In the Sea Nymph's Lair

After the Spell Wars #2

by F.J. Hale (Pseudonym for Robert E. Vardeman)

The ferocious Spell Wars have ravaged the island kingdoms of the Plenn Archipelago for more than a century, leaving behind ghostly remnants only wizards of Durril's ability can exorcise. With his apprentice, Arpad-Zen, Durril is at sea when an horrific storm sinks their ship. Arpad-Zen finds himself adrift--but Durril is rescued by magical denizens of the sea. But is being dragged to the bottom of the ocean and held in thrall by the sea nymph Rusalka a "rescue?" He is forced into Rusalka's service but she is never satisfied and wants ever more from him. First he is to perform an undersea quest that no one has ever survived and then there will be an even greater challenge...his nuptials with the ruler of the under-ocean kingdom.

Genres: Fantasy

209 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1989

About the author

A pseudonym used by Robert E. Vardeman.

Reviews

[Otis Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our main fella is Durril, a high-and-mighty master wizard and warrior who happens to be the son of a human wizard and a beautiful sea nymph. Durril, his young apprentice Arpad-Zen, and their magical helper animal Morasha are mindin' their own business out on the water when a terrible, magic-infused storm busts their ship into kindling. The trio gets scattered across the map like loose chicken feed. Poor Arpad-Zen gets scooped up by a bunch of nasty, murderous ship-wreckers. Meanwhile, down on the mainland, some angry locals mistake Morasha for a bad omen and try to burn her at the stake! But Durril gets it the worst. He gets "saved" from drownin' by his very own auntie—a greedy sea nymph named Rusalka. Auntie Rusalka drags him straight down to the bottom of the deep blue sea and locks him up like a prize hog. She demands he cough up the family's secret warfare magic, and if he doesn't, she’s fixin' to marry him off to the ruler of the under-ocean kingdom! Just when things can't get no more tangled, a giant, all-devouring magical monster left over from the ancient Spell Wars wakes up at the bottom of the trench, threatenin' to swallow up the whole wide world, wet and dry alike. The whole plot hinges on a family reunion from the deepest depths of hockey-pockey. Auntie Rusalka is meaner than a wet hornet and greedier than a tick on a fat hound. Watchin' Durril try to out-smart his own magical kinfolk while stuck in an underwater dungeon is a real hoot. Instead of just one slow walk through the woods, Hale splits the story into three separate tracks. You got one fella dodgin' pirates, one critter dodgin' angry pitchfork-wieldin' villagers, and the main wizard trapped at the bottom of the ocean. It keeps the pages turnin' faster than a waterwheel in a flash flood.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting fantasy book. I would have liked to have seen where the series would have gone if it lasted more than 2 books. Recommended