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By Honor Betray'd: Mageworlds #3

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By Honor Betray'd (1994) is the third novel written in the original Mageworlds trilogy. At this time, however, it is the sixth of the series in internal chronological sequence, following Starpilot's Grave. In the previous book, the Magelords have taken Galcen, the marines have joined Jos Metada, Commodore Jervas Gil has pulled together the Mageworlds fleet at Ophel, Ari Rosselin-Metada has fled Admiral Vallant to Gyffer, Llannat Hyfid has brought her motley crew and the deathwing Night's-Beautiful-Daughter to Gyffer, and Beka Rosselin-Metada has declared herself as the new Domina of Lost Entibor and the focal point of the resistance. Moreover, Owen Rosselin-Metada has found Errec Ransome imprisoned by the Mages, has proven his mastery, and has to been told to retrieve his staff and claim the Guild Mastership.

In this novel, Grand Admiral Theio syn-Ricte sus-Airaalin tries to break Errec's defenses, but fails. At Gyffer, Ari and Llannat join with local defense forces against Admiral Vallant and the Mages. Within Infabede sector, Jos captures warships from Vallant and decides to attack Galcen. At Suivi Point, Beka incorporates the local RSF squadron into the resistance fleet, Tarveet of Pleyver takes out a treason contract against her, and Ignaceu LeSoit breaks several regulations, and the docks, getting Warhammer away from Contract Security. On Nammerin, Owen and his apprentice, Klea Santreny, take ship to Pleyver to fight Mages. At Waycross on Innish-Kyl, Commodore Gil negotiates with former privateers to form a fleet around his three capital ships.

The Grand Admiral knows that he has a little cleaning up to do, but believes that the war is almost won. However, the resistance is gathering. All these forces, Republic and Mage, are converging on Gyffer. Should be a slam-bang fight.

This concluding volume of the original trilogy certainly brought everything to a boil, but the final plot twist is a humdinger. Recommended for Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys stories of interstellar war and intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This volume brings the original Mageworlds trilogy to a resounding conclusion, and forces the characters (and hopefully the reader as well) to re-examine their pre-existing assumptions. Maybe the Mages aren't the practicioners of dark sorcery that the Republic has always considered them -- far from it, they have a system of practices as firmly bounded by morals and ethics as those of the Adepts, even if those morals and ethics, and the paradigm of the universe that underlies them, is somewhat different. And certainly the methods the Republic used at the close of the First Magewar a generation earlier -- namely the brutal suppression of Mage Circles and the reduction of the homeworlds to extreme poverty -- did not secure long-term peace. To attain more than a temporary victory, they must be ready to think in new ways about what they are trying to accomplish.

The Mageworlds trilogy can be read at one level as a space opera with lots of slam-bang battles and wild adventures. At the same time, they can also be read as a philosophical exploration of the nature of cultural misunderstanding.

This book has everything to be a space adventure, but it is far more than that. This is a classic combination of action and adventure with characters and plot. If I could think of a better book to tell you about I would. Quite simply, The Mageworlds is the best series I have ever read and I have read several thousand. If you want everything in a book, look no farther

The third book of the original Mageworlds trilogy, BY HONOR BETRAY'D (By Honor Betray'D (Mageworlds, Book 3)) is the fantastic conclusion to a fantastic series.

When STARPILOT'S GRAVE ended, the Mageworlds' fleet had won; their surprise attack had taken down interstellar communications, they'd broken the Adepts Guild and the Republic's capitol world had fallen. The Resurgence and their Magelords had done almost everything they'd set out to do.

Except break the Rosselin-Metadi family. Beka, Ari and Own are still at large and causing trouble, to say nothing of their father, Jos Metadi, who had beaten the Mages once already. Metadi's protege, Jervas Gil still has a few ships and Llannat Hyfid, the Adept who just might be a Mage has her own Magebuilt Deathwing - and maybe the Professor's mission (whatever it was.)

This book finishes the tale started in THE PRICE OF THE STARS, revealing more and more of the complex web of conflicting loyalties, conflicting cultures and conflicting beliefs. I've said it for the other two books - this is what space opera was meant to be. Doyle and MacDonald finish this trilogy in a spectacular way - the big reveal and the finale are absolutely amazing. The 'big reveal' and the final answers and resolution to the death of Perada Rosselin and everything her assassination set into motion are unpredictable and well worth the wait.

This series defined a genre for me and I know it will for you, too.

Love the people and the action. Want more of the same.