Mother of Lies (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "MARNO CAVOTTI was better known as the Mutineer..." (more)
Key Phrases: ice devils, lord doge, full hunt, Marno Cavotti, High Timber, Old One (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Heroes and villains charge toward a satisfying climax in the violent, intrigue-filled conclusion to Duncan's two-volume epic fantasy (after 2006's Children of Chaos), set on a dodecahedral world. The four young sibling heirs to the dying Doge of Florengia, who were kidnapped and separated years earlier by the Bloodlord Stralg, have grown to adulthood and finally been reunited by the Liberators, led by brash Marno Cavotti (aka the Mutineer). As they fight their way homeward, Stralg's bloodthirsty, fanatical sister, Saltaja Hragsdor, begins her own march on Florengia, intent on setting her brother's bastard son on the doge's throne. One well-choreographed combat scene follows another. Some playful sibling rivalry provides comic relief. This smartly plotted fantasy should please not only Duncan's many loyal fans but also those who enjoy the work of Terry Goodkind and Jennifer Fallon. (May)
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From Booklist

The four exiled children of Celebre struggle to return home before the doge dies and their mother loses power. Marno Cavotti's liberation movement is gaining in its fight against Bloodlord Stralg's forces. Stralg's sister Saltaja will stop at nothing to dominate two faces of their dodecahedral world, and as a Chosen of Xaran, mother of lies, she has some terrifying powers. Fortunately, the homebound exiles are all god-touched, and Fabia has her own link to Xaran. But which of the four will ascend the throne? Duncan handles both political and sibling rivalries well in the satisfying and conclusive sequel to Children of Chaos (2006). Regina Schroeder
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (May 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765314843
• ISBN-13: 978-0765314840
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #868,088 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, May 27, 2007

By	R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A solid production. This is the sequel to Children of Chaos and better than that book. Characterization and plotting are adequate and Duncan has done a good job of producing a clever alternative world. The door is open for a sequel.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for all fantasy fans, July 10, 2007

By	Lena (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

Dave Duncan did it again. He created a new unique world, which is weird and cool, even though physically impossible, as he himself admits in the appendix to the book. He brought to life monsters, heroes and bloodlords... and you can forget about your night sleep until after you close the last page.

For the fans of the previous works by Duncan I would say only that in my opinion "Mother of lies" is one of the best books by this author. The characters are complex and interesting, and the plot has so many twists and surprises, that I actually had to go for a very long lunch break, to be able to finish the book.

For new readers who never has heard about Dave Duncan - please do yourself a favor and grab "Children of Chaos" (the first book in "The Dodec Books" series). If you love fantasy books, you will not be disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good ..., June 11, 2008

By	rkay48 (Columbia, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mother of Lies (Tor Fantasy) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have enjoyed most of Mr. Duncan's books, and this short series is no exception. While good, I did not think it was up to the same level as some of his earlier works. Just my personal taste, but I found some of the violence overdone, but that seems to be the norm for most fantasy books these days. Also, I found the Dodec concept rather distracting. I may have missed something, but I cannot fathom why this has much relevance to the story (and it shows up in a technical appendix which did not interest me at all).
Even though this may not be his best (in my opinion), this series is still well worth reading and is full of interesting characters that I grew to care about.