The Long Hunt

Mageworlds #5

by Debra Doyle, James D. Macdonald

The Fifth Book of Mageworlds:

Welcome to Khesat, glittering jewel of the Central Worlds. Khesat, where decadence is an art form and intrigue is a way of life--and where, more than twenty years after the end of the Second Magewar, power struggles within the ruling family threaten both the Mageworlds and the Republic.

The Khesatan crisis has broken the spaceways apart, reviving old alliances and buried rivalries. Warring factions, criminal guilds, and supranormal forces all have their eyes turned toward Jens Metadi-Jessan D'Rosselin, only child to the scapegrace brother of the current--and childless--Highest of Khesat. Whoever controls the heir controls Khesat, and whoever controls Khesat controls the galaxy.

Jens doesn't know that he's the first item on a long roll-call of agendas. He's off to see the galaxy in company with his cousin Faral. They're looking for excitement and adventure. Before the dust settles, they'll get more of both than they bargained for...

And the civilized galaxy may never be the same again.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space

282 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1996

About the author

aka Nicholas Adams (with James D. Macdonald), Martin Delrio, Robyn Tallis (with James D. Macdonald)

Debra Doyle has a doctorate in English literature. Together, she and James Macdonald have written numerous sf/f books. They live in Colebrook, New Hampshire.

Series:
* Mageworlds
* Circle of Magic
* Bad Blood

Series contributed to:
* Tom Swift IV
* Robert Silverberg's Time Tours
* Daniel M Pinkwater's Melvinge of the Megaverse
* Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict

Reviews

[Susan Kinast Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very

😄 very good o have read five books in this series and enjoyed them all. I would really give it a 4.5. I onlygive five if I laugh and cry in the same book.
But I don't like to cry in books for very ?ong.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* Solid addition to the series.

[Kari Chapman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't as strong as earlier books in the series. At the end of the book I was still having trouble keeping some of the characters straight. Also, some of the revelations at the end didn't make sense to me. Instead of being excited, I was confused and had a bit of "well, ok, if you say so, but maybe some hints should have been given sooner?"

Most books I feel could benefit from having 50-100 pages shaved out - this book would have benefited from 50-100 additional pages to actually flesh out some plot elements that were glossed over until the reveal.

However, I also had problems staying interested in the book. It was missing something from the earlier books. For such a relatively short book it took me far longer to read than it should have, mostly because I wasn't interested in picking it up every chance I had.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the Mageworlds series. Twenty years have passed since the end of the 2nd Mage War. The heroes of the previous 4 books have settled down to a life of peace, mostly. Mostly that is except for their children. Cousins Jens Metadi-Jessan D'Rosselin and Faral Hyfid-Metadi have come of age and as a tradition of there planet they must leave and seek fame before they can return. Their parents are reluctant to see them go and have managed to delay them several times. They sneak away on a free trader and trouble follows them and is waiting for them too. This book is different than the previous 4 in that there are no space battles. All the action is on various planets but there is still plenty of action. I recommend this book and series to all fans of Space Opera.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a so-so reaction to this one. Since it takes no less than 76% of the book just to get the parties in the various storylines to Khesat so that the main plot can get going, this episode reads like several short stories and novelettes melded together. Also, the way said multiple storylines cut quickly back and forth and back with no space or signal between paragraphs (in the Kindle version, at least) continues to be a series feature that I find annoying. And, you've gotta be a confirmed fan of the series to keep track of the back story, so I wouldn't judge this a standalone. Still, there's enough derring do and violent action to keep the ball rolling. Solid "B"

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifth in the Mageworlds series—following the adventures of the sones of Beka and Jens, and Ari and Llan, who collect as fellow adventurers a female Selvaur and two elderly adventureresses, who turn out to be Jos’ (their grandfather’s) ex-sidekicks Tilly and Nannla.
I enjoyed the book the more I read, but I think that they have rather over-exploited the plot device of Errec Ransome as scourge of the universe. Also, I would have liked to have seen a daughter of Beka’s—- which apparently isn’t the case.

[Talkswithwind · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as well written as the previous books in this series. It definitely feels rougher. This book takes place after the Becca books.

[Leela4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always amazed how much I enjoy this book, as the primary protagonist is an insufferable idiot. Fortunately there are lots of other, likeable main characters.

[Nicole]

More comprehensible the second time... and when it immediately follows the frist 4 books :)

[Kirk Lowery · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely a step down from the first four of this series. It felt "slapped together". The authors are good storytellers, but I walked away dissatisfied.