exciting story. Besides a warning label to the anemic, the audience will know the quartet remains true to their respective essences so that the apparent series final, THE DRAGON'S DOOM, is a reader's joy.

Harriet Klausner

Well, I've finally finished the completely pointless series starring the Band of Four. That is a month that I'll never get back, and time that would have been much better spent doing almost anything. The hack-and-slash fantasy by Greenwood may be attractive and fun to some, but I think most will agree that these books represent nothing more than a distraction. No meaning, no purpose, no point, and by no means memorable, I wouldn't recommend these books to anyone, and now wish that I hadn't stumbled across them in my browsing of Amazon.

This final book, THE DRAGON'S DOOM, is actually better than the first three in the series, as Greenwood's writing seems to have smoothed out a bit, becoming somewhat more refined and coherent. The insanity of the first three books, where far too many characters and plots interweave in a mind-boggling confusion, is restricted here, as Greenwood makes a decent attempt to get the story focused enough to reach an almost-satisfying conclusion. That's not to say that the action slowed here, as this one is just as full of bloody fights and unexplainable sorcery as the others, but that this book was just tighter, keeping with only the most important characters. And even though this book did improve over its predecessors, it is still impossible to take seriously. The Band of Four still go from banter and jokes, to brutal savagery and total anguish, and then back to jovialness, at the blink of an eye. Its meant to be funny, the continual wittiness and light-heartedness of the characters, but it really leads to an eye-rolling, unsatisfying read.

I think Greenwood has potential as a writer, but until he takes his job a little more seriously, and stops trying to show how ironic and funny he can be, his books aren't going to be winning any awards. I don't see myself reading any more of his work, not after this disappointing experience. Definitely not recommended. Stay away from this series!