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Heirs of Alexandria #3
Much Fall of Blood
Three Top Writers Continue the Epic Fantasy Adventure Begun in the Best-Seller The Shadow of the Lion .
Prince Manfred and his mentor and bodyguard, the deadly warrior Erik, survived dangers and enemies both natural and supernmatural, and if they thought that their new mission was going to be anything but more of the same, they soon gave up on that hope. Returning from Jerusalem, they and their escort of knights of the Holy Trinity are escorting an envoy of II Khan Mongol to the lands of the Golden Horde-between the Black Sea and the Carpathians, which happen to be eastern bastion against their old enemies, the demon Chernobog and his possessed puppet, the Jangellion.
Unfortunately, what began as a diplomatic mission leads to Manfred and his knights being caught up in an inter-clan civil war, rescuingh a fugitive woman and her injured brother, and becoming involved in the problems of Prince Vlad, Duke of Valahia, who has been held as a hostage by King Emeric og Hungary until freed by Countess Elizabeth Batholdy to use as bait to capture a gropu pf nonhumans. Instead, the wolflike nonhumans, who masquerade as gypsies, free Prince Vlad, and help him to return to his homeland to raise revolt against Hungary and to renew age-old magics.
Manfred and Erik are forced into an alliance of convenience between the Golden Horde and the ancient magical forces of Valahia, as directed by the troubled Vlad. The magic calls for blood and Vlad is deathly afraid of it-and at the same time, is irresistibly drawn toward it...
Prince Manfred and his mentor and bodyguard, the deadly warrior Erik, survived dangers and enemies both natural and supernmatural, and if they thought that their new mission was going to be anything but more of the same, they soon gave up on that hope. Returning from Jerusalem, they and their escort of knights of the Holy Trinity are escorting an envoy of II Khan Mongol to the lands of the Golden Horde-between the Black Sea and the Carpathians, which happen to be eastern bastion against their old enemies, the demon Chernobog and his possessed puppet, the Jangellion.
Unfortunately, what began as a diplomatic mission leads to Manfred and his knights being caught up in an inter-clan civil war, rescuingh a fugitive woman and her injured brother, and becoming involved in the problems of Prince Vlad, Duke of Valahia, who has been held as a hostage by King Emeric og Hungary until freed by Countess Elizabeth Batholdy to use as bait to capture a gropu pf nonhumans. Instead, the wolflike nonhumans, who masquerade as gypsies, free Prince Vlad, and help him to return to his homeland to raise revolt against Hungary and to renew age-old magics.
Manfred and Erik are forced into an alliance of convenience between the Golden Horde and the ancient magical forces of Valahia, as directed by the troubled Vlad. The magic calls for blood and Vlad is deathly afraid of it-and at the same time, is irresistibly drawn toward it...
594 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2010
26 people are currently reading
747 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,533 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 6, 2010
Back in 2001, Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint and Dave Freer teamed up to create a new fantasy alternate history, The Shadow of the Lion. In this Heirs of Alexandria series, the Library of Alexandria never was burned, Christianity split along "Pauline" and "Petrine" lines. Oh, and magic works, and there are entities far older than man...and inimical to humans.
The first book had the Slavic demon god Chernobog as its main antagonist,threatening the city state of Venice.A sequel, a few years later, This Rough Magic, introduced a new antagonist, Countess Elizabeth Batholdy, better known in our universe as Countess Bathory, who bathed in the blood of young women in an attempt to stay young. In the Heirs Universe, with magic powers at her command, she is even more villainous and dangerous, most especially because she so carefully hides her villainy and plots within plots, and most dangerous magical connections.
I had thought the series dead, but much to my delight, the third novel in the series, Much Fall of Blood, continues the adventures of Prince Manfred of the Holy Roman Empire, Erik of Iceland and new allies and companions. This time, Manfred and Erik need to escort some diplomats across dangerous Balkan territory...
Batholdy is back and as treacherous as ever, Chernobog remains working behind the scenes, the Byzantines are feckless, King Emeric of Hungary is ambitious, and the complicated politics of this universe adds the Mongols and their successor states into the mix. And did I mention a certain "Drac" from Transylvania who turns up?
It's a delightful stew, in a most interesting and alternate early 16th century. There is always something interesting happening to the cast of characters, and there is character growth and development to suit fans of the series. We get resolution on plotlines going back to the last two novels in a satisfying manner, and there is plenty of room for sequels set in this universe.(There is one giant dangling plot line which is explicitly not resolved that suggests at least one more novel in the offing)
As always, though, you shouldn't start here. You should start with The Shadow of the Lion, and find for yourself why this is a rich fantasy alternate history that I am very glad that the three authors have decided to return their talents to exploring.
The first book had the Slavic demon god Chernobog as its main antagonist,threatening the city state of Venice.A sequel, a few years later, This Rough Magic, introduced a new antagonist, Countess Elizabeth Batholdy, better known in our universe as Countess Bathory, who bathed in the blood of young women in an attempt to stay young. In the Heirs Universe, with magic powers at her command, she is even more villainous and dangerous, most especially because she so carefully hides her villainy and plots within plots, and most dangerous magical connections.
I had thought the series dead, but much to my delight, the third novel in the series, Much Fall of Blood, continues the adventures of Prince Manfred of the Holy Roman Empire, Erik of Iceland and new allies and companions. This time, Manfred and Erik need to escort some diplomats across dangerous Balkan territory...
Batholdy is back and as treacherous as ever, Chernobog remains working behind the scenes, the Byzantines are feckless, King Emeric of Hungary is ambitious, and the complicated politics of this universe adds the Mongols and their successor states into the mix. And did I mention a certain "Drac" from Transylvania who turns up?
It's a delightful stew, in a most interesting and alternate early 16th century. There is always something interesting happening to the cast of characters, and there is character growth and development to suit fans of the series. We get resolution on plotlines going back to the last two novels in a satisfying manner, and there is plenty of room for sequels set in this universe.(There is one giant dangling plot line which is explicitly not resolved that suggests at least one more novel in the offing)
As always, though, you shouldn't start here. You should start with The Shadow of the Lion, and find for yourself why this is a rich fantasy alternate history that I am very glad that the three authors have decided to return their talents to exploring.
January 9, 2019
This is quite literally the worst-edited book I've ever seen. It's full of extremely weird sentences, cut off passages and scenes that dissolve into a total mess in the middle. It feels like they wrote the first part more or less with intent to publish, and then vomited all over the second half or two thirds because they realized nobody cared anymore.
Things are not explained, new characters that are massively important to the story are introduced offhandedly, have three weird lines of dialogue, and then proceed to resolve the key scenes in the plot - which are done away with casually in the last 15 pages, after 500 in which very little happens.
The only good part of that book is Bortai, sort of, who while being an arrogant racist (I can't blame the authors for that, it's that time in history), but even she feels nothing so much as fan-service for people upset about previous books' tendency to write damsels in distress who need rescuing all the time.
Things are not explained, new characters that are massively important to the story are introduced offhandedly, have three weird lines of dialogue, and then proceed to resolve the key scenes in the plot - which are done away with casually in the last 15 pages, after 500 in which very little happens.
The only good part of that book is Bortai, sort of, who while being an arrogant racist (I can't blame the authors for that, it's that time in history), but even she feels nothing so much as fan-service for people upset about previous books' tendency to write damsels in distress who need rescuing all the time.
November 26, 2017
As a novel this was enjoyable. As a third part of a series, it had no synopsis and I felt as if I had been parachuted into a roomful of people, none of whom I knew, and nothing of the relationships between them. I felt very lost as a result. It could have been so much better with just a little background added.
November 18, 2021
Enjoyed the story and the characters. The ending wrapped everything up nicely except the wyrm question at the end. It was kind of like they threw a thought out there, but didn’t fully complete the thought.
April 2, 2018
a wee bit on the gory side for me but the story was fast paced and well woven
Read
May 9, 2021Doesn’t work as a stand-alone book. Wasn’t interesting enough for me to get book one.
March 2, 2014
Product Description
Prince Manfred and his mentor and bodyguard, the deadly warrior Erik, survived dangers and enemies both natural and supernmatural, and if they thought that their new mission was going to be anything but more of the same, they soon gave up on that hope. Returning from Jerusalem, they and their escort of knights of the Holy Trinity are escorting an envoy of II Khan Mongol to the lands of the Golden Horde-between the Black Sea and the Carpathians, which happen to be eastern bastion against their old enemies, the demon Chernobog and his possessed puppet, the Jangellion.
Unfortunately, what began as a diplomatic mission leads to Manfred and his knights being caught up in an inter-clan civil war, rescuingh a fugitive woman and her injured brother, and becoming involved in the problems of Prince Vlad, Duke of Valahia, who has been held as a hostage by King Emeric og Hungary until freed by Countess Elizabeth Batholdy to use as bait to capture a gropu pf nonhumans. Instead, the wolflike nonhumans, who masquerade as gypsies, free Prince Vlad, and help him to return to his homeland to raise revolt against Hungary and to renew age-old magics.
Manfred and Erik are forced into an alliance of convenience between the Golden Horde and the ancient magical forces of Valahia, as directed by the troubled Vlad. The magic calls for blood and Vlad is deathly afraid of it-and at the same time, is irresistibly drawn toward it...
About the AuthorMercedes Lackey is the New York Times best-selling author of the Bardic Voices series and the SERRted Edge series (both baen), The Heralds of Valdemar series (DAW,) and many more. She was one of the first writers to have an online newsgroup devoted to her writing. Among her populat Baen titles are The Fire Rose, The Lark and the Wren, and The Shadow of the Lion (with Eric Flint and Dave Freer). She lives in Oklahoma.
Eric Flint is the author/creator of the New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series. With David Drake he has written six popular novels in the Belisarius series, including the new novel The Dance of Time, and with David Weber collaborated on 1633, and 1634: The Baltic War, two novels in the Ring of Fire series, and on Crown of Slaves, a best of the year pick by Publishers Weekly. Flint recevied his masters degree in history from UCLA and was for amny years a labor union activist. He lives in East Chicago, IL, with his wife and is working on more books in the best-selling Ring of Fire series.
Dave Freer is an ichthyologist turned author living in a remote part of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with his wife and chief proof-reader, Barbara, four dogs and four cats, and two sons. Paddy and James. His first book-The Forlorn (Baen)-came out in 1999. Since then he has co-authored with
Eric Flint (Rats, Bats, and Vats, The Rats, The Bats, and the Ugly, Pyramid Scheme, Pyramid Power) and, with Mercedes Lackey and Eric Flint ( The Shadow of the Lion, This Rough Magic, The Wizard of Karres) as well as writing another solo novel in that series, A mankind Witch, and various shorter works. Besides working as a fisheries scientist for the Western Cape shark fishery he has worked as a commerical driver, and as a relief chef at several luxury game lodges.
December 22, 2010
I've been waiting for this for a while, and I'm relatively pleased with it. Moving the venue from fantasy-history Italy to eastern Europe and central Asia was a nice change, even if I never quite bought into the Mongol culture - it was sort of danced around without ever really being brought to life. The treatment of Vlad Dracul was pretty appealing, though - I'd almost rather read a second book about him than go on with our usual band of heroes.
This was a briefer book than either of the previous ones, and it's stronger for it. We also get some actual closure in the defeat of a couple of villains - although not the big one - from previous books. (The failure of bad guys to ever actually die was beginning to annoy me.) Sadly, I do have to go tally another "the only gay sex is coercive and had by the villain" mark on the scoreboard for this one.
I'll keep reading these as they come out - hopefully the length and complexity of this one is a sign of things to come.
This was a briefer book than either of the previous ones, and it's stronger for it. We also get some actual closure in the defeat of a couple of villains - although not the big one - from previous books. (The failure of bad guys to ever actually die was beginning to annoy me.) Sadly, I do have to go tally another "the only gay sex is coercive and had by the villain" mark on the scoreboard for this one.
I'll keep reading these as they come out - hopefully the length and complexity of this one is a sign of things to come.
October 17, 2012
I had read the first couple of Heirs of Alexandria books years ago, and saw this one for free at Baen.Since I had rather fond memories of those first, I gave this one a chance.
The story is interesting enough, but ... the dialog. The dialog is trying so hard. Just so hard. It tries to be smart, funny and clever, but it all comes out as weird, self-conscious, and stilted.
It's like reading the inner voice of a shy teenage boy who deep inside knows he's better and smarter and more honorable than the rest, because otherwise why would he be so lonely and sad?
I hated the dialog.
Also, the way every "good" character is better in every possible way than every "bad" character is grating.
I am now reconsidering if the fond memories of the earlier books are just selective memory, or the desperate gratitude of a fantasy reader in Argentina, where there just wasn't all that much to read at the time.
The story is interesting enough, but ... the dialog. The dialog is trying so hard. Just so hard. It tries to be smart, funny and clever, but it all comes out as weird, self-conscious, and stilted.
It's like reading the inner voice of a shy teenage boy who deep inside knows he's better and smarter and more honorable than the rest, because otherwise why would he be so lonely and sad?
I hated the dialog.
Also, the way every "good" character is better in every possible way than every "bad" character is grating.
I am now reconsidering if the fond memories of the earlier books are just selective memory, or the desperate gratitude of a fantasy reader in Argentina, where there just wasn't all that much to read at the time.
August 29, 2014
Even more satisfying than the previous two books in the series! (Warning: spoilers!)
Yay for Mongol Princesses, Elizabeth of Bathory finally getting her due, and Erik finally getting the lady love we all knew he deserved.
While the lack of Francesca was a little bit disappointing at the beginning (as well as the general lack of Benito and Marco), new characters more Than make up for it.
We get insight into Vlad the Impaler and his family, and Bortai and Kildai, Mongol Princess and prince.
Bortai is the best ever and quite honestly I loved her more than Svan.
Honestly I can't believe how fast this rather long book flew by. Amped up levels of political intrigue, magic, sex, violence, and bloody battles. Sheer adrenaline.
Yay for Mongol Princesses, Elizabeth of Bathory finally getting her due, and Erik finally getting the lady love we all knew he deserved.
While the lack of Francesca was a little bit disappointing at the beginning (as well as the general lack of Benito and Marco), new characters more Than make up for it.
We get insight into Vlad the Impaler and his family, and Bortai and Kildai, Mongol Princess and prince.
Bortai is the best ever and quite honestly I loved her more than Svan.
Honestly I can't believe how fast this rather long book flew by. Amped up levels of political intrigue, magic, sex, violence, and bloody battles. Sheer adrenaline.
March 27, 2014
The things I loved about the series are still there but they were surrounded by oodles of useless words. This sucker seriously needed an editorial hack job. It was so bad that another book is effectively the outtakes. I'm reading it now and if I hadn't been prepared it would have felt really weird. All in all I hope they can keep the next installment a little tighter.
May 20, 2012
Where the first book focused on Marco and Kat, and the second on Benito and Maria, this one swings almost entirely over to Eric, and adds a number of new characters to the mix that really carry most of the plot. I still really like the series and hope to see more.
July 28, 2013
Perhaps too much of a good thing. And the outcome never felt in doubt. It probably would have been better at 600 pages than just over 800 in paperback. All in all I'll read the next one when the paperback comes out.
August 13, 2014
Our favorite knights, Manfred and Erik, are on a mission to the Golden Horde and, of course, things go south rather quickly. Several new major characters and a little love is in the air. Another good read.
March 20, 2016
It was fun and there were some interesting female characters, but they were somewhat excessively outnumbered by male characters. The plot was a little too neatly tidied up really and the characters a it simplistic all in all enjoyable. I rather enjoyed the mythology.
January 5, 2017
If you like alternate history mixed with fantasy, this series is excellent. The plot is complex without being overly complicated, and the characters are well-defined and interesting. The series maintains its quality over the course of multiple books.
June 14, 2010
Second best book in Series so far (1st was Shadow of the Lion). Interesting to see what book will have Benito's contribution to the successful fight.
September 5, 2010
This eagerly-awaited sequel did not disappoint as Manfred and company wander into a horde of Mongols. The Heirs certainly does encompass a humongous swath of territory...!
December 24, 2010
Engaging plot and characters. Even with a lot of death and war there is a lightheartedness. Good triumphs, evil dies.
Read
March 1, 2012This is the only book by Mercedes Lackey that I couldn't finish. I just couldn't get into it so I gave up on it.
March 31, 2013
I found this book very disjointed. It jumped around much to much and was delivered from too many points of view.
January 14, 2013
I tried , I really did, but could not get into it at all!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews