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Ravenloft #20
Spectre of the Black Rose: Ravenloft The Covenant
In this chilling sequel to the best-selling Knight of the Black Rose, factions vie for control of Sithicus as Lord Soth -- darklord and former knight from the Dragonlance world -- fights to keep his reign from crumbling. Even as he struggles to defeat his enemies, rumor reaches him that the White Rose haunts the land. Has Kitiara finally returned to Soth, or is this another spectre from the death knight's tragic past?
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1999
25 people are currently reading
665 people want to read
About the author
James Lowder
85 books103 followersaka Richard Awlinson, J D Lowder, Jim Lowder
James Lowder has worked extensively in fantasy and horror fiction on both sides of the editorial blotter. He's authored several best-selling dark fantasy novels, including Prince of Lies and Knight of the Black Rose, and has had short fiction appear in such anthologies as Shadows Over Baker Street and Genius Loci. He's penned comic book scripts for several companies and the city of Boston. His book and film reviews, feature articles, and role-playing game design work can be found in such diverse publications as Amazing Stories, Milwaukee Magazine, and The New England Journal of History. As an editor, he's directed lines or series for TSR, Green Knight Publishing, Chaosium, and CDS Books. He's helmed more than twenty anthologies, including Hobby Games: The 100 Best and Curse of the Full Moon. In the media, he is a regular contributor to the Public Radio show "Lake Effect" in Milwaukee, provided werewolf lore on the TV show Weird or What? and tabletop game industry lore for the documentary The Dreams in Gary's Basement, and served as a puppeteer on the indie film Misfit Heights.
James Lowder has worked extensively in fantasy and horror fiction on both sides of the editorial blotter. He's authored several best-selling dark fantasy novels, including Prince of Lies and Knight of the Black Rose, and has had short fiction appear in such anthologies as Shadows Over Baker Street and Genius Loci. He's penned comic book scripts for several companies and the city of Boston. His book and film reviews, feature articles, and role-playing game design work can be found in such diverse publications as Amazing Stories, Milwaukee Magazine, and The New England Journal of History. As an editor, he's directed lines or series for TSR, Green Knight Publishing, Chaosium, and CDS Books. He's helmed more than twenty anthologies, including Hobby Games: The 100 Best and Curse of the Full Moon. In the media, he is a regular contributor to the Public Radio show "Lake Effect" in Milwaukee, provided werewolf lore on the TV show Weird or What? and tabletop game industry lore for the documentary The Dreams in Gary's Basement, and served as a puppeteer on the indie film Misfit Heights.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 4, 2025
I experience a bizarre inversion of my usual moral compass reading these Ravenloft books. To wit, the antagonistic characters are all so overwhelmingly devious and evil and the "heroes", if such they can even be called, are so anodyne and callow that I end up "rooting" for the bad guys, no matter how obscene or depraved their crimes.
Given this baseline this novel provided me with any number of options, particularly after the surviving sympathetic character from the previous Soth novel was summarily dispatched. There's a serial killer dwarf were-badger, there's a filthy beast that drives oathbreakers mad via whispering into a necklace of severed ears, there's a genocidal neighbouring lordling who is also a master of dark magic and, of course, there is Lord Loren Soth himself, though he has clearly seen better days and is now (in)famous mostly for neglecting his subjects and collecting dust on his dread throne for literal years at a time. But beware him should he be roused!
Recommended for Soth fans and the Ravenloft-curious.
Given this baseline this novel provided me with any number of options, particularly after the surviving sympathetic character from the previous Soth novel was summarily dispatched. There's a serial killer dwarf were-badger, there's a filthy beast that drives oathbreakers mad via whispering into a necklace of severed ears, there's a genocidal neighbouring lordling who is also a master of dark magic and, of course, there is Lord Loren Soth himself, though he has clearly seen better days and is now (in)famous mostly for neglecting his subjects and collecting dust on his dread throne for literal years at a time. But beware him should he be roused!
Recommended for Soth fans and the Ravenloft-curious.
May 19, 2021
La trama di questo seguito dell'ottimo Il Cavaliere della Rosa Nera. La Maledizione di Lord Soth é praticamente un pretesto per far ritornare Lord Soth a Krynn dopo la sua permanenza nel semipiano del terrore di Ravenloft.
Il cavaliere della morte è addirittura quasi un personaggio secondario, ma il Ciabattino Sanguinario, la Bestia Sussurrante e la Rosa Bianca, sono un trio di antagonisti memorabili che non fa rimpiangere il Conte Strahd, la storia é avvincente, la conclusione delle sotto-trame di Magda ed Azrael più che decenti, ed un paio di scene mi hanno fatto accapponare la pelle.
La doppia scrittura quasi non si nota nemmeno.
In conclusione, Lord Soth è qui una pallida ombra dell'epico villain di Dragonlance, ma questa duologia si è rivelata essere più che soddisfacente.
March 1, 2018
This is the sequel to Knight of the Black Rose. Lord Soth, a character from Dragonlance, is transported to the Ravenloft realm. This continues his story there.
I can describe this book in one word : incohesive. I am amazed at how much I enjoyed the first book and how much I disliked this one. This book had two authors unlike the first that had one author. Maybe the collaboration didn't work. All I know is whatever the reason this book did not work. Gone was the terrific goth fantasy atmosphere. Instead, it was just a series of events that jumped from one to another that did not make sense. There was no buildup to these events or no background information for the new characters. I understand that one was suppose to be a reveal but that fell flat as it was telegraphed from a mile away. Even Lord Soth who is an amazing character was used incorrectly.
I never thought I would dislike a book with one of my favorite Dragonlance characters. This book surprised me in that way. I wish it didn't. Do yourself a favor and stop after the first book as this book is a lousy followup.
I can describe this book in one word : incohesive. I am amazed at how much I enjoyed the first book and how much I disliked this one. This book had two authors unlike the first that had one author. Maybe the collaboration didn't work. All I know is whatever the reason this book did not work. Gone was the terrific goth fantasy atmosphere. Instead, it was just a series of events that jumped from one to another that did not make sense. There was no buildup to these events or no background information for the new characters. I understand that one was suppose to be a reveal but that fell flat as it was telegraphed from a mile away. Even Lord Soth who is an amazing character was used incorrectly.
I never thought I would dislike a book with one of my favorite Dragonlance characters. This book surprised me in that way. I wish it didn't. Do yourself a favor and stop after the first book as this book is a lousy followup.
July 7, 2015
As a fan of the previous book Knight of the Black Rose I found this book to be incredibly disappointing. I read this for Soth the badass anti-hero. He was only in the book for a handful of pages. Azrael also was barely in the book. The authors delivered a series of uninteresting characters locked in dreary Gothic romance or petty power schemes. If you liked Knight of the Black Rose do not read this book.
July 1, 2017
My single-word review of this one is, "Interesting".
The scope is quite large, the cast of characters expansive and it becomes a little too obvious by the end of things that the sole reason the story exists is to extricate Lord Soth from Ravenloft and return him to Krynn so he can continue to serve as a Dragonlance antagonist. As such, it's overall a touch unfocused and mechanical, though it has some really great ideas mixed in there.
I particularly like the concept of the Bloody Cobbler, an uncanny horror worthy of further exploration but cheated of that by the way things wrap up. It's worth a look if you're into fantasy/horror and don't mind being overwhelmed by dozens of things happening concurrently.
The scope is quite large, the cast of characters expansive and it becomes a little too obvious by the end of things that the sole reason the story exists is to extricate Lord Soth from Ravenloft and return him to Krynn so he can continue to serve as a Dragonlance antagonist. As such, it's overall a touch unfocused and mechanical, though it has some really great ideas mixed in there.
I particularly like the concept of the Bloody Cobbler, an uncanny horror worthy of further exploration but cheated of that by the way things wrap up. It's worth a look if you're into fantasy/horror and don't mind being overwhelmed by dozens of things happening concurrently.
June 11, 2023
A very different book than it’s predecessor. I enjoyed it very much despite a wholly different reading experience. The book uses imagery, suggestion, and mystery throughout. It will keep you guessing for a larger portion of the text. If you require a book that spells things out in neat bento box compartments, you’re in the wrong place.
One criticism might be Lord Soth’s place in the story. The book spends *considerable* time with other characters. And I do mean considerable. Further, he is frequently fooled or exploited. There is a rationale given for his being not quite himself. Still, we like our Lord Soth to be on his game. Not really the case in this reading.
One criticism might be Lord Soth’s place in the story. The book spends *considerable* time with other characters. And I do mean considerable. Further, he is frequently fooled or exploited. There is a rationale given for his being not quite himself. Still, we like our Lord Soth to be on his game. Not really the case in this reading.
August 16, 2012
This is one of the first times I’ve encountered an universal narrative. It was well executed. I never got lost on who was talking. There was a lot going on and many people involved, but slowly it makes sense as you draw deeper into the story. I thought it was will done and it’s on my shelf as a reminder on how to write a good universal narrative.
December 5, 2022
Amazing addition to the story of Lord Soth ..loved it
July 2, 2018
Non ero rimasta prticolarmente entusiata del primo libro di questa duologia, ma sono stata ampiamente ripagata da questa seconda parte. Sì, è vero, il Lord Soth che trapela dalle pagine non è nemmeno qui raffrontabile a quello di Dragonlance, ma è comunque apprezzabile.
In questo secondo libro comincia a prendere più vita il mondo di Ravenloft, con i suoi abitanti e le sue leggende. Ho letto vari pareri negativi in cui ci si lamentava del fatto che la storia era meno incentrata su Lord Soth e più su personaggi (vecchi e) nuovi. Io, invece, l'ho trovato piuttosto ovvio, considerato che è effettivamente un mondo diverso e che è basato sull'omonimo gioco di ruolo, con i rispettivi dominii e personaggi. Mi è sembrato anche scritto meglio e con più suspense, l'ho davvero divorato per sapere come sarebbe andato a finire.
Certo, non è un capolavoro e non è nemmeno all'altezza della saga di Dragonlance, ma mi ha intrattenuro piacevolmente. E non è cosa da poco.
In questo secondo libro comincia a prendere più vita il mondo di Ravenloft, con i suoi abitanti e le sue leggende. Ho letto vari pareri negativi in cui ci si lamentava del fatto che la storia era meno incentrata su Lord Soth e più su personaggi (vecchi e) nuovi. Io, invece, l'ho trovato piuttosto ovvio, considerato che è effettivamente un mondo diverso e che è basato sull'omonimo gioco di ruolo, con i rispettivi dominii e personaggi. Mi è sembrato anche scritto meglio e con più suspense, l'ho davvero divorato per sapere come sarebbe andato a finire.
Certo, non è un capolavoro e non è nemmeno all'altezza della saga di Dragonlance, ma mi ha intrattenuro piacevolmente. E non è cosa da poco.
September 16, 2014
I read this book before many years back. I always remembered some powerful images, and especially the character of Soth. Pretty good fan fiction. These Ravenloft books revolve around the concept of justice and memory. Remembering correctly is part of truth-telling, and Soth desperately wants to remember his infamous past to the last detail. The memory of the past hangs over this book.
July 16, 2016
Best of both worlds!!! Lord Solth at his best! A Must Read....
Love Dragon lance / Raven Loft !!! AD/D. Rules.. A Must Read to Enjoy. Lord Solth ,Vampere, and a Dragon!!!! Oops. To much information....lol
Love Dragon lance / Raven Loft !!! AD/D. Rules.. A Must Read to Enjoy. Lord Solth ,Vampere, and a Dragon!!!! Oops. To much information....lol
January 6, 2022
Read this series in high school and still enjoy them. Good pallette cleansing book prepping for heavier reads.
January 7, 2022
mejora en ciertos temas respecto al anterior, aunque algunas cosas del final quedaron demasiado al aire a mi gusto.
September 22, 2018
This gothic story of horror has several things going for it: the supreme creepy setting (Ravenloft), a great central figure (Lord Soth), a gripping storyline (the sequel to "Knight of the Black Rose"), and plenty of tragedy and dread to go around. One thing it doesn't have going for it is good story-telling.
Picking up on the tragic tale of Lord Soth, master of Sithicus, "Spectre of the Black Rose" ignores or even undoes much of what made the first book so good. Soth becomes a secondary character in his own story and is master of little within his own domain of dread. Instead, this is largely the tale of "The Bloody Cobbler", Azrael, and some other characters and their own political machinations, as well as the classic (or, in this case, cliched) tragic love story. The authors set a large stage upon which to work and over reached, leaving behind several unfulfilling story fragments with unsatisfying "resolutions". Even Soth's own story - secondary though it may be - becomes forced and clumsy in a slow march toward an obvious outcome, which the reader probably doesn't want.
For fans of the Ravenloft or Krynn settings, there's enough here to make it a worthwhile read, both both of those fantasy settings have produced better - which may be the saddest fate for a character of Lord Soth's stature.
Picking up on the tragic tale of Lord Soth, master of Sithicus, "Spectre of the Black Rose" ignores or even undoes much of what made the first book so good. Soth becomes a secondary character in his own story and is master of little within his own domain of dread. Instead, this is largely the tale of "The Bloody Cobbler", Azrael, and some other characters and their own political machinations, as well as the classic (or, in this case, cliched) tragic love story. The authors set a large stage upon which to work and over reached, leaving behind several unfulfilling story fragments with unsatisfying "resolutions". Even Soth's own story - secondary though it may be - becomes forced and clumsy in a slow march toward an obvious outcome, which the reader probably doesn't want.
For fans of the Ravenloft or Krynn settings, there's enough here to make it a worthwhile read, both both of those fantasy settings have produced better - which may be the saddest fate for a character of Lord Soth's stature.
April 20, 2025
What a disappointment. 1.5 stars at best. This is the continuation of Soth's Ravenloft arc that began in Knight of the Black Rose. The biggest problem is that it is not really a continuation of that story, nor is it very interesting in its own right. It is only another story in the Ravenloft setting that features Soth, and even saying that it features him is generous, as he is relegated to little more than a side character here. The main characters featured in the story are rather bland and the plot seems like it was just made up as it was being written with no real planning.
When I was younger, the Ravenloft setting always intrigued me. Perhaps I would have appreciated the books more as an inexperienced reader. The few that I have read now ranged from mediocre to bad, so I think that my foray into Ravenloft will end here.
When I was younger, the Ravenloft setting always intrigued me. Perhaps I would have appreciated the books more as an inexperienced reader. The few that I have read now ranged from mediocre to bad, so I think that my foray into Ravenloft will end here.
January 12, 2026
Lord Soth endures…but what kind of life is it without memory of what you once were?
Spectre of the Black Rose: Ravenloft The Covenant by James Lowder and Voronica Whitney-Robinson is the sequel to Knight of the Black Rose.
Set over thirty years after Soth’s arrival in ravenloft, his domain is one of misery like many others…though we get little idea of what life is like outside of border conflicts and his undead servants acting as spies.
Soth has enemies both within and without…but he is not what he once was due to times of inactivity and the mists of ravenloft shadowing his past.
As Soth fights to maintain his domain, he is confronted by questions and mysteries…seemingly seeking his fall but with knowledge of his past that shouldn’t be available…
Will Soth finally be confront with something capable of destroying him? Will this be enough to finally allow him to escape his prison realm?
I don’t dig this as much as the first one but it was fine…
Spectre of the Black Rose: Ravenloft The Covenant by James Lowder and Voronica Whitney-Robinson is the sequel to Knight of the Black Rose.
Set over thirty years after Soth’s arrival in ravenloft, his domain is one of misery like many others…though we get little idea of what life is like outside of border conflicts and his undead servants acting as spies.
Soth has enemies both within and without…but he is not what he once was due to times of inactivity and the mists of ravenloft shadowing his past.
As Soth fights to maintain his domain, he is confronted by questions and mysteries…seemingly seeking his fall but with knowledge of his past that shouldn’t be available…
Will Soth finally be confront with something capable of destroying him? Will this be enough to finally allow him to escape his prison realm?
I don’t dig this as much as the first one but it was fine…
November 17, 2021
The first time I read this, I was a 9th grader back in 1999. Back then I remembered how this book was just one of the most amazing things 14 year old me ever discovered. They always say "never judge a book by its cover", but the artwork is actually pretty awesome and it was actually what made me want to read it. I'm pretty sure it was between this and Knight of The Black Rose that made me a total fanboy to the Ravenloft setting. I would discover later that Lord Soth (the main anti-hero) was actually a Dragonlance character/villain and Spectre of the Black Rose actually goes into his origins. Who doesn't love a badass death knight?
April 1, 2019
I hate to say it but this was probably my least favourite Ravenloft book. It read more like an anthology of short stories as it has a lot of different things happening which didn't flow together well. It was very disjointed and although from the title you'd assume Soth would be front and center, instead he was more of a bit character. Almost all the personality seemed missing in this book.
October 9, 2017
This was a bit of a mess. Scenes didn't really make sense from chapter to chapter. The characters were not compelling, and neither were their plots. Disappointing considering how interesting a character Lord Soth is.
July 27, 2017
Overall a decent tale, with a very good narration, but for me the book did not come even close to it's prequel.
Read
October 11, 2019Δεν το απόλαυσα τοσο πολύ όσο το προηγούμενο γιατί υπήρχαν πολλοί χαρακτήρες που είδαμε λίγο και δεν είχαν τον απαραίτητο χρόνο να αναπτυχθούν. Ωστόσο ήταν ιδιαίτερα διασκεδαστική εμπειρία
December 7, 2019
I had hoped for more in regards to Lord Soth but the story was decent and interesting.
December 28, 2020
While technically a Lord Soth novel... He's barely in the book. The book centers around his underlings, which really are not nearly as enjoyable to read about as Soth himself is.
April 12, 2021
More proof that Soth is my Ravenloft villain of choice!
May 9, 2021
This disjointed mess has two authors, and you can really tell. Also, apparently neither author could make me care about this story or its characters at all.
March 3, 2023
Full review here:
https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...
If you can find a copy, this is one of the fun ones.
https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...
If you can find a copy, this is one of the fun ones.
February 23, 2024
While it's better'n the previous Soth book, it's still pretty bland, and the pacing is just bizarre
October 18, 2025
Another not very successful book in the Ravenloft universe, damn, how hard can it be to write a dark book???
December 17, 2014
SPECTRE OF THE BLACK ROSE is the follow up book to Knight of the Black Rose. Lowder returns in a dubious paring with Voronica Whitney-Robinson. I am uncertain what makes this book so bad. The story has such promise and yet falls so short of the mark that it is almost sickening.
This complete tragedy of a novel might have been good if the authors would have focused on Soth. The reader comes away from the book feeling like nothing was accomplished. The best character in the novel barely works. The Bloody Cobbler who is victimized by a stupid name but has the best lines in the entire novel, struggles to save this book from being a total waste of paper. He fails. In short, the best part of this novel is the beautiful binding and cover art. This is definitely one book that you cannot judge by the cover.
This complete tragedy of a novel might have been good if the authors would have focused on Soth. The reader comes away from the book feeling like nothing was accomplished. The best character in the novel barely works. The Bloody Cobbler who is victimized by a stupid name but has the best lines in the entire novel, struggles to save this book from being a total waste of paper. He fails. In short, the best part of this novel is the beautiful binding and cover art. This is definitely one book that you cannot judge by the cover.
June 14, 2024
An enjoyable but incoherent mess. Lord Soth is a guest in his own novel, with most of the airtime going to characters such as Azrael and Inza, who are even nastier than the titular death knight. When you have purportedly secondary characters upstage your protagonist, you know you have trouble, and this novel has plenty. It shifts scene far too often, it jumps from character to character frequently too, and few of those characters are fleshed out in any way. There's a fair bit of "assume" here as well, and if you aren't up to date on your Krynn who's who, you'll be lost.
A lesser entry in the canon.
A lesser entry in the canon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews