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The War of Powers #4-6
The War of Powers, Part 2: Istu Awakened
Now the Princess Moriana has to ally herself with the alien lizard creatures, the Fallen Ones. But their price is the sending of a human volunteer on a Quest that may well be a sacrifice - the seizure of the fabled, death-guarded black diamond called the Heart.
And so it happens that mankind's most terrible enemy, the Demon of the Dark Ones, released from a ten-thousand-year bondage, is let loose to rampage and devour across the planet.
So the saga sweeps on - a tidal wave of great battles, hot pursuits, of plots, passions and flights of fantasy.
And so it happens that mankind's most terrible enemy, the Demon of the Dark Ones, released from a ten-thousand-year bondage, is let loose to rampage and devour across the planet.
So the saga sweeps on - a tidal wave of great battles, hot pursuits, of plots, passions and flights of fantasy.
511 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1984
95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 24, 2017
I'm reviewing the whole of the War of Powers books together, because I read them as one long story (the version I had was two books, parts 1 and 2, rather than six separate books).
This is a guilty pleasure as much as anything. I think I enjoyed Part 1 the most. It began with action and rarely lets up for long, as it mixes sex and adventure, fighting and near-escapes. Even though they are big books you hurtle through it. I loved them when I read them many years ago. Having just re-read them - well, they weren't as good the second time. I was more aware of the cliches and stock characters (grumpy dwarves, avaricious bankers, barbarian women). However, there are still a lot of surprises, and it often goes in ways you wouldn't expect.
Sometimes it's surprising in the things it includes. One example: the ghost of an old nun masturbates a princess companion that she occasionally refers to as her child. Within the fiction of the world it makes sense, because nearly everyone seems to be motivated by sex or lack of it (Rann becomes a torturer because he can't have sex with the women he fancies). One princess starts having sex with bulls when she tires of gangbangs; another has sex with a humanoid creature that has two dicks for double trouble (while her boyfriend sleeps unaware in another room). And when there's an official meeting with an emperor, the emperor's sister wanks him off during the chat. Again, written like that it is nonsense, but within the tally-ho world created here, it almost makes sense.
There are rare slips of continuity, such as when Fost's collar bone is smashed, yet it is immediately forgotten and he is swinging a sword and fighting again, and only moaning about his broken nose. Or when the Ethereals meet Rann - who had tortured and killed a number of them - but it seems to be forgotten by the writers, and no comment is made on the meeting. Still, the story mostly works, and switches well between personal adventure and larger-scale battles.
It's not high-brow fiction, more like well-written pulp. And sometimes that's what you want.
This is a guilty pleasure as much as anything. I think I enjoyed Part 1 the most. It began with action and rarely lets up for long, as it mixes sex and adventure, fighting and near-escapes. Even though they are big books you hurtle through it. I loved them when I read them many years ago. Having just re-read them - well, they weren't as good the second time. I was more aware of the cliches and stock characters (grumpy dwarves, avaricious bankers, barbarian women). However, there are still a lot of surprises, and it often goes in ways you wouldn't expect.
Sometimes it's surprising in the things it includes. One example: the ghost of an old nun masturbates a princess companion that she occasionally refers to as her child. Within the fiction of the world it makes sense, because nearly everyone seems to be motivated by sex or lack of it (Rann becomes a torturer because he can't have sex with the women he fancies). One princess starts having sex with bulls when she tires of gangbangs; another has sex with a humanoid creature that has two dicks for double trouble (while her boyfriend sleeps unaware in another room). And when there's an official meeting with an emperor, the emperor's sister wanks him off during the chat. Again, written like that it is nonsense, but within the tally-ho world created here, it almost makes sense.
There are rare slips of continuity, such as when Fost's collar bone is smashed, yet it is immediately forgotten and he is swinging a sword and fighting again, and only moaning about his broken nose. Or when the Ethereals meet Rann - who had tortured and killed a number of them - but it seems to be forgotten by the writers, and no comment is made on the meeting. Still, the story mostly works, and switches well between personal adventure and larger-scale battles.
It's not high-brow fiction, more like well-written pulp. And sometimes that's what you want.
September 17, 2021
4 stars.
After the events in the first book, Princess Moriana has to find new allies to help her recover the throne of the Sky City from her evil twin sister. In desperation, she turns to the ancient enemy of humankind, the reptilian Zr'gsz, the Fallen Ones, promising them the return of sacred artifacts for their aid. But the Hissers have their own plans, and soon the Demon of the Dark Ones is released on a rampage to scour humanity from the face of the planet.
This book follows its predecessor very closely, both in terms of time and style. It has the same mix of action and fun, of sex and violence, as the former book. Perhaps the violence is more prominent, but given that humanity is involved in a war for it's very survival, that's entirely understandable. As before, I found the world the story is set in, the Sundered Realm, a fascinating and refreshingly different one, with its war dogs and sky rafts, and find it a shame that the authors never wrote any other stories set in the same world.
I enjoyed it; it's fantasy pulp and doesn't pretend to be anything else. If you like fantasy set pretty firmly in the sword and sorcery sub-genre or just fancy a break from grimdark or po-faced epics, you might find both these books to your tastes. And can I mention the gorgeous cover? Now there's a fantasy heroine a girl can get behind!
Recommended, if you can find a copy.
After the events in the first book, Princess Moriana has to find new allies to help her recover the throne of the Sky City from her evil twin sister. In desperation, she turns to the ancient enemy of humankind, the reptilian Zr'gsz, the Fallen Ones, promising them the return of sacred artifacts for their aid. But the Hissers have their own plans, and soon the Demon of the Dark Ones is released on a rampage to scour humanity from the face of the planet.
This book follows its predecessor very closely, both in terms of time and style. It has the same mix of action and fun, of sex and violence, as the former book. Perhaps the violence is more prominent, but given that humanity is involved in a war for it's very survival, that's entirely understandable. As before, I found the world the story is set in, the Sundered Realm, a fascinating and refreshingly different one, with its war dogs and sky rafts, and find it a shame that the authors never wrote any other stories set in the same world.
I enjoyed it; it's fantasy pulp and doesn't pretend to be anything else. If you like fantasy set pretty firmly in the sword and sorcery sub-genre or just fancy a break from grimdark or po-faced epics, you might find both these books to your tastes. And can I mention the gorgeous cover? Now there's a fantasy heroine a girl can get behind!
Recommended, if you can find a copy.
October 19, 2025
The War of Powers books, by Victor Milan Robert E. Vardeman are about the best books i've read, and I go back to them again and again to read. Frost Longstrider a courier has to deliver a parcel to a mage, however along the way he ends up bedding the lovely princess Morina who turns out in also fighting for the her lawful right to be queen of the city in the sky. Morina's wicked sister Synalon and their cousin Prince Rann also called half man due to his inability to 'please' are in cohorts and try to awaken the dark powers that reside in Istu the big statue, in order to tap Istu's power, a sacrifice must be made, which Synalon is only too happy to help with in order to increase her own magical powers. Will Frost be able to save her? will they have the help of the genie Erimenes the ethical? Will they find what they have been looking for - the amulet?
A gripping story spread out over 2 large volumes, or 6 smaller books (older versions) available from Amazon
A gripping story spread out over 2 large volumes, or 6 smaller books (older versions) available from Amazon
July 11, 2023
This is the follow up to Part 1 (obvs), and is not quite as good. You can't quite recapture the magic and freshness of the writing, though they have a very good try.
It is still lots of fun, and I wish they had written more.
This and vol 1 were origially published as 6 short books in the early 80s and re-branded as a 2 volume set. I never knew this at the time, and it makes no odds. I thought you might like some trivia. :-)
It is still lots of fun, and I wish they had written more.
This and vol 1 were origially published as 6 short books in the early 80s and re-branded as a 2 volume set. I never knew this at the time, and it makes no odds. I thought you might like some trivia. :-)
February 9, 2020
Great end to a magnificent saga
January 26, 2025
Sort of forgot how good this was. Which is good. Well written, swords and sorcery, classic stuff.
November 12, 2025
Loved this one just as much as the first. Game of thrones in two books that you can read in about a week. George RR Martin take heed!
March 22, 2024
The second collection of books in this series, and as hugely enjoyable as the first. I've just re-read this again. I don't know how many times I've read these books, but it's lots, and I'll read it again. Fost and Moriana continue their quest against Synalon and Rann, this time with some new bad guys thrown in the mix. Plenty of gratuitous sex and violence along the way, top entertainment.
So okay, there might be a bit of repetition, but really, that's no problem, the story and characters just carry you along. These two books could easily wipe the floor with Game of Thrones if they were ever filmed.
But, even more unbelievable than the flying eagles, talking glacier, and man-like lizards with two ***** is the stance of Moriana when Fost confesses to sleeping with her sister. She says she's happy because it proves he's a man. That's when you know you're reading a work of fiction!
So okay, there might be a bit of repetition, but really, that's no problem, the story and characters just carry you along. These two books could easily wipe the floor with Game of Thrones if they were ever filmed.
But, even more unbelievable than the flying eagles, talking glacier, and man-like lizards with two ***** is the stance of Moriana when Fost confesses to sleeping with her sister. She says she's happy because it proves he's a man. That's when you know you're reading a work of fiction!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2015
Back in the days before Amazon, I spent years on the lookout for this.
It's a strong enough conclusion to the War of Powers, however that it was co-authored is more apparent here: The style varies between passages, and where one scene might give you powerful action and detail, another comes off as a mere summary. The writing was much more consistent in the first volume. Otherwise, this is a must for anyone who's read the first volume and clawed at the cliffhanger.
It's a strong enough conclusion to the War of Powers, however that it was co-authored is more apparent here: The style varies between passages, and where one scene might give you powerful action and detail, another comes off as a mere summary. The writing was much more consistent in the first volume. Otherwise, this is a must for anyone who's read the first volume and clawed at the cliffhanger.
April 18, 2008
Not sure why I enjoyed this book. The main character Fostlongstrider is driven by a desire to know what is going to happen next, nothing more, nothing less. There is some interesting parts to the book with flying eagles and a floating city. The characters are bit one dimensional but it is a fun light read.
January 19, 2012
The adventure started in volume 1 continues. Flying cities, evil Elder Races, boring bankers, decadent empires, ghosts, talking landscapes. That sort of thing. Oh, and lots of casual sex. Mustn't forget that. Fun and enjoyable pulp. 3/5
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October 7, 2012Excellent
March 24, 2013
Such easy to read epics
November 28, 2014
Conclusion of the War of Powers in the second collected trade paperback.
One of my favorite fantasy books.
One of my favorite fantasy books.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews