2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Dream Time isn't that entertaining, October 14, 2008
The third book in a series destined to disappoint me.
The Dream Time concept started interestingly enough, with a lone-wolf character (the grizzled veteran who likes no one, trusts no one, et cetera) taking on a young companion (moderately inept but good of heart). A well-known story, but moderately enjoyable.
The third book, however, seems intent upon doing several things, and one of them is finishing up everything on schedule. There are quite a few points where, in reading this book, I can see or imagine that Nichols had some grand plans in mind... but he ends up short-cutting his way to the end result, either out of time constraints, lack of patience or just because he's tired of writing this story. There was a big moment of that in "Orcs" and it really shows in the Dream Time series.
When characters flip a switch and answers that were elusive for decades are suddenly revealed, it lessens a story, and that's what happened here. After spending almost 100 years looking for a solution, the main character is guided to it with an ease that the author sells as "fate" and which I didn't appreciate.
None of the characters really develop in this book. The only change is really the ironic twist for the main character at the end, which is spelled out for us, and a page or two where the character achieves superpowers.
The final conflicts do not live up to the hype (which we spent two books and $25 getting to) and that's aggravating.
In short, I feel like this story was sloppily constructed and poorly executed. I say this even though it's the kind of story I would normally enjoy, as long as it was done right.
If you enjoyed Micheal Stackpole's "The Grand Crusade", Roger Zelazny's "The Dream Master" or David Eddings' "Elenium" series, you may well enjoy this book.
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5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
terrific conclusion to an exciting saga, January 13, 2007
The resistance knew they could not survive a direct confrontation with the dictatorial stronger Empire so they fled to Diamond Isle to forge their own society. However, betrayal has left them on the brink of annihilation.
The visions haunt him long after the last episode occurs; the blood curdling berserker gets out from within him too often. Reeth Caldason wants out of the madness of immortality so he has sought a magical Source that will enable him to die. However, by throwing his lot in with the rebels, he is trapped with them on Diamond Isle at a time when fellow maniac Prince Melyobar sets in motion a plot to kill anyone he deems opposes him. War is imminent, but unbeknownst to either side in the upcoming hostilities are the rivers of magic Quicksilver liquid are being altered, but who, if anyone, has the power to achieve this and what will it mean?.
The third Dreamtime fantasy is a terrific conclusion to an exciting saga. The story line initially sets in motion the final events towards the ultimate confrontation. Yet with plenty of action for the hero and others to contend with from pirates, Melyobar, Reeth's personal foe Devlor Bastorran and Zerreiss the barbarian leader, Caldason seems more human than the in the previous books (see THE RIGHTEOUS BLADE and THE COVENANT RISING). This is partly caused by his attraction to rebel warrior Serrah and his mentoring of apprentice mage Kutch. The various forces come together in an epic finale.
Harriet Klausner
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