Customer Reviews

The Shattered Mask (Forgotten Realms: Sembia series, Book 3)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must confess that when I saw who the author of this novel was, I was a bit skeptic about it. Byers' work, in my opinion, ranged from mediocre to bad (Year of the Rogue Dragons trilogy). Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised by this novel.

The novel is simply a set of good elements, without an obvious weak spot. Characters are numerous, good, consistent and interesting. Byers gives the villains more space than he usually does, and that really bolsters the dynamic of the novel. I must mention one of the villains, Bileworm, who was given simply brilliant characterization. The intricate relationship between Shamur and her husband is given much space and consideration by the author, and the end result is very good. Other Uskreven family members play a greater role in this book, than they did in "Shadow's Witness" by Paul S. Kemp, and I think this book should've maybe been published as the first one (not counting the "Halls of Stormweather" anthology).
The plot is strong, fast-paced and free of any logical errors. The atmosphere and the setting are maybe a bit off the pace, but they surely aren't bad, simply disregarded, I would say. The book also features a couple of great sword-fights, something where Byers' fencing expertise comes to the fore.

As I said earlier, this is really a novel without a weak spot. I really can't find anything in this novel that particularly stung my eyes. Nevertheless, I'm giving it four stars, just because it failed to bring something extra, some little touch that differentiates a good book from a great one.

I know this original edition of the novel maybe hard to come by, but there is a reprint that should be published in a couple of months. Make sure you don't miss this great installment in the "Sembia: Gateway to the Realms" series.

After reading and really enjoying the last two books in the series, I was somewhat nervously regarding the release of this book as it centres around a rather awkward secret and marital problems ( I personally like to avoid these sorts of problems in books and see the characters simply focus on beating the bad guys, winning the girl etc etc).

However the book is well written with the author exploring the past and present of the Uskervan matriach, a character who has been sidelined and treated a bit coldy in most of the previous stories. Richard Lee Byers however does a good job of exploring the character and adds plenty of exciting action to boot. To top it all off the book ends with a happy ending, something which always leaves me with satisfied feelings at the end of a book.

All in all this book is pretty good by the standard of most Realms novels and despite some credibility gaps as to what the characters do, is really pleasing (along with the other stories in the series) for the way in which it threads all the characters and stories together in a way that we grow attached to them and feel as if the family is really changing through the tests it has thrown at it (kinda like a soap opera I guess).

With the standard of the first 3 books in the Sembia series so high, I can barely wait for the next addition to the series "Black Wolf" to be released in December.

This book has all you need for a really fine time. The heroine is feisty and has a big, interesting secret. There's intrigue, monsters, swords and sorcery galore, masterful use of language and characters you can really take to heart.

If you've read other SEMBIA series stories and books, you'll find old friends and if you have not, you'll make some mew ones. Though this book is part of a series, its story is complete.

Buy this one. You'll have a rousing good read!