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Forgotten Realms: Netheril #2
Dangerous Games
Mages' Games
Netheril, empire of magic, where wizards wield power far beyond the ken of mortal men.
Netheril, where citadels float, magic runs wild, and mages dabble in games better left for the gods.
Netheril, a place of dangerous games where the barbarian Sunbright Steelshanks soon finds himself an unwilling pawn in a lethal match of wits, wiles, and powers.
Netheril, empire of magic, where wizards wield power far beyond the ken of mortal men.
Netheril, where citadels float, magic runs wild, and mages dabble in games better left for the gods.
Netheril, a place of dangerous games where the barbarian Sunbright Steelshanks soon finds himself an unwilling pawn in a lethal match of wits, wiles, and powers.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 1996
18 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Clayton Emery
39 books46 followersClayton Emery is an umpteen-generations Yankee, Navy brat, and aging hippie who grew up playing Robin Hood in the forests of New England.
He's been a blacksmith, dishwasher, schoolteacher in Australia, carpenter, zookeeper, farmhand, land surveyor, volunteer firefighter, and award-winning technical writer.
He's a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America.
Clayton lives with his sweetie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where his ancestors came ashore in 1635.
From: http://www.claytonemery.com/CE_bio.html
He's been a blacksmith, dishwasher, schoolteacher in Australia, carpenter, zookeeper, farmhand, land surveyor, volunteer firefighter, and award-winning technical writer.
He's a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America.
Clayton lives with his sweetie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where his ancestors came ashore in 1635.
From: http://www.claytonemery.com/CE_bio.html
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 26, 2025
Surprisingly okay, especially for a late '90s Forgotten Realms novel, in an easily forgettable, 1970s fantasy paperback kind of way.
Although if I had to read about his "moosehide boots" one more time...
At first it seemed set up to be merely some random events, in a forgotten Forgotten Realms side setting set in prehistory such that it needn't be tagged as a Dungeons & Dragons-related thing at all (truly, it could have been any generic fantasy book without changing a thing), but it turned out to be a decent critique of its own setting, taking the characters forward in time to the fall of the Netherese Empire upon which this entire "Arcane Age" situation is based.
Emery's writing is refreshingly competent, especially compared to the likes of his then-contemporaries still bothering to work for pennies for TSR. It's the minimum standard that unfortunately most of that stable of writers failed to meet. The main exception is his fight scenes; they're clear enough, but the length and detail of each maneuver made it so that I was compelled to skim through them. Nobody cares exactly what angle of swordstroke is used to deflect whatever move the opponent uses to that degree.
I can't get behind the idiocy of any of the new characters. Some of it is intentional, to demonstrate the decay of the wizard class as their magical abilities peak while their wisdom and the rest of society crumbles, but even those opposed to that regime are overly simple. Still better than Greenwood. Speaking of, this book's final enemies, the Phaerim, are second in stupidity of form only to Greenwood's Malaugrym.
Sometimes, for variety, Sunbright's moosehide boots were instead described as iron-ringed boots. This lasted for a chunk of the middle of the book before it reverted to form. Of course since the first book referred to the same boots predominantly as hobnailed, clearly we have hobnailed iron-ringed moosehide boots, and I can't wait to see what boot descriptions the last part of this trilogy holds.
Although if I had to read about his "moosehide boots" one more time...
At first it seemed set up to be merely some random events, in a forgotten Forgotten Realms side setting set in prehistory such that it needn't be tagged as a Dungeons & Dragons-related thing at all (truly, it could have been any generic fantasy book without changing a thing), but it turned out to be a decent critique of its own setting, taking the characters forward in time to the fall of the Netherese Empire upon which this entire "Arcane Age" situation is based.
Emery's writing is refreshingly competent, especially compared to the likes of his then-contemporaries still bothering to work for pennies for TSR. It's the minimum standard that unfortunately most of that stable of writers failed to meet. The main exception is his fight scenes; they're clear enough, but the length and detail of each maneuver made it so that I was compelled to skim through them. Nobody cares exactly what angle of swordstroke is used to deflect whatever move the opponent uses to that degree.
I can't get behind the idiocy of any of the new characters. Some of it is intentional, to demonstrate the decay of the wizard class as their magical abilities peak while their wisdom and the rest of society crumbles, but even those opposed to that regime are overly simple. Still better than Greenwood. Speaking of, this book's final enemies, the Phaerim, are second in stupidity of form only to Greenwood's Malaugrym.
Sometimes, for variety, Sunbright's moosehide boots were instead described as iron-ringed boots. This lasted for a chunk of the middle of the book before it reverted to form. Of course since the first book referred to the same boots predominantly as hobnailed, clearly we have hobnailed iron-ringed moosehide boots, and I can't wait to see what boot descriptions the last part of this trilogy holds.
April 21, 2025
So,
This book was just as bad as the first one....but perhaps this one had a little bit of the history I was looking for in the first book, but didn't find...however disapointing..
Sunbright now lives in the flying city with fat wizard and Polaris. He has set his mind on reclaiming his chick's soul from the Hellish prison he lost her in. Fat wizard has promised to help him, but he is often too busy to devote much time to Sunbright's plight.
The barbarian soon becomes restless in the flying city and decides that he will return to the ground. For some reason, the fat wizard comes too.
When they get down there, they investigate a fallen star. Just as they get close to the star, they are wooshed away by some powerful magic.
Turns out they are taken 400 years into the future by a wizard named Karsus (later dubed Karsus the mad). Karsus is the youngest wizard to ever become an archmage of Nethril. He is ruler of the largest of all the flying cities and he is quite crazy. Unfortunatly, its not in a cool way, but in a real speedy and annoying way (in fact, I have yet to read about a crazy wizard in Forgotten Realms that was crazy in a good way...I'm still looking).
So, Karsus stole the fallen star from the past to work on a new kind of magic he calls "Heavy Magic", sounds groovy. Fat wizard becomes interested in learning what Karsus has to teach and quickly becomes one of the Acrhmage's lackies. He also has a stupid trist with Karsus's aunt, and she eventually shows him that there is more to life than studies and magic, but then she chooses to die with her nephew instead of going back in time to be with Fatty...pretty lame plot twist.
Somehow Sunbright gets summoned by Polaris, the ruler of the flying city he left 400 years in the past. She no lives on Karsus (he named the city after himself) and has grown into a monstrous, overly paranoid, crazy that only eats and makes plans to defend against imaginary enemies. She wants Sunbright to do something for her, and when he refuses, she has him chased by her guards. He ends up hiding from the entirely overzealous guards who have turned him into a criminal 'cause he was in a market when a bunch of thieves raided for food....it only gets worse...
Sunbright hooks up with the group of beggar/thieves, but he doesn't understand all the magics of the city (apparently, everything is infused with magic), so he is constantly making mistakes and alerting the authorities to their whereabouts. He has a sorta love hate relationship with the leader of the band, a one-eyed chick with no shoes named, get this, knucklebones (she choose that name 'cause knucklebones are so hard that wild dogs can't eat them ....seriously...)
A bunch of stupid, unimportant stuff happens...like Karsus goes to war with another flying city because they are bored. He developed his heavy magic into powerful weapons (it basically turns any spell 100 times more powerful, or something really creative like that), and they have a big battle that is pointless, because there is literally no point to it...they are just fighting 'cause they have the new magic...talk about anticlimactic.
Then, while the war is wageing all around them, Karsus decides to cast a spell that will turn him into the god of magic. I think he says, "Mystra, I'll have your power." Wow. But Karsus can't handle the awsome power of the Weave (the magic in Forgotten Realms), and suddenly all magic in the realms stops. All the flying cities fall to the ground, and Nethril is no more...dun dun duuuuun....
Sunbright, Knucklebones, and fat wizard escape to the past...and we're back were we started and nothing is better...what a waste. While there is a famous scene that is talked about in alot of the books, the scene was ruined by the stupid chatacter....I'm so depressed.
This book was just as bad as the first one....but perhaps this one had a little bit of the history I was looking for in the first book, but didn't find...however disapointing..
Sunbright now lives in the flying city with fat wizard and Polaris. He has set his mind on reclaiming his chick's soul from the Hellish prison he lost her in. Fat wizard has promised to help him, but he is often too busy to devote much time to Sunbright's plight.
The barbarian soon becomes restless in the flying city and decides that he will return to the ground. For some reason, the fat wizard comes too.
When they get down there, they investigate a fallen star. Just as they get close to the star, they are wooshed away by some powerful magic.
Turns out they are taken 400 years into the future by a wizard named Karsus (later dubed Karsus the mad). Karsus is the youngest wizard to ever become an archmage of Nethril. He is ruler of the largest of all the flying cities and he is quite crazy. Unfortunatly, its not in a cool way, but in a real speedy and annoying way (in fact, I have yet to read about a crazy wizard in Forgotten Realms that was crazy in a good way...I'm still looking).
So, Karsus stole the fallen star from the past to work on a new kind of magic he calls "Heavy Magic", sounds groovy. Fat wizard becomes interested in learning what Karsus has to teach and quickly becomes one of the Acrhmage's lackies. He also has a stupid trist with Karsus's aunt, and she eventually shows him that there is more to life than studies and magic, but then she chooses to die with her nephew instead of going back in time to be with Fatty...pretty lame plot twist.
Somehow Sunbright gets summoned by Polaris, the ruler of the flying city he left 400 years in the past. She no lives on Karsus (he named the city after himself) and has grown into a monstrous, overly paranoid, crazy that only eats and makes plans to defend against imaginary enemies. She wants Sunbright to do something for her, and when he refuses, she has him chased by her guards. He ends up hiding from the entirely overzealous guards who have turned him into a criminal 'cause he was in a market when a bunch of thieves raided for food....it only gets worse...
Sunbright hooks up with the group of beggar/thieves, but he doesn't understand all the magics of the city (apparently, everything is infused with magic), so he is constantly making mistakes and alerting the authorities to their whereabouts. He has a sorta love hate relationship with the leader of the band, a one-eyed chick with no shoes named, get this, knucklebones (she choose that name 'cause knucklebones are so hard that wild dogs can't eat them ....seriously...)
A bunch of stupid, unimportant stuff happens...like Karsus goes to war with another flying city because they are bored. He developed his heavy magic into powerful weapons (it basically turns any spell 100 times more powerful, or something really creative like that), and they have a big battle that is pointless, because there is literally no point to it...they are just fighting 'cause they have the new magic...talk about anticlimactic.
Then, while the war is wageing all around them, Karsus decides to cast a spell that will turn him into the god of magic. I think he says, "Mystra, I'll have your power." Wow. But Karsus can't handle the awsome power of the Weave (the magic in Forgotten Realms), and suddenly all magic in the realms stops. All the flying cities fall to the ground, and Nethril is no more...dun dun duuuuun....
Sunbright, Knucklebones, and fat wizard escape to the past...and we're back were we started and nothing is better...what a waste. While there is a famous scene that is talked about in alot of the books, the scene was ruined by the stupid chatacter....I'm so depressed.
July 16, 2014
It took me a while to get through the second, equally brief entry in Clayton Emery's Netheril trilogy. You know the phenomenon where the middle entry in a trilogy travels in a circle and ends up accomplishing nothing? That's more or less what Dangerous Games ends up feeling like.
I very much appreciated a few things about this book. It does a fairly apt job of detailing the decline and eventual end of the Netherese Empire, has some interesting magical effects and descriptions, and Emery is as good as always with his fight scenes. Also on the upside, the fighting is not so overboard as in Sword Play. Sunbright's discovery of his shamanistic abilities was a good plot point, and I enjoyed the resulting encounter with the undead wizard lord who had taken him prisoner. Candlemas also develops nicely as a character throughout this book.
However, I have a pool of complaints as well. First of all, Karsus, the "greatest of the Neth", just seemed phenomenally silly. I understand that he's selfish, manic, sociopathic to some degree and all, but he was just quite uninteresting. Even though I'd say that I actually enjoyed the end of the book pretty well, his final attempt to ascend to godhood and seize Mystryl's power was just hokey and not well played-out.
Secondly, Knucklebones bothers me. Not her character so much as the sudden but inevitable romance with Sunbright (who seems to have the juvenile trait of falling in love with any woman he spends much time around...even while he's in the process of searching for his first love). I don't get it, and this whole plot line frustrated me, as if it was thought that the book couldn't be interesting without some kind of sexual tension.
Other random or silly things happen that seemed to have no bearing on the story and didn't make sense, like Polaris being around, but fat and slovenly, the complete vapidity of, apparently, every Netherese wizard and noble, and more. In all honesty, the world in this book is even less believable than in the prior.
I very much appreciated a few things about this book. It does a fairly apt job of detailing the decline and eventual end of the Netherese Empire, has some interesting magical effects and descriptions, and Emery is as good as always with his fight scenes. Also on the upside, the fighting is not so overboard as in Sword Play. Sunbright's discovery of his shamanistic abilities was a good plot point, and I enjoyed the resulting encounter with the undead wizard lord who had taken him prisoner. Candlemas also develops nicely as a character throughout this book.
However, I have a pool of complaints as well. First of all, Karsus, the "greatest of the Neth", just seemed phenomenally silly. I understand that he's selfish, manic, sociopathic to some degree and all, but he was just quite uninteresting. Even though I'd say that I actually enjoyed the end of the book pretty well, his final attempt to ascend to godhood and seize Mystryl's power was just hokey and not well played-out.
Secondly, Knucklebones bothers me. Not her character so much as the sudden but inevitable romance with Sunbright (who seems to have the juvenile trait of falling in love with any woman he spends much time around...even while he's in the process of searching for his first love). I don't get it, and this whole plot line frustrated me, as if it was thought that the book couldn't be interesting without some kind of sexual tension.
Other random or silly things happen that seemed to have no bearing on the story and didn't make sense, like Polaris being around, but fat and slovenly, the complete vapidity of, apparently, every Netherese wizard and noble, and more. In all honesty, the world in this book is even less believable than in the prior.
June 1, 2018
Book 2 in my journey through all of the Forgotten Realms novels:
Firstly, I'd like to say that this is a MUCH BETTER BOOK than the first in the Trilogy. It's well paced, it doesn't have any weird parts that are just thrown in to set up the next book (I'm looking at you, phaerimm from book 1), and I think Emery learned how to develop characters and their interactions with each other. However, there is plenty in this book to nitpick...
Knucklebones
- Again, Emery is shit at naming is main characters.
- Why did she fall in love with Sunbright? I mean, I kind of see it, but it's just not entirely convincing. Other than that, she has really good characterization throughout the book.
- She seemed a little forgiving concerning her crew (friends?) considering the entire reason they died was Sunbright's fault. I mean, first he kills her lover, and then because he failed to kill the noble kid near the beginning, half of the rest of her crew (family?) dies. BTW, does she even remember her lover? She didn't mention him when thinking about her fallen comrades towards the end of the book.
Sunbright
-"Don't kick that gnome!" turns into the catalyst for half the book.
- His relation to magic is interesting; I would have liked to see more of it. Not just "BOOM and now he has shaman powers." However, I did really like how Emery presents Sunbright acquiring those powers.
- Did Sunbright forget about Greenwillow in the end when he is suddenly in love with Knucklebones? Emery makes it clear throughout the book that Sunbright sees a lot of Greenwillow in Knucks, but isn't he still searching for Greenwillow's soul or whatever? Is he willing to put that aside for Knucks, or has he moved on? Or does he acknowledge Knucks as a reincarnation of Greenwillow (considering it's some 300 years in the future of the previous book)? All I'm saying is I would have liked to see his rational here.
- The interactions between Sunbright and Candlemas are perfect. Great interplay between these characters.
Candlemas
- Huzzah! He develops a personality that I don't hate.
- Aquesita was a terrible plotline and an unconvincing character, but how Candlemas reacts to her is fantastic. Emery is really in his element when writing about idiot men trying to have a relationship with a woman.
- Karsus is NOT how I imagined him. Emery paints him as petulant and truly insane. I would have liked to see more insightful arrogance. Someone who has his whits about him, but puts all aside in an effort to gain more power. I guess, I just REALLY wish Emery could have given him more depth. Instead he came across as two dimensional.
- Polaris... Why is she here? Just to show how bad stuff has gotten?
General
- The enclave of Karse and the arrogance of the people near the fall of the Netheril is very well fleshed out.
- I really would have liked to see the phaerimm have more of a role than what they had. I know that they were scheming against Karsus the whole time. I just thought Emery would have written them into the book a little bit more. Maybe given them some hands on time that was just at the very end for maybe two paragraphs.
- This book suffers from the "That didn't really affect much" line of time travel. Sure Sunbright got shaman abilities and brought Knucklebones back with him, but other than that, nothing changed between the beginning of the book and the end. This is fine; the characters go through plenty of changes internally to make up for it. But meh.... time travel and back.
- I kind of just want them all to go adventuring together at the end of the book, not split up.
Again, I REALLY liked this book more than the first. It was genuinely a enjoyable ride. Also, I'd recommend this one to anyone interested in the fall of the Netheril. I believe it does give some good insight to those events, even if Karsus is characterized differently than what I imagined.
Firstly, I'd like to say that this is a MUCH BETTER BOOK than the first in the Trilogy. It's well paced, it doesn't have any weird parts that are just thrown in to set up the next book (I'm looking at you, phaerimm from book 1), and I think Emery learned how to develop characters and their interactions with each other. However, there is plenty in this book to nitpick...
Knucklebones
- Again, Emery is shit at naming is main characters.
- Why did she fall in love with Sunbright? I mean, I kind of see it, but it's just not entirely convincing. Other than that, she has really good characterization throughout the book.
- She seemed a little forgiving concerning her crew (friends?) considering the entire reason they died was Sunbright's fault. I mean, first he kills her lover, and then because he failed to kill the noble kid near the beginning, half of the rest of her crew (family?) dies. BTW, does she even remember her lover? She didn't mention him when thinking about her fallen comrades towards the end of the book.
Sunbright
-"Don't kick that gnome!" turns into the catalyst for half the book.
- His relation to magic is interesting; I would have liked to see more of it. Not just "BOOM and now he has shaman powers." However, I did really like how Emery presents Sunbright acquiring those powers.
- Did Sunbright forget about Greenwillow in the end when he is suddenly in love with Knucklebones? Emery makes it clear throughout the book that Sunbright sees a lot of Greenwillow in Knucks, but isn't he still searching for Greenwillow's soul or whatever? Is he willing to put that aside for Knucks, or has he moved on? Or does he acknowledge Knucks as a reincarnation of Greenwillow (considering it's some 300 years in the future of the previous book)? All I'm saying is I would have liked to see his rational here.
- The interactions between Sunbright and Candlemas are perfect. Great interplay between these characters.
Candlemas
- Huzzah! He develops a personality that I don't hate.
- Aquesita was a terrible plotline and an unconvincing character, but how Candlemas reacts to her is fantastic. Emery is really in his element when writing about idiot men trying to have a relationship with a woman.
- Karsus is NOT how I imagined him. Emery paints him as petulant and truly insane. I would have liked to see more insightful arrogance. Someone who has his whits about him, but puts all aside in an effort to gain more power. I guess, I just REALLY wish Emery could have given him more depth. Instead he came across as two dimensional.
- Polaris... Why is she here? Just to show how bad stuff has gotten?
General
- The enclave of Karse and the arrogance of the people near the fall of the Netheril is very well fleshed out.
- I really would have liked to see the phaerimm have more of a role than what they had. I know that they were scheming against Karsus the whole time. I just thought Emery would have written them into the book a little bit more. Maybe given them some hands on time that was just at the very end for maybe two paragraphs.
- This book suffers from the "That didn't really affect much" line of time travel. Sure Sunbright got shaman abilities and brought Knucklebones back with him, but other than that, nothing changed between the beginning of the book and the end. This is fine; the characters go through plenty of changes internally to make up for it. But meh.... time travel and back.
- I kind of just want them all to go adventuring together at the end of the book, not split up.
Again, I REALLY liked this book more than the first. It was genuinely a enjoyable ride. Also, I'd recommend this one to anyone interested in the fall of the Netheril. I believe it does give some good insight to those events, even if Karsus is characterized differently than what I imagined.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2024
It's just ok
Dangerous Games is really only interesting if you're interested in ancient Netheril. It's an interesting look at the rot that infected Netheril in its final days, but it also portrays all wizards as shockingly incompetent, despite the immense power they wield. While this is palpable for wizards who are obviously bottom feeders and toadies, it doesn't really make sense for mages of true skill and power. The book also suffers from the fact that it's part of a triology, that is, it requires that it carries on the character arch of the main character (who is unfortunately, so bland I've forgotten his name...) and while this makes sense for the character and is good for the character, the main attraction of this book is its setting in Netheril. Ultimately, that is what dooms the interest in the main character in this book; the setting around him is so much more interesting than he is that it drowns him out. But at the same time, the setting seems off. The nobility are portrayed as cartoonishly evil, incompetent, and short-sighted to the point of parody. The silver-lining is that at least the portrayal is used to its fullest; the author takes advantage of his portrayal for some effective laughs.
Dangerous Games is really only interesting if you're interested in ancient Netheril. It's an interesting look at the rot that infected Netheril in its final days, but it also portrays all wizards as shockingly incompetent, despite the immense power they wield. While this is palpable for wizards who are obviously bottom feeders and toadies, it doesn't really make sense for mages of true skill and power. The book also suffers from the fact that it's part of a triology, that is, it requires that it carries on the character arch of the main character (who is unfortunately, so bland I've forgotten his name...) and while this makes sense for the character and is good for the character, the main attraction of this book is its setting in Netheril. Ultimately, that is what dooms the interest in the main character in this book; the setting around him is so much more interesting than he is that it drowns him out. But at the same time, the setting seems off. The nobility are portrayed as cartoonishly evil, incompetent, and short-sighted to the point of parody. The silver-lining is that at least the portrayal is used to its fullest; the author takes advantage of his portrayal for some effective laughs.
February 13, 2019
It is an educated guess, but I have to believe this is the best book in the trilogy. A lot happens in here, it is easy to follow and enjoyable as well. We learn a lot about Netheril and the “fall” of Mystra, but more so we learn a lot about the two main characters. Sunbrights fall and return was particularly enlightening as to how magic in all its forms works in FG and I was very pleased with how the author was able to describe the inner machinations of magic and its workings with the everyday mundane world. I do not have high expectations for the next novel, but it is nice to be surprised once in a while. Fingers crossed!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2017
Book #2 of the Netheril series and book #2 in my chronological reading of Forgotten Realms. Sunbright and his pal a Netheril magic user learn more than they ever wanted to learn about Heavy Magic. Sunbright does earn his birth right to become a Sharman, but must continue his adventures and return to his tribe. I liked the book and the story and I'm looking forward to the last book in this series. I would recommend it as good fun fantasy.
November 2, 2024
I think it was better than the first book in this series, though it could be quite difficult to follow at times and the plot was quite confusing. I enjoy Sunbright as a character, big himbo energy, however it was a bit of a surprise how quickly he moved on from Greenwillow. Hopefully the next book continues to improve.
January 8, 2024
Gratuitous torture scene in chapter 15 was poorly written and unnecessary. Plotting is like Clayton is having a fever dream. Major resolution at end has nothing to do with the heros, they're just observers of what happens which means we're reading the wrong characters' stories.
April 6, 2022
A good second book but not as action heavy and not quite as entertaining as the first book. Still a great insight into the fall of the Netherese Empire and well worth reading.
January 6, 2025
A 3.5, but closer to a 3 than a 4. I fear that, while the good parts are GOOD, the book feels lined with more fat and boredom than the previous novel.
October 2, 2025
A step up from the first one, with the characters of Candlemas and Sunbright becoming more interesting.
March 10, 2020
Netherese are cool. Was reading through the descriptions of the servant class having pale skin, dark black hair and short height. Hmm... Raspberry jam! Oh, nevermind that won't make sense until you read through the series.
July 11, 2013
I'd give this second book a 2.5 star. It's a little better than the first one, but not by much. It was entertaining enough at times, particularly in the handling of the final days of Netheril - except for one part - Karsus himself. Also I kinda enjoyed the fighting scenes; it takes away having to think about the weak plot. The book felt like an excuse for just 3 things to happen:
The whole spectacular event of the fall of Netheril and the sacrifice of the goddess Mystryl was really momentous in the Realms. So why oh why is Karsus just a ? Disappointing really. I had always imagined that it was arrogance that brought the downfall of the Netherese Empire, not
Sunbright and Candlemas has this odd chemistry. I don't really get why they'd get along. As usual, Sunbright just tears through any enemies thrown at him, but you'd think that given his experience in book 1, he really shouldn't be having so much trouble in book 2. And Candlemas... Is a pretty lousy excuse of a wizard. I think I counted him casting a total of 3 spells in the entire book... two of them in the first chapter!
In general, this book has a weak overarching plot and is filled with filler encounters - the whole romance thing was pretty weak and rather forced; and the cameo by Lady Polaris was inconsequential. It's essentially just to showcase Netheril in its end days and set up a few plot lines for the third book. But as I said, I did enjoy Sunbright's many fight scenes, especially the ones took place within the enclave.
The whole spectacular event of the fall of Netheril and the sacrifice of the goddess Mystryl was really momentous in the Realms. So why oh why is Karsus just a ? Disappointing really. I had always imagined that it was arrogance that brought the downfall of the Netherese Empire, not
Sunbright and Candlemas has this odd chemistry. I don't really get why they'd get along. As usual, Sunbright just tears through any enemies thrown at him, but you'd think that given his experience in book 1, he really shouldn't be having so much trouble in book 2. And Candlemas... Is a pretty lousy excuse of a wizard. I think I counted him casting a total of 3 spells in the entire book... two of them in the first chapter!
In general, this book has a weak overarching plot and is filled with filler encounters - the whole romance thing was pretty weak and rather forced; and the cameo by Lady Polaris was inconsequential. It's essentially just to showcase Netheril in its end days and set up a few plot lines for the third book. But as I said, I did enjoy Sunbright's many fight scenes, especially the ones took place within the enclave.
July 9, 2022
The second installment of author Clayton Emery’s Netheril trilogy opens with magician Candlemas continuing to seek a solution to the blight that has been plaguing crops, although the sequel quickly forgets this subplot. Meanwhile, Sunbright misses his former companion Greenwillow, and attempts to move on, feeling that he needs time alone in the woods. Candlemas and he find a mysterious shard from the skies in the forest that has explosive properties, with the two thrown through time and dealing with whatever comes their way as they attempt to find a way back home to their period.
The main antagonist of the second entry is the magician Karsus, a cousin to a woman named Aquesita who serves as something for a love interest to Candlemas. Sunbright himself finds a love interest as well, in his case a shaman-in-training named Knucklebones. Playing a minor role throughout the story are a group of spirits known as the Phaerimm, who conspire against the humans. Karsus is believed to be savior of the empire, and researches high-level magic, involving Candlemas as well, and developing an interest in the fallen star piece.
A number of climactic conflicts conclude the story, which is for the most part an enjoyable sequel, although it does sport occasional clichés prevalent in the fantasy genre such as time travel, an adversarial empire, racial unrest, the quest for godhood, and so forth. However, the relationships between the characters are definitely believable and have some semblance of development, and the story is full of action up until the very end of the sequel, which I would definitely recommend to those who enjoyed its precursor, and I look forward to reading the trilogy’s conclusion.
The main antagonist of the second entry is the magician Karsus, a cousin to a woman named Aquesita who serves as something for a love interest to Candlemas. Sunbright himself finds a love interest as well, in his case a shaman-in-training named Knucklebones. Playing a minor role throughout the story are a group of spirits known as the Phaerimm, who conspire against the humans. Karsus is believed to be savior of the empire, and researches high-level magic, involving Candlemas as well, and developing an interest in the fallen star piece.
A number of climactic conflicts conclude the story, which is for the most part an enjoyable sequel, although it does sport occasional clichés prevalent in the fantasy genre such as time travel, an adversarial empire, racial unrest, the quest for godhood, and so forth. However, the relationships between the characters are definitely believable and have some semblance of development, and the story is full of action up until the very end of the sequel, which I would definitely recommend to those who enjoyed its precursor, and I look forward to reading the trilogy’s conclusion.
January 8, 2017
So here we have the second installment of the fall of the Netherese empire. We join Sunbright and Candlemas once again, still trying to find a cure for the grain blight that affected them in the first book. They are privy to the fall of a star from the heavens, and while investigating the star are whisked away to the future. They find themselves at the decadent end of the Netherese empire, where the Netheril have become so bloated and corrupt that their cities are rotting from the inside out.
During the course of the book are witness to the final end of the Netherese the insane but brilliant Archmage Karsus of Netheril attempts to chain Mystryl, the goddess of magic herself and first incarnation of Mystra. Mystryl severs the link with Karsus, destroying herself and all magic for a brief time, causing the Netheril floating cities all over Faerun to plummet to the ground, killing all aboard. Before this happens however, Karsus sends Candlemas and Sunbright back to their own time, with Knuckle, a street wise half elf and Sunbright's lover at their side.
Classic Realms, and I love that we get a bit of a history lesson as to how Mystryl becomes Mystra. Looking forward to the last book in the series. Candlemas still needs to find a cure for the grain blight and Sunbright is still trying to return home to the tundra.
During the course of the book are witness to the final end of the Netherese the insane but brilliant Archmage Karsus of Netheril attempts to chain Mystryl, the goddess of magic herself and first incarnation of Mystra. Mystryl severs the link with Karsus, destroying herself and all magic for a brief time, causing the Netheril floating cities all over Faerun to plummet to the ground, killing all aboard. Before this happens however, Karsus sends Candlemas and Sunbright back to their own time, with Knuckle, a street wise half elf and Sunbright's lover at their side.
Classic Realms, and I love that we get a bit of a history lesson as to how Mystryl becomes Mystra. Looking forward to the last book in the series. Candlemas still needs to find a cure for the grain blight and Sunbright is still trying to return home to the tundra.
January 20, 2011
Felt too removed from the original story, but entertaining nevertheless.
April 4, 2014
Enchanting.
January 14, 2016
Just as good as the first. The crazy things that happen to Sunbright and Candlemas are almost as wild as going to hell in the first book! The addition of Knucklebones only makes it better :-)
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September 7, 2016Even more meh. Time travel meh!
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