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First and Final Rites
Cataia, the Crown Princess, cheated out of her right to rule.
Tiernon, the Adept, so much more than the court fop he seems.
Bertham, the King's man, in thrall to a demon in his lust for power.
Ayt, the High Princess, who plays for stakes only she perceives.
Siuran, the nomad, who lives to see the Prophecies fulfilled.
These are a few of the players in a game of court intrigue, with a kingdom as a prize. And behind the mirror the Laughing Master waits, to claim the souls of the losers...
Tiernon, the Adept, so much more than the court fop he seems.
Bertham, the King's man, in thrall to a demon in his lust for power.
Ayt, the High Princess, who plays for stakes only she perceives.
Siuran, the nomad, who lives to see the Prophecies fulfilled.
These are a few of the players in a game of court intrigue, with a kingdom as a prize. And behind the mirror the Laughing Master waits, to claim the souls of the losers...
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1984
18 people want to read
About the author
Shariann Lewitt
33 books7 followersAlternate Known Names:
Shariann Lewitt
Shariann N. Lewitt
S.N. Lewitt
Nina Harper
Gordon Kendall - pseudonym also for Susan Shwartz
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 19, 2022
Rating: 2.5 stars
The author has created a magic system that is intriguing (a blend of Wicca and astrology with a hint of Hoodoo) as well as a world that begs to be explored further, but unfortunately this tale of palace intrigue with a supernatural undercurrent just didn't draw me in. As Shariann Lewitt's debut spec fic novel, First and Final Rites suffers from the usual growing pains - abrupt POV shifts, wandering narrative, plot holes - but it was the lack of character depth combined with an abundance of convenient conflict resolutions that forced me to drop this from "I liked it" to "it was ok".
The author has created a magic system that is intriguing (a blend of Wicca and astrology with a hint of Hoodoo) as well as a world that begs to be explored further, but unfortunately this tale of palace intrigue with a supernatural undercurrent just didn't draw me in. As Shariann Lewitt's debut spec fic novel, First and Final Rites suffers from the usual growing pains - abrupt POV shifts, wandering narrative, plot holes - but it was the lack of character depth combined with an abundance of convenient conflict resolutions that forced me to drop this from "I liked it" to "it was ok".
Displaying 1 of 1 review