Barbarians of the Beyond

by Matthew Hughes

Twenty years ago, five master criminals known as the Demon Princes raided Mount Pleasant to enslave thousands of inhabitants in the lawless Beyond. Now Morwen Sabine, a daughter of captives, has escaped her cruel master and returns to Mount Pleasant to recover the hidden treasure she hopes will buy her parents’ freedom. But Mount Pleasant has changed. Morwen must cope with mystic cultists, murderous drug-smugglers, undercover “weasels” of the Interplanetary Police Coordinating Company, and the henchmen of the vicious pirate lord who owns her parents and wants Morwen returned. So he can kill her slowly… Barbarians of the Beyond is a return to “Jack Vance Space” and space-opera derring-do that follows in the science fiction Grandmaster’s footsteps. “I really enjoyed Barbarians of the Beyond . Matthew Hughes does Jack Vance better than anyone except Jack himself.”
— George R. R. Martin “Lock the door, turn off the phone, get into a comfy chair, and deep-dive into a marvelous continuation of Jack Vance's Demon Princes series. Matthew Hughes is a treasure and Barbarians of the Beyond is a terrific adventure.”
— David Gerrold “Matthew Hughes follows nimbly in Jack Vance's footprints, then breaks some fresh trail. First-class space opera.”
— Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Hominids “Engaging and enchanting…a fine companion adventure to Jack Vance’s The Demon Princes series, told with Matthew Hughes’s excellent sense of charm, ethical complexity and exotic worldbuilding. Let’s hope this is just the beginning!”
— Kurt Busiek “ Barbarians of the Beyond is just plain old-fashioned space opera fun with a relatable heroine who is sometimes fallible, rather than some Shaolin Temple kung fu megamaster. I enjoyed it a lot.”
— Glen Cook “…a tale that captures that special ‘golden age’ feel in which mankind has travelled far into the stars yet still behaves as though it’s the Wild West.”
— David White, RNR Magazine “Deeply enjoyable and entirely delivers on its promise.”
— Andrew Wheeler, Editor, Science Fiction Book Club On the Paladins of Vance label, Spatterlight publishes original works by authors who have given their own imagination free rein in the many wonderful worlds of the Grandmaster of fantasy & sci-fi.

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook, Space Opera, Fiction

187 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2021

About the author

Born in Liverpool, his family moved to Canada when he was five years old. Married since late 1960s, he has three grown sons. He is currently relocated to Britain. He is a former director of the Federation of British Columbia Writers.

A university drop-out from a working poor background, he worked in a factory that made school desks, drove a grocery delivery truck, was night janitor in a GM dealership, and did a short stint as an orderly in a private mental hospital. As a teenager, he served a year as a volunteer with the Company of Young Canadians.

He has made his living as a writer all of his adult life, first as a journalist in newspapers, then as a staff speechwriter to the Canadian Ministers of Justice and Environment, and, since 1979, as a freelance corporate and political speechwriter in British Columbia.

His short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s, Asimov’s, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Postscripts, Interzone, and a number of "Year’s Best" anthologies. Night Shade Books published his short story collection, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories, in 2005.

He has won the Arthur Ellis Award from the Crime Writers of Canada, The Endeavour Award for his historical novel What the Wind Brings, and the Global Book Award in the dark fantasy category for The Ghost-Wrangler.

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One can always count on Matthew Hughes to produce a thoroughly enjoyable read, and Barbarians of the Beyond is no exception. The atmosphere is generally that of a mystery slowly unraveling, especially for the first half or more, with the tension building slowly up to a series of adventures and action packed climaxes. Direct tie-ins to Jack Vance's series are fairly slim, beyond the setting which was at the heart of the original series' initial events.

However, there are quite a few parallels between the young female protagonist, Morwen Sabine, and Vance's Kirth Gersen. Both share a strikingly similar background and demeanor, and both are raised from birth with an immensely weighty and secretive mission imparted by their families. In Gersen's case this is, of course, revenge on the Demon Princes themselves. While Morwen's mission differs, she is seeking justice of a sort no less weighty or personal. Both are utterly determined and ruthless when it comes to achieving their aims, equally as capable of good and evil, though certainly not lacking in morals.

Hughes' writing is fairly straightforward, lacking much of his usual flair and wit. Not to say that it's lackluster, just rather a bit more subdued than his usual. Perhaps he was concerned his style would draw too many comparisons and complaints that he was trying to copy Vance.

All in all, a very solid effort that fits in well as an additional dimension to the Demon Princes series, but also stands as a great story in its own right.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid space-opera action-adventure. Author Hughes captured the flavor of prime Jack Vance remarkably well. Starts off a bit slow, but once he got in gear, I had no further complaints. First-rate book.

A good full review is Mark Jensen's, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'll echo that review: if you like Jack Vance, you'll like this one, too.

[Matthew]

I won't review my own book, but I will shamelessly post a few things some prominent readers have said about Barbarians of the Beyond.

“I really enjoyed Barbarians of the Beyond. Matthew Hughes does Jack Vance better than anyone except Jack himself.” George R.R. Martin

"Lock the door, turn off the phone, get into a comfy chair, and deep-dive into a marvelous continuation of Jack Vance's Demon Princes series. Matthew Hughes is a treasure and Barbarians of the Beyond is a terrific adventure." David Gerrold

"Matthew Hughes follows nimbly in Jack Vance's footprints, then breaks some fresh trail. First-class space opera." Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Hominids

“Engaging and enchanting…a fine companion adventure to Jack Vance’s The Demon Princes series, told with Matthew Hughes’s excellent sense of charm, ethical complexity and exotic worldbuilding. Let’s hope this is just the beginning!” Kurt Busiek

“Barbarians of the Beyond is just plain old-fashioned space opera fun with a relatable heroine who is sometimes fallible, rather than some Shaolin Temple kung fu megamaster. I enjoyed it a lot.”
Glen Cook

“Barbarians of the Beyond is masterfully written and thoroughly engaging.” Tom Kidd, World Fantasy Award Winner

“. . . a tale that captures that special ‘golden age’ feel in which mankind has travelled far into the stars yet still behaves as though it’s the Wild West.” David White, RNR Magazine

“. . . deeply enjoyable and entirely delivers on its promise” Andrew Wheeler, Editor, Science Fiction Book Club

[Hans van der Veeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

After years of absence I finally drive up to my old neighborhood again. Somehow they knew. All my old friends are there. The beyond, the ipcc, deweaseling, interchange, SVU, Extant and even Unspiek, Baron Bodissey is lurking somewhere around a corner.
That’s what it feels like for me reading the Barbarians of the Beyond. I did not realize how much I missed reading the stories of Vance. Matthew Hughes did a fine job creating this story. The atmosphere is very Vancian. In Morwen I can imagine a female Kirth Gersen. Resourceful and focused to the task. I like the way he weaves the story into Vance’s realm by mentioning little details from those stories. That make it a seamless fit into the Demon Princes. But where Gersens story stopped when he achieved his goal, Morwens continued with more action and a proper ending. I am really looking forward to reading more of his stories. And for now I would like to conclude with noxxifloxxibohintafedang. If you don't understand it, I can only advise you; read the book.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, short novel. Very much in the style of Jack Vance, a little dryer and more violent than he would have written. Matthew Hughes is a very talented author, this is very much worth your time.

[Jordi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels like the glory days of space opera.

[Chris Morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of Jack Vance you will find plenty here to recognise as Hughes cleverly uses the stories of the Demon Princes saga to create a brand new addition to Vance’s world. However, if you are not familiar with those books, then do not be put off because this tidy little novel works just as well as a stand alone.
Our hero is the escaped slave, Morwen Sabine, once under the thumb of the notorious master criminal and space pirate Hacheem Belloch. The book begins with her re-entering a planet she has not set foot on since childhood, and we see it all through her eyes as the world of Jack Vance begins to form in a fresh perspective mirrored by her own.
Some years have passed since Morwen and her parents were taken from Mount Pleasant. Place names have changed, there are new laws and politics. Morwen arrives as a stranger in a strange land, unfamiliar to the locals and possibly in danger because Mount Pleasant has become a town where strangers are not taken kindly to. But Morwen has her own agenda, one that requires patience. First she needs to re-familiarise herself with Mount Pleasant and gain the people’s trust – and in this biding of her time there is a clever balance between tension and homely comfort as the reader follows her through the paces, living alongside her in this sci-fi world of space politics and local laws.
This book may not push quite so many buttons in terms of excitement and action – it is all there, but in each case things tend to get resolved rather quickly – but the tightly written prose is very commendable, there is no dwelling on backstory and the pace is fairly fast.
If you are after something light and easy to read, then this could be just the thing for you. It is suitable for all ages and you do not have to be familiar with Jack Vance to enjoy it – if you are a fan of Vance however, and have finished the Demon Prince series, then look no further for a highly respectable sequel.

[Carl Barlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the same universe as Jack Vance's Demon Princes sequence, BotB is really only incidently connected to what many consider some of Vance's best work - but that doesn't mean Hughes' efforts aren't worth your time.

Born into slavery after the notorious raid that initiated the original work, the novel's heroine escapes, her only purpose in life to pay for her parents' freedom. What follows is a fairly sombre (though often quietly humorous), and almost retro account of her escapades with various pirates (though never any of the infamous Demon Princes - they do get mentions (as does Kirth Gerson), but no guest starrings), unwanted advances, secret planets, good and bad food, wary friendships, and dead cats.

Hughes seems very restrained here (unlike his Dying Earth-connected novels and stories), very matter-of-fact and un-flashy, giving us the facts and nothing but the facts, ma'am. This results in a well-constructed, relatively simple -yet also rather subtle- tale that certainly evokes Vance but in no way seeks to ape him. A worthy tribute.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you told me before I discovered Matthew Hughes that someone would one day make a pseudosequel to the Demon Princes novels by Jack Vance about the future of the planet Providence and some of the slaves taken in the raid I would have rolled my eyes at the impending fan fiction that would no doubt be incoming. But that is not what this is.

This is an original tale with original characters and its own themes set in the world of the Oikumene and whose ties to previously established events are worn lightly to explore its own path. It also happens to be an excellent old school science fiction space adventure novel. Strong recommend for fans of the Vancean space adjacent genres.

[Susan Peak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and enjoyable Hughes story which keeps opening up further as it goes. My only caveat is Hughes's rather flat writing style - he really does not do emotional variation

[Robert Runte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Vance (1916-2013) was one of the greatest and most prolific science fiction and fantasy writers of his age, a master of world-building, memorable characters, plot, and language.
Mathew Hughes, the Canadian SF&F writer—who is similarly a master of world-building, memorable characters, plotting and language—is frequently compared to Vance, with reviewers pointing out the obvious Vancian influences on Hughes own version of The Dying Earth or the similarities in their galactic civilizations and central characters…while still allowing that Hughes’ vision is completely original and often even more intriguing.
It should therefore come as no surprise, then, that Jack Vance’s son, John, invited Hughes to continue some of Vance’s most popular series, an challente Hughes has joyfully taken up. Barbarians of the Beyond is therefore the sixth and latest book in Jack Vance’s The Demon Princes series. It is also a thoughtful, page-turning novel quite capable of standing on its own for those not familiar with the original series.
As a fan of both Hughes and Vance, I found it an eerie read. It is not just that the novel is set in Vance’s universe, or that the action takes up where Vance’s series left off, it’s that Hughes is writing as Vance, channeling him as only a true disciple could. And yet…it was unmistakably a Matthew Hughes novel too. As collaborations go, I cannot imagine a more cohesive blending of two masters, Hughes building onto—but also staying true to—Vance’s original vision.
The title, Barbarians of the Beyond, accurately conveys—with perhaps a touch of self-deprecating humour—that the novel is pure space opera. It’s escapist fare, filled with spaceships, pirates, drug lords, spies, and so on, but the culture, the setting, and characters are fully realized, making this a great read. Best of all, both Vance and Hughes are known for their inventive neologisms, which instantly convey the function and significance of far future technology but still manage to remind the reader that this isn’t 1960s America.
The series’ ‘Demon Princes’ refers to five master criminals who operate in the Beyond, the far reaches of space where the policing of more civilized planets cannot reach. There are no actual demons in the hell-spawn sense, merely criminal cartels in the tradition of Pablo Escabar or El Chapo. The ‘barbarians’ of the title refers to the attitudes of the civilized sectors towards the scattered settlements of farmers and villagers that make up the Beyond, assuming that such primitive conditions produce unsophisticated peoples.
Of course, Morwen Sabine, our heroine, is anything but primitive. Hughes has created a smart, driven woman who is both a product of her upbringing and yet foreshadows the future of the Beyond (as part of Vance’s Gaean Reach series, set in the same universe but a gentler future.)
One notable difference between Hughes and Vance is that Vance generally only darkly implied off-stage violence, whereas in this instance, Hughes has one scene where Morwen is directly involved. The scene is needed to move character and story forward, and it is not particularly graphic, but I was a bit surprised after other scenes had stuck to Vance/Hughes’ style of an arched eyebrow paired with a seemingly innocuous, but therefore terrifying, comment. By the standard of Star Wars, and certainly of, say, the John Wicks movies, the violence remains pretty mild.
I highly recommend Barbarians of the Beyond both for itself, and as an introduction to The Demon Princes, if you're not already familiar with that series, and to Matt Hughes, Canada's answer to Jack Vance.

[Christopher Gerrib · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard of Jack Vance but can't remember reading much if anything from him. I'm much more familiar with Matthew Hughes. When I heard he got commissioned to write a science fiction novel set in Vance's Five Demon Princes universe, I decided to broaden my horizons. I'm glad I did.

Again, having not read much Vance, I can't say how closely Hughes has gotten to Vance's style. What I can say is he's taken what sounds like an interesting world and created a fun and quick tour of it. Our protagonist, Morwen Sabine, was abducted and enslaved as a child alongside the entire village of Mount Pleasant by the Five Demon Princes. 20 years later, she's freed herself and returned, for reasons unknown.

In the interim, the village has been taken over by a religious cult and renamed Mount Dispensation. It becomes very clear that the cult has been taken over by a criminal and is a front for a drug running operation. They are not fond of strangers, especially ones who might think they have a claim to the old town.

Hughes uses this very interesting set of problems and tells an interesting tale of intrigue, piracy and a daughter seeking to free her parents. Interestingly enough, nobody in this tale is exactly who they seem at first blush, and there are no morally-pure characters. I found it a quick and entertaining read. It's a new and worthy entrant into the classic space opera genre.

[Eric Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Rating: 4.5/5.0]
Intended as Jack Vance pastiche, but I would have never mistaken this for a lost Vance novel. The writing style is noticeably different. Vance is a difficult writer to imitate. But the novel itself, taken on its own, is a wonderful adventure yarn with a likable female protagonist. It's set in the universe of the Demon Princes series, and it was fun to return to that setting. But make no mistake, this novel earns its 4.5 stars from me with no connection to nostalgia or Vance. This is my first Matthew Hughes novel and it makes me want to seek out some more of his books.

[Metaphorosis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews

Summary
A drug-focused religious group has taken over a village devastated by a raid by slave takers. When the descendant of two such slaves returns to the village, she is seen with suspicion, and does indeed have an ulterior motive.

Review
Matthew Hughes has made a niche for himself as a Jack Vance replacement. We might argue about whether there’s a need for such a replacement, but Hughes has provided one nonetheless. This book is not only in Vance’s style, but is an authorized step directly into Vance’s Gaean Reach. While the title would make you think this a sequel to Vance’s Vandals of the Void , in fact, it’s an accompaniment to his Demon Princes series (not a sequel, since the action is contemporaneous).

Vance is a difficult author to emulate, but Hughes does it fairly well. There aren’t quite the same flourishes of vocabulary or odd characters, but there are women as central characters and fewer of Vance’s snide asides (about vegetarians, for example). Barbarians fits comfortably in the Demon Princes universe. I didn’t check for consistency, but my impression was that the details all line up. At times, that effort to cite occurrences from the original series gets a bit in the way of the story, but at others, it’s a pleasant reminder and signpost.

Vance aside, Barbarians stands pretty well as a book of its own. It’s brief and reads quickly, but it’s engaging and interesting throughout. The protagonist, Morwen, is generally credible, and it’s nice to see a self-willed woman at the center of a Vance story. Despite its brevity, the story peaks midway through, leaving what’s meant to be a third act feeling more like an epilogue, and the epilogue itself on the flat side. I felt the IPCC (the galactic police, in essence) got somewhat short shrift in the story, but it wasn’t a major concern.

I stand by my view that we don’t need more Vance stories written by anyone other than Jack Vance, but with that said, Barbarians is a quick, fun read.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing new space opera adventure

Canadian author Matthew Hughes is an award-wining writer of space opera science fiction fantasy. To date he has won the Crime Writers of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award, the Endeavour, and several others. Having been influenced by the famous California sci-fi author Jack Vance (1916 – 2013), Matthew ‘continues’ the epic influence of Vance’s ‘Demon Princes’ series with this novel - BARBARIANS OF THE BEYOND.

Inviting readers into this fantasy world, Matthew provides a Prologue of background history – “In the late fifteenth century (New Reckoning), some three hundred families left Earth, heart of the interplanetary civilization of the Oikumene, for a sparsely settled world, Providence, in the largely lawless Beyond. Led by a utopia-inclined minor aristocrat, they established a farming colony in a place called Mount Pleasant…The town and its surrounding farms eventually came to support a population of more than five thousand. Providence was one of the many worlds in the Beyond whose inhabitants paid forced tribute to five master criminals of the Beyond…the Demon Princes…’ Portal opened and the space opera begins.

Tightly compressing the story line, the synopsis reads – ‘Twenty years ago, five master criminals known as the Demon Princes raided Mount Pleasant to enslave thousands of inhabitants in the lawless Beyond. Now Morwen Sabine, a daughter of captives, has escaped her cruel master and returns to Mount Pleasant to recover the hidden treasure she hopes will buy her parents’ freedom. But Mount Pleasant has changed. Morwen must cope with mystic cultists, murderous drug-smugglers, undercover “weasels” of the Interplanetary Police Coordinating Company, and the henchmen of the vicious pirate lord who owns her parents and wants Morwen returned. So he can kill her slowly…’

For those who have honored Jack Vance’s fantasy realm, Matthew Hughes offers a wholly satisfying ‘continuation.’ But make no mistake – Matthew’s richly descriptive and innovative writing places him on a special throne, a position he now fills amply. This is a very fine new space opera novel that whets the appetite for more. Very highly recommended.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

This was a truly epic sci-fi space opera! The author did an incredible job of world-building that made the universe feel vibrant and alive. The imagery and atmospheric way the author brought the protagonist’s journey to life were perfect, as it highlighted the almost gritty nature of this universe and the lawlessness that exists on the border planets. The attention to detail on everything from the galactic currency to the specialty trades that drive the planet’s economies and the black market was great to see come to life on the page.

Yet the characterization of the protagonist set this novel apart from others in this genre. The determination, the scars of their past, and the willingness that Morwen has to accomplish her mission by any means necessary bring her into a class of action sci-fi hero, not unlike Mal Reynolds of Firefly, and yet the depth of their experiences and the chemistry they develop with the people they meet along the way will have readers hooked and engaged in this narrative.

The Verdict

Harrowing, tense, and entertaining, author Matthew Hughes’s “Barbarians of the Beyond” is a must-read novel and a grand space opera that fans of the sci-fi genre will not get enough of. With rich mythos and world-building to help elevate this narrative in such a short span of time, this book will have readers on the edge of their seats, eager to see how Morwen battles the Demon Princes who hold their loved ones hostage, and in the process find a place in the universe to call home.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set in Jack Vance's series called The Demon Princes (so-called because of 5 people who are like super Godfathers of crime and have been labeled the demon princes--there is no actual demonology going on here). It's set on a backwater planet that, in the past, had been a victim of one of the Demon Princes who swooped down and captured the people in a small farming community to sell them as slaves. Since then it has been resettled by people who keep to themselves and fear strangers.

Enter our main character, a woman who claims to be just visiting and gets a job at the town's diner. She appears harmless but actually has a plan that she is slowly putting into action. Cool stuff happens but I can't tell you because of spoilers.

Hughes does a good job of writing like Vance. Usually they tell prospective writers to not write like their favorite author but Hughes has made a career out of his Vance-like stories and novels.

[M.H. Thaung]

I don’t remember reading any Jack Vance (if I did, it was decades ago), and so I’m not familiar with the Demon Princes universe. That wasn’t a problem at all, although I may have missed a bunch of Easter eggs.

The prose was tidy, and I noticed only a few typos which didn’t particularly trip me up (though having Morwen’s family referred to as “the Morwens” threw me a couple of times).

The main characters were an escaped slave, sundry locals and various factions out in the wider world(s). Although I didn’t feel particularly invested in the individuals, it was fun seeing how they dealt with each other. The alliances that formed tended to remain in place, which surprised me a little. Maybe I’m too cynical in that I was expecting betrayals that didn’t come to pass.

A solid space adventure and a quick, easy read.

[Maddison Bueso · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS. I will preface this review by saying that I have never read anything by Jack Vance before, but I came across this book as part of an audiobook promotion and was intrigued. As far as my brain was concerned, this was a standalone story. 

I found the story a bit hard to get into at first, likely because I had no prior context or understanding of the world. Some of the names and terminology were a little tricky to follow in audio format, but not enough to stop me from continuing. That said, the narrator did an excellent job!

I quite enjoyed the journey of Morwen — a young woman escaping her slaver, navigating her way back to the town of her family’s abduction, and plotting to buy back her parents’ freedom. Between the intergalactic pirates, the psychedelic-loving locals, and drug-smuggling town leaders, it turned out to be a fun and engaging sci-fi space adventure.

[Lord Humungus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing to build on the world Jack Vance established with his Demon Princes series, this book was right in line. However I felt it was much weaker than Hughes' other Vancian fiction, most of which I thoroughly enjoy.

Everything is written in a very passive voice, a trademark of the Vancian style, but for some reason it felt even more distant, flat and uninterested than usual. The plot felt blandly uniform: everywhere the reader expected a climactic scene or a significant turning point felt diminished and lukewarm. The reader would have to plod onward until the next minor issue was resolved.

I would give it only 2 stars except for the set dressing of the Vancian universe.

[Scott Mann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably three and a half stars. This is certainly a very much better effort than the last Paladins of Vance book I reviewed, as is to be expected from Matthew Hughes. He has written many good books in more or less Vance style.
The setting, characters, plot, action do fit together as a creditable extension of the demon princes series. The book is very readable, and flows along nicely. But it does seem a bit too brief and perfunctory, a bit too flat, without the edge of tension, excitement, strangeness, colour, wit, horror of the original series. which Hughes certainly can capture at times.
I guess I would like to see a volume two with a bit more ambition and action.

[Clement Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done, Mr. Hughes! I enjoyed reading Jack Vance's Demon Princes novels years ago. Barbarians of the Beyond captures much of the flavor of Vance, including his dry, understated humor. Unlike Vance, the central character, Morwen, is a woman. Hughes shows Morwen growing and changing throughout the novel, a welcome improvement on many sci-fi novels.

[David Denz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the title would suggest (I rolled my eyes when I saw that). Good writing technique, fairly interesting protagonist, no glaring plot holes (imo) and only one spot where I didn't quite believe the protagonist's action. I get very tired of 'fate of the universe in the balance' stories and it's nice to have a plot of human-size dimensions come along.

[John R O Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine addition to Jack Vance's Gaean Reach stories!

Morwen's story as a survivor of the Demon Prince's raid on the planet Providence is a fine addition to Jack Vance's pantheon. Congratulations to Matthew Hughes for bringing some of the revenge back in a well structured and imagined space opera.

[Richard Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A worthy successot

I enjoyed this book greatly. The lack of various addendum and quotes from Baron Bodissey did not detract as much as I thought it would. The pace was good and the characters fit convincingly into the Vancian narrative.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a new favorite book from Matt! This was a very enjoyable read.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding follow-up to one of the villains in Jack Vance's THE FIVE DEMON PRINCES.

Read it!

[Robert Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed reading just about everything that Matthew Hughes has written. Often compared to Jack Vance, Mr. Hughes is his own man. He's one of my favorite authors.

[Brian Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy successor to the Demon Princes novels.

[Sureyya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Hughes' sequel to the Demon Princes series is (dare I say it?) better than most of the originals.