The Keep of Fire (The Last Rune, Book 2) [Mass Market Paperback]

Mark Anthony (Author)

Book Description

Series: Last Rune | Publication Date: November 28, 2000

From an exciting new master of fantasy comes the second novel of an epic tale filled with dangerous magic, dark mystery, and unrelenting suspense

The Keep Of Fire

Travis Wilder has returned from the otherworld of Eldh, hoping to settle back into his humdrum  life in the mountains of contemporary Colorado. But he soon finds himself stalked by two shadowy organizations, each aware of his incredible journey and each determined to exploit it--whatever the cost to Travis...or to Eldh. Meanwhile, a terrifying new contagion is spreading like wildfire, a disease with no cure, which some are comparing to the Black Plague.

When the disease strikes his closest friend, Travis is drawn back to Eldh, where the same epidemic, known as the Burning Plague, is wreaking another kind of havoc. There, in a realm of gods and monsters, myths and runecraft, Travis and his former companion Grace Beckett--herself from Earth, but now living on Eldh--must solve the riddle of the plague. Where did it come from? What is its purpose? And how can it possibly be stopped...before it completely destroys two coexisting worlds: ancient Eldh and modern Earth.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Seeking a cure for a sickness that immolates its victims, Travis Wilder once again makes the journey from his Colorado home to the magic-rich world of Eldh, where a similar plague sweeps across the land, leaving terror in its wake. Reunited with fellow cross-world traveler Grace Beckett, now a magical healer, Travis confronts his greatest fears in the hopes of saving his own world and the new world he has come to love. Anthony's sequel to Beyond the Pale details a world of medieval customs underscored with deep-rooted magics and ancient evils. For most fantasy collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

The second installment in Anthony's fantasy saga (Beyond the Pale, 1998). Travis Wilder, a bar owner in Castle City, Colorado, has the ability to visit Eldh, a medieval-magic world of knights, witches, and monsters. In Eldh, dysfunctional Travis can work rune magic through the sigil inscribed on his palm. Another insecure American, ER doctor Grace Becket, has Weirding talentsshe can sense and magically manipulate life-threads. Unlike Travis, Grace chose to stay in Eldh at the conclusion of the previous adventure. Travis, once more on Earth, is beset by cryptic black-clad beings and other weird characters given to gnomic utterances and seemingly bent on exploiting his knowledge of Eldh. Inexplicably, though, people are bursting into flames, while on Eldh Grace encounters a parallel Burning Plague. So only in Eldh will Travis and Grace find answers, by way of the usual quests, battles, and character-building confrontations. Barely distinguishable from heaps of similar productions. Fans only. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (November 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553579320
• ISBN-13: 978-0553579321
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,005,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Ingenius, February 22, 2000

By 

Kyle Keepers (SC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Keep of Fire (The Last Rune, Book 2) (Paperback)

Let's face the harsh reality of customer reviews. They're either 5 stars, or 1 star. Benedict, or scathing. I choose the former, or rather, Mark Anthony earned it. Simplicity is the weapon of masters and fools, and clearly, Anthony is a master.

His plot is simple, yet enthralling. Gone is the complex plot and multitude of indecipherable subplots. I would take this book to school, and amidst the cackling children and ranting teachers, I found nothing but pure ecstacy, or sorrow, or horror. It is the kind of book that will keep you pensive all night long, pondering over who is the epitome of this vile undertaking, or who Tira really is.

His character development is commendable. One moment a character's ignorance almost gets him/her killed, and the next, he/she is the savior of the party.

For a budding author, Mark Anthony has displayed a skill in authoring which surpasses that of any other author, either self-promoted or reputably commended. If you are a reader who enjoys a captivating mystery/action book, then I recommend The Keep of Fire and Beyond the Pale. If Mark Anthony lives up to his well earned reputation, then The Dark Remains should par, if not surpass, the entertainment that The Keep of Fire has served me.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A quick, engrossing read, February 13, 2000

By 

Jennifer A. Peterson (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Keep of Fire (The Last Rune, Book 2) (Paperback)

The continuation of Mark Anthony's saga was well worth the wait. I found the characters engrossing and likeable. There are enough plot twists in the story to keep it moving, as well as some mysteries that aren't solved until the very end. The hero, although reluctant about using his power, tries to keep his vow in the first book of not hurting anyone with his power. The characters in this book fight to stay true to themselves and what they believe in. In the world of Eldh, magic doesn't fix everything.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the first and thats saying alot..., September 27, 2004

By 

Brad Minard "FantasySage" (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Keep of Fire (The Last Rune, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

This second in the Last Rune series was for me entirely more satisfying than the first. The story has more mystery than the blatant obviousness of the first - though the cover doens't help in that respect too much. Grace is fleshed out a bit more, as she truly needed. Travis's passivity is intensified...but he seems to mature a lot as well...he becomes at least a little more pragmatic. Travis is fast becoming a favourite fantasy character of mine, in spite of, or perhaps due to his reluctance to use the power he possesses and his passiveness.
This story reveals the true nature of Melia, explains just who Falken is, gives us insights into Durge, reveals a lovely new character - who like all the others is a little shallow at times in this book - wait until the third to see Lileth shine, Aryn matures a lot too, her arm is barely even mentioned in the book, which seems to have lifted a bit of the 2D aspect she had in the first book - a deformed baroness with no chance of - but therefore guaranteed - love.
Like the first book revolved around the Magic Stone - Sinfathisar - the stone of Twilight, this Book revolves around the effects of the Stone of Fire - Krondisar...its a better story, with more purposeful moves made against the enemy in this novel...the first had little at all in that respect until right at the end.
Overall, this was a great book that I really enjoyed...try it you should be pleasantly surprised.