Future Indefinite (Great Game/Dave Duncan, Round 3) [Hardcover]

Dave Duncan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997 | Series: Great Game/Dave Duncan, Round 3 (Book 3)

For five years Edward Exeter has resisted the destiny circumscribed in the Filoby Testament - a sacred and mystical text that has named him the one who will bring death to Death. For five years the young Englishman has passed back and forth through secret portals that link his world with the farthest flung outpost of British imperialism - a realm called Nextdoor, where earthborn mortals can live forever, possessing powers that make them gods. Through war and murderous intrigue on both sides of the magical boundaries, he has tried to escape the irresistible pull of a Great Game that has designated him its most important player. But Death has finally roused Edward Exeter, as was predicted. And now he has accepted the burdensome mantle that has been thrust upon his shoulders: that of D'ward, the Liberator foretold. For centuries, the ruling Pentatheon of human gods has held the people of Nextdoor in its sway through terror, magic and superstition - with Zath, its most fearsome member, accumulating powerful mana through ritual sacrifice and wholesale bloodletting. By opposing the tyranny of the Pentatheon, D'ward imperils not only himself, but the future of two distinctly separate yet strangely empathetic worlds. Now old friends have become foes, old enemies his acolytes. The guardian Service, which once welcomed Exeter into its ranks, now plots murderous gambits at formal affairs - and betrayals to be unwittingly enacted against him by Edward's closest companions and loved ones. And for the hundreds and hundreds of the devout who have joined the Liberator on his fateful trek across the Vales, doom surely awaits at the end of the journey. But D'ward Liberator is not the Edward Exeter whocame naked into this world just a few short years ago. For he has lived the Game and learned it well - far better, in fact, than his adversaries could ever imagine. And he will play it boldly to its shocking, worlds-shattering conclusion - even if it means having to pay the devasta

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

On the parallel world of Nextdoor, the Filoby Testament predicts the coming of D'ward the Liberator, who is to bring death to Zath, God of Death. Edward Exeter has done all he can to dodge the prophecy, but it is inescapable: he must become the Liberator or the world he has come to love will be despoiled. Fortunately, Edward has been reared to meet challenges and to lead, and so, growing more powerful every day with mana from his followers, he sets out to confront Zath. Although the people of Nextdoor welcome the Liberator, Edward's friends from Earth have mixed feelings about him, and the other gods of Nextdoor aren't pleased about his rivalry. Can Edward bring down an entire pantheon? And what will he put up in its place?

Dave Duncan's writing could be fuelled by mana from his growing numbers of fans; this trilogy is a satisfying, entertaining fantasy.

From Booklist

The conclusion of the trilogy The Great Game resembles its predecessors, Past Imperative (1995) and Present Tense (1996), in being tightly written, intelligent, and original. Edward Exeter reaches the climax of his quest to be the liberator who will slay Zath, the self-appointed god of death. As often in tales of prophets and heroes, the supporting cast accounts for more than half the story's interest; it includes, among others, the progressively less naive Julian Smedley, the lusty Amazon Ursula Newton, Eleal Singer, and Dommni Houseboy, with his engaging Anglo-Indian speech patterns. Duncan also works out many of the implications of the previous volumes, makes the logistics of a crusade come alive, and draws on what is clearly extensive knowledge of history, folklore, and comparative religion. The Great Game, though not Duncan's most accessible work, may prove to be his most durable. This volume provides a decisive and satisfactory end to it. Roland Green

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 334 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books (T); 1st edition (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380975866
• ISBN-13: 978-0380975860
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,184,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dave Duncan is a prolific writer of fantasy and science fiction, best known for his fantasy series, particularly The Seventh Sword, A Man of His Word, and The King's Blades. He and his wife Janet, his in-house editor and partner for over fifty years, live in Victoria, British Columbia. They have three children and four grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very original, August 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Future Indefinite (Great Game/Dave Duncan, Round 3) (Hardcover)

I read this book a while ago and it still sticks in my mind. I thought the story was really great but I just couldn't imagine an ending that I thought would be sastisfying. But somehow Dave Duncan managed to suprise me and the ending was really good and it worked with the rest of the story. I also happened to like the very last line and what it implied. It's a very good book and it's really original. I would recommend it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!!!!!, December 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Future Indefinite: Round Three of the Great Game (Mass Market Paperback)

I have absolutely loved all three of The Great Game books. As soon as I began reading the first one I fell in love. The depth of the story, the characters and their perils, and the ORIGINALITY of the whole story was beautiful. I LOVE the idea of Nextdoor and the Portals. For anyone who has the slightlest inkling of enjoyment of fantasy NEEDS to read these books.

The books are marvelous but Mr. Duncan. In Future Indefinite, at the end, the very end, how could you?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The finale of Duncan's best series., December 2, 2005

By 

Masher (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Future Indefinite (Great Game/Dave Duncan, Round 3) (Hardcover)

Future Indefinite has all the classic epic fantasy elements: a sharply detailed world of magic and gods, the struggle between good and evil, an ancient prophecy, a fish-out-of-water protagonist, a small band of adventurers, romance, love, and plenty of action. The book succeeds due to Duncan's use of these familiar elements in unfamiliar ways. Our protagonist is a young British gentleman, barely out of school; his love interest none other than his slightly horse-faced older cousin. The good vs. evil struggle is better classed as a lesser evil vs. a greater. And the prophecy? It's suitably cryptic...but also logical and quite possibly self-fulfilling.

Duncan's system of magic is not only ingenious, but integral to the book's plot. Anyone in their own world is mundane; transported to a new world (even if that world is Earth), they become 'Strangers', and gain 'Charisma', the ability to influence natives. The more people you influence, the more power you gain and the more you can influence them-- a perpetuating cycle. The competition for native followers leads to Machiavellian machinations between the Strangers in a world, some of whose powers rise to godlike levels.

One cannot read this book without drawing plot parallels to a slightly more famous book-- the Bible. Specifically Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus Christ. However, the diffferences are just as significant, and any Christian who considers this book as "mocking" their faith is someone looking for a reason to be insulted.

Future Indefinite is the finale of Duncan's most serious-- and very likely his best-- series to date. Don't miss it.