The Unwilling Warlord (Cosmos) [Mass Market Paperback]

Lawrence Watt-Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2008 | Series: Cosmos

A STAR RISES IN THE SOUTH
When the foreigners confronted Sterren in Ethshar of the Spices he was uneasy; when they all but abducted him, taking him to an obscure kingdom in the south, he knew he was in a terrible predicament.


A predicament some might actually find appealing -- he was by heredity the Ninth Warlord of Semma, least of the small kingdoms; he was a noble, and his rank afforded him material privileges, even in a place as insignificant and obscure as Semma.


But the office also carried certain terrible responsibilities: he was to win the war the stupid King had stirred up by his arrogance. Two larger and stronger Kingdoms were preparing to invade Semma.


And if the country lost, the first thing likely to be forfeit was the life of the Warlord.


And if it won . . . if it won, the fate and shape of Ethshar would change forever.


For deep in the south there are secrets of magic not even Sterren can imagine.


A LEGEND OF ETHSHAR

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Watt-Evans ( The Misenchanted Sword ) gives fantasy buffs yet another version of the plot favored by Tolkien in which a thoroughly unworthy critter rises to his destiny as the savior of a people. Though predictable in outline, this variant is amiable enough, thanks to the author's appealing colloquial style and deft comic touch. The unwilling warlord of the title, Sterren, is a classic fantasy anti-hero, a tavern gambler and a washout from a warlock apprenticeship with just enough magical power to cheat at dice. The book's most amusing moments involve a pack of sorry magicians--the Keystone Kops of sorcery--that Sterren hires to help him fight off the enemies of his new-found homeland: a levitator who needs a psychic push to take off; a wet-behind-the-ears wizard with a single working spell; and a power-hungry warlock who just can't get the hang of tyranny, and does more good for the peasants in months than the hereditary monarchy had done in centuries. There's just one graphically gory incident to blemish the book's cheerful, picaresque tone.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Cosmos Books; Reprint edition (November 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843959436
• ISBN-13: 978-0843959437
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,285,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been writing fantasy for thirty years... no, my fantasy's been published for thirty years. I've been writing it since I was eight. It's what I always wanted to do for a living, and I've been very fortunate in that I've been able to manage that. I try to write fantasy with an element of common sense to it -- not so much mythic archetypes as sensible people.

Other than my job, my life's pretty ordinary -- a nice house in a quiet neighborhood, a wife, two grown kids, and an overweight cat.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, August 11, 2001

By 

"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unwilling Warlord (Paperback)

Watt-Evans, one of my favorite authors, writes another story in the world of Ethshar. Not really connected with any of the others, still a very good read. It has the same style as "The Misenchanted Sword", the same feel to it. I liked both the novels, and highly recommend them both.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really a good book!, August 5, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Hudsonville, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unwilling Warlord: (#3) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is really a very excellant read. It is not very serious in tone but the writing is clean and the plot entertaining. I do wish Lawrence Watt-Evans would write more Esthar novels.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another wonderfully exciting Ethshar book!, August 1, 2003

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Unwilling Warlord (Paperback)

Sterren had always been lucky at dice, and was content with the life of a gambler in busy Ethshar of the Spices. However, when he is practically kidnapped to one of the Small Kingdoms, and proclaimed their hereditary warlord, he finds that his luck has run out. Facing a war against two larger kingdoms, Sterren has incompetent generals, a small and poorly trained and equipped army, and the knowledge that defeat in battle means the execution of the losing warlord. Unwilling to abandon his new country to destruction, Sterren takes the course of action preferred by any Ethsharite, and hires some magicians to solve his problems. However, magic rarely takes care of all problems, and in this case the cure seems to be worse than the disease!

Once again, this is another wonderfully exciting Ethshar book! Lawrence Watt-Evans loves writing stories that throw a young person in at the deep end, leaving the reader to watch as he or she struggles and overcomes, often with courage, luck, ability and a good dollop of humor! This is a great Fantasy book of wizards and spells and high adventure. I highly recommend it to you.