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In the sequel to Unclean, the citizens of Thay rally together to thwart the undead hordes attacking their home What started as one wizard’s ambition to take over the ruling council has become a vicious civil war that breeds a monstrous army of undead. And while the undead have always been part of life in Thay, after ten years of constant battles, they have come to outnumber the living. As the undead armies mass and march to the beat of an evil necromancer's drum, the living citizens of the magic-rich realm must unite and mount a defense before they die and join their enemy's ranks.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2008
33 people are currently reading
767 people want to read
About the author
Richard Lee Byers
198 books370 followersA resident of the Tampa Bay area, Richard spends much of his leisure time fencing, playing poker, shooting pool and is a frequent guest at Florida science-fiction conventions. His current projects include new novels set in the Forgotten Realms universe and the eBook post-apocalyptic superhero series The Impostor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 20, 2025
Conflict, now very much in the open, grinds on in Thay and 'Szuper' Szass Tam is rolling his undead eyes at the incompetence of underlings and winning engagement after engagement against the squabbling dickbags that are the remaining Zulkirs, or ruling wizard council members, of the realm of which he wants sole rulership.
Yep, there's lots of turning into mist and also fighting against mist? It's misty, basically.
The "heroes" of the previous book are still chugging along and not exactly the most rootable bunch. The battle mage Aoth's sassy Griffon familiar is probably the most sympathetic of the bunch, and that's saying a lot.
Brightwing, probably.
Basically if you enjoy reading about a bunch of demonstrably bad people make bad choices and fight a war, badly, then this is the series for you! My only disappointment is that it appears
Yep, there's lots of turning into mist and also fighting against mist? It's misty, basically.
The "heroes" of the previous book are still chugging along and not exactly the most rootable bunch. The battle mage Aoth's sassy Griffon familiar is probably the most sympathetic of the bunch, and that's saying a lot.
Brightwing, probably.
Basically if you enjoy reading about a bunch of demonstrably bad people make bad choices and fight a war, badly, then this is the series for you! My only disappointment is that it appears
April 1, 2013
Second book of this series continues with the events that happened when lich Szass Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy, set out to become the only ruler of Thay, a land in Faerûn (Forgotten Realms).
In the first book, we learn a lot about Thay's society and culture. They are ruled by red wizards's governing body the Council of Zulkir's. Szass is a member and Zulkir of Necromancy.
Here, the conflict continues. Ten years has passed since those events that started the war. The land is exhausted, tired and in ruins. Szass controls the weather and refuses the living inhabitants sunshine needed for crops to grow. His own, mostly undead troops, don't need food.
Malark, Aeoth and Bariss are all ten years older and disillusioned with it all. Szass continues to advance and every time the council thinks that they have him, employs some hidden advantage to gain the upper hand. This way he wins two mayor battles.
In the middle of all this, goddess of magic Mystra is murdered. As a effect of Mystra’s death the magical Blue Flame scorches in waves and morphs the land. The Weave of magic itself crumbles and changes. Blue Flame also twists both the Thay's terrain and living creatures alike into abominations. Sorcery becomes unreliable at best as its rules change.
As in the first book, I must mention how impressed I was with the scope and diversity of magic and various creatures, especially with the different kinds of undead. Fascinating!
In the first book, we learn a lot about Thay's society and culture. They are ruled by red wizards's governing body the Council of Zulkir's. Szass is a member and Zulkir of Necromancy.
Here, the conflict continues. Ten years has passed since those events that started the war. The land is exhausted, tired and in ruins. Szass controls the weather and refuses the living inhabitants sunshine needed for crops to grow. His own, mostly undead troops, don't need food.
Malark, Aeoth and Bariss are all ten years older and disillusioned with it all. Szass continues to advance and every time the council thinks that they have him, employs some hidden advantage to gain the upper hand. This way he wins two mayor battles.
In the middle of all this, goddess of magic Mystra is murdered. As a effect of Mystra’s death the magical Blue Flame scorches in waves and morphs the land. The Weave of magic itself crumbles and changes. Blue Flame also twists both the Thay's terrain and living creatures alike into abominations. Sorcery becomes unreliable at best as its rules change.
As in the first book, I must mention how impressed I was with the scope and diversity of magic and various creatures, especially with the different kinds of undead. Fascinating!
May 14, 2023
Brutal and utterly brilliant. This is an amazing piece of dark fantasy adventure and a perfect middle book of a trilogy. I couldn't have hoped for a better sequel. Richard Lee Byers has become a new favorite author. I have already started reading two of his other novels. He's a mad genius.
October 20, 2015
There was precisely one reason why I was truly waiting to set my hands upon Richard Lee Byers' second entry in The Haunted Lands series –and that was – to get “eyes on” experience in The Year of Blue Fire 1385DR – the death of goddess Mystra which in turn gave wake to the calamity known as a Spellplague, a realms shaking event. Did I get what I was looking for? Oh, yes! And even a bit more in this book called “Undead”, set in my most beloved fantasy universe “Forgotten Realms”.
To a person even remotely unaware of what everything in the opening paragraph meant (why are you reading this book then anyway???) this piece might prove to be a bit less “goodreads” delivering and that is the first minus of this work. Even if we take in the fact that this is the 2nd of 3 books in the series (and it definitely feels like an intermediate story) and it means you had to read the first entry - “Unholy” - in my opinion, it can't stand on its own as a proper book. If all the Forgotten Realms and Dungeons & Dragons lore is taken away all that remains is a story of a war that lasts already 10 years and has dried the land it's taking place into the realm of the dead and nonliving and how the characters take their last stand with degrees of variable success against an overwhelming enemy, and how their personal lives change after some key battles. I have not read many war themed novels, but ones I had, probably did it better – if I had to compare and even without leaving the same universe – “Realms of War” anthology's few short stories gave a bit better and heavier idea of war, or even finer example – Paul. S. Kemp's ”The Twilight Trilogy” and its depiction of fantasy warfare. But I must note that at least characters did take a toll of some sort after and during the war as more or less real life human entities would have.
By all accounts this depiction wasn't really blatantly bad or uninteresting, it simply was not impressive, as author's interests lie somewhere else. And this “somewhere else” was the heavy use of Forgotten Realms lore (and so it also means DnD stuff on which that universe is based upon) and its enrichment due to the happening of the already mentioned Spellplague and its aftermath. And as I stated already in the beginning – as a fan and lore hunter of Forgotten Realms- I was in awe reading those chapters and fragments when the Blue Flames overtook the battlefield and Faerun changed forever (ok, maybe not forever, but until the next world changing event - Sundering ). It felt as if I was almost standing there myself and saw how magical energy went out of control and melted, pulverized and transformed any creature it contacted with. I was really trembling in excitement as a fan, and my imagination was really running wild and painting picture after picture of calamity's shake of the world. In those moments Richard Lee Byers' work shone (in the color of the blue fire, hehe) almost as bright as best of the best books I read in this universe.
And that brings us to the next minus, if I may call it like that. Since the moment I started playing DnD this year with my friends, I was afraid that my perception of the DnD based books might change- and I was absolutely right, but it changed for the best, as now I could tell apart which books were good as novels on their own and which were good only for fans of DnD and were written only for them, and which were neither. Thankfully “Undead” is not in the later category, but sadly it's not in the first either – as it's a definitely written piece for the fans and, by the fan (as far as I know- Richard Lee Byers is, or was, an active game designer at Wizards working on DnD projects). And being a fan myself I ain't complaining about that too much. Just trying to be a fair book judge.
And to ponder about it a bit from a perspective of a simple novel just a few more points worth mentioning and justifying 3 out of 5 stars rating.
As started in the first book, the trend continued and story was told from few main characters and a myriad of secondary and third rate ones too. All would have been fine if the first and second ones got a bit more attention on the cost of getting rid of few 3rd rate non-essential scenes or characters and their appearances. There were many interesting 2nd tier characters which might have had a better time being a bit closer to the main roles - Malark Springhill for example, a spymaster with his own views of the world and according outcomes, or even the main villain who is the most charismatic evil I have met in books – Szass Tam, and of whom I would love to read more, and he might even be the sole reason I will buy the 3rdbook! Maybe Szass Tam was meant to be as the lead character, but I didn't feel (“was not convinced” would be more proper description) it that way while reading the book. Instead we get random orc stealing the spotlight just to die in three short paragraphs, or some soldiers being all good and fine till the last line saying that we will never see them again as riots broke out that eve, and so on. Overall if I had to depict the level of character depths and importance – it would be varying from shallow and forgettable as puddles after summer rain to something more deeper, closer to a proper lake, but not the deepest out there (and no vastness or depths of oceans here).
What was really good and didn't let down, and just at times dragged a bit– was the pacing. Which is attributed to the previous paragraph regarding the share number of characters - you just couldn't get bored with one or other thing as there were just so many of them, but at the same time its number, at times did the opposite effect and it simply overwhelmed you and you were a bit lost, but then quickly recovered and went on. It didn't feel too hasty or hectic, and wasn't a crawl either – I would say that I do prefer this type of pacing the best, as you can take your time enjoying it. It took me 8 days to read this novel through – which is really nice and I really enjoyed my time with it. I do dislike when the book is so good that it's swallowed in a day or two, or losing its pace and dragging for a half a years read.
And in the end I can say that this piece by Richard Lee Byers was definitely worth my time and money and I am glad I read it, and will definitely read the third book and conclude the series (if not for anything else then for the sake of reading about Szass Tam! I love that emm... dead-guy!).
A proper "I liked it" rating and 3/5 stars at goodreads.
PS. By reading this book as a DnD Dungeon Master, I also have obtained some interesting things for future campaigns and some lore to tell when playing an adventures with my friends. Who knows what, who or where one might find oneself in the realm of Thay after this!
To a person even remotely unaware of what everything in the opening paragraph meant (why are you reading this book then anyway???) this piece might prove to be a bit less “goodreads” delivering and that is the first minus of this work. Even if we take in the fact that this is the 2nd of 3 books in the series (and it definitely feels like an intermediate story) and it means you had to read the first entry - “Unholy” - in my opinion, it can't stand on its own as a proper book. If all the Forgotten Realms and Dungeons & Dragons lore is taken away all that remains is a story of a war that lasts already 10 years and has dried the land it's taking place into the realm of the dead and nonliving and how the characters take their last stand with degrees of variable success against an overwhelming enemy, and how their personal lives change after some key battles. I have not read many war themed novels, but ones I had, probably did it better – if I had to compare and even without leaving the same universe – “Realms of War” anthology's few short stories gave a bit better and heavier idea of war, or even finer example – Paul. S. Kemp's ”The Twilight Trilogy” and its depiction of fantasy warfare. But I must note that at least characters did take a toll of some sort after and during the war as more or less real life human entities would have.
By all accounts this depiction wasn't really blatantly bad or uninteresting, it simply was not impressive, as author's interests lie somewhere else. And this “somewhere else” was the heavy use of Forgotten Realms lore (and so it also means DnD stuff on which that universe is based upon) and its enrichment due to the happening of the already mentioned Spellplague and its aftermath. And as I stated already in the beginning – as a fan and lore hunter of Forgotten Realms- I was in awe reading those chapters and fragments when the Blue Flames overtook the battlefield and Faerun changed forever (ok, maybe not forever, but until the next world changing event - Sundering ). It felt as if I was almost standing there myself and saw how magical energy went out of control and melted, pulverized and transformed any creature it contacted with. I was really trembling in excitement as a fan, and my imagination was really running wild and painting picture after picture of calamity's shake of the world. In those moments Richard Lee Byers' work shone (in the color of the blue fire, hehe) almost as bright as best of the best books I read in this universe.
And that brings us to the next minus, if I may call it like that. Since the moment I started playing DnD this year with my friends, I was afraid that my perception of the DnD based books might change- and I was absolutely right, but it changed for the best, as now I could tell apart which books were good as novels on their own and which were good only for fans of DnD and were written only for them, and which were neither. Thankfully “Undead” is not in the later category, but sadly it's not in the first either – as it's a definitely written piece for the fans and, by the fan (as far as I know- Richard Lee Byers is, or was, an active game designer at Wizards working on DnD projects). And being a fan myself I ain't complaining about that too much. Just trying to be a fair book judge.
And to ponder about it a bit from a perspective of a simple novel just a few more points worth mentioning and justifying 3 out of 5 stars rating.
As started in the first book, the trend continued and story was told from few main characters and a myriad of secondary and third rate ones too. All would have been fine if the first and second ones got a bit more attention on the cost of getting rid of few 3rd rate non-essential scenes or characters and their appearances. There were many interesting 2nd tier characters which might have had a better time being a bit closer to the main roles - Malark Springhill for example, a spymaster with his own views of the world and according outcomes, or even the main villain who is the most charismatic evil I have met in books – Szass Tam, and of whom I would love to read more, and he might even be the sole reason I will buy the 3rdbook! Maybe Szass Tam was meant to be as the lead character, but I didn't feel (“was not convinced” would be more proper description) it that way while reading the book. Instead we get random orc stealing the spotlight just to die in three short paragraphs, or some soldiers being all good and fine till the last line saying that we will never see them again as riots broke out that eve, and so on. Overall if I had to depict the level of character depths and importance – it would be varying from shallow and forgettable as puddles after summer rain to something more deeper, closer to a proper lake, but not the deepest out there (and no vastness or depths of oceans here).
What was really good and didn't let down, and just at times dragged a bit– was the pacing. Which is attributed to the previous paragraph regarding the share number of characters - you just couldn't get bored with one or other thing as there were just so many of them, but at the same time its number, at times did the opposite effect and it simply overwhelmed you and you were a bit lost, but then quickly recovered and went on. It didn't feel too hasty or hectic, and wasn't a crawl either – I would say that I do prefer this type of pacing the best, as you can take your time enjoying it. It took me 8 days to read this novel through – which is really nice and I really enjoyed my time with it. I do dislike when the book is so good that it's swallowed in a day or two, or losing its pace and dragging for a half a years read.
And in the end I can say that this piece by Richard Lee Byers was definitely worth my time and money and I am glad I read it, and will definitely read the third book and conclude the series (if not for anything else then for the sake of reading about Szass Tam! I love that emm... dead-guy!).
A proper "I liked it" rating and 3/5 stars at goodreads.
PS. By reading this book as a DnD Dungeon Master, I also have obtained some interesting things for future campaigns and some lore to tell when playing an adventures with my friends. Who knows what, who or where one might find oneself in the realm of Thay after this!
August 19, 2008
Richard Lee Byers, Undead (Wizards of the Coast, 2008)
(warning: this review contains spoilers for Unclean. If you haven't read that one yet, don't read this review.)
Byers continues with his Haunted Lands trilogy, and the second book is a worthy successor to the first. Undead picks up ten years after Unclean left off, with that book's main characters scattered around doing the things they normally do. Szass Tam, however, has spent the last decade quietly researching a few tricks that could, if everything goes right, give him unimaginable power and allow him to win the war for control of Thay at last. All that stands in his way are a number of squabbling ex-heroes, a turncoat vampire, and a dream.
Since we already know the characters, Byers dispenses with most of the setup and throws us right into the action. If it's been a while since you read Unclean, this may prove a minor drawback, as there is such a thing as too little reminder of what came before. You'll be back up to speed quickly enough, however, and Byers never lets the pace flag here. Like a number of other reviewers, I think this one is a bit better than Unclean, in part because of the hike in average pace, but also because we get to know some of these characters a lot better than we did in the previous book. Byers manages to fit in small bits of character development that really do add up to something, and in genre writing, that can be pretty impressive. I like this series a great deal, and can't wait for book three. ****
(warning: this review contains spoilers for Unclean. If you haven't read that one yet, don't read this review.)
Byers continues with his Haunted Lands trilogy, and the second book is a worthy successor to the first. Undead picks up ten years after Unclean left off, with that book's main characters scattered around doing the things they normally do. Szass Tam, however, has spent the last decade quietly researching a few tricks that could, if everything goes right, give him unimaginable power and allow him to win the war for control of Thay at last. All that stands in his way are a number of squabbling ex-heroes, a turncoat vampire, and a dream.
Since we already know the characters, Byers dispenses with most of the setup and throws us right into the action. If it's been a while since you read Unclean, this may prove a minor drawback, as there is such a thing as too little reminder of what came before. You'll be back up to speed quickly enough, however, and Byers never lets the pace flag here. Like a number of other reviewers, I think this one is a bit better than Unclean, in part because of the hike in average pace, but also because we get to know some of these characters a lot better than we did in the previous book. Byers manages to fit in small bits of character development that really do add up to something, and in genre writing, that can be pretty impressive. I like this series a great deal, and can't wait for book three. ****
December 17, 2015
Even after all this time, and again countless authors, universes, characters, once I start reading your work, I can not stop, you bring new light to your characters, at best Szass Tam was a forgettable villain and the Red Wizards of Thay, a mediocre grouping of wanna-be mages. A plaything to such characters as The Blackstaff, Storm Silverhand and Mystra's other Chosen, including the great Elminster.........
The second book of the Undead Land trilogy, fleshes out characters Aoth Fezim Captain of the Griffon legion, Bareris Anskuld one time bard, but becoming something else, the love of his life Tammith a vampire captain in Szass Tam's army, the other Zulkirs opposing Szass Tam, one by one plans, counterplans reach fruition, fail, all for each factions dreams on being the one on top!
Aside from that, this is the first time I'm reading who is supposed to win in a battle between the undead and demons/devils unfortunately, the conclusion left me hanging........drat and double drat!!!!!
If you want action, well you read the right book, comedy, we have that too, romance, oh wow!!!! A downtrodden bard and an angry vampire, a lovely pair......horror, undead, demons, devils.......check.......all in all truly a wonderful book!!!!!
Oh did I mention, it's written by Richard Lee Byers!!!!! Now to the last book...........Szass Tam wonder who's better????? You or Azalin??
The second book of the Undead Land trilogy, fleshes out characters Aoth Fezim Captain of the Griffon legion, Bareris Anskuld one time bard, but becoming something else, the love of his life Tammith a vampire captain in Szass Tam's army, the other Zulkirs opposing Szass Tam, one by one plans, counterplans reach fruition, fail, all for each factions dreams on being the one on top!
Aside from that, this is the first time I'm reading who is supposed to win in a battle between the undead and demons/devils unfortunately, the conclusion left me hanging........drat and double drat!!!!!
If you want action, well you read the right book, comedy, we have that too, romance, oh wow!!!! A downtrodden bard and an angry vampire, a lovely pair......horror, undead, demons, devils.......check.......all in all truly a wonderful book!!!!!
Oh did I mention, it's written by Richard Lee Byers!!!!! Now to the last book...........Szass Tam wonder who's better????? You or Azalin??
November 28, 2020
A decent read, but I'm not sure I'd finish the trilogy if I didn't already own the third book.
Suffers from an "invincible" villain and a serious logical disconnect. If the goddess of magic has died, and the world's magic is running haywire ... how do undead creatures, like the lead villain, even continue to exist let alone prosper?
Suffers from an "invincible" villain and a serious logical disconnect. If the goddess of magic has died, and the world's magic is running haywire ... how do undead creatures, like the lead villain, even continue to exist let alone prosper?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2018
Great trilogy so far.
Am now reading Unholy, the third and final instalment.
Am now reading Unholy, the third and final instalment.
January 22, 2021
"You are right. I have my share of courage, or at least I hope I do. What I lack is a cause worth risking my life over."
"Defeat couldn't strip a man of his honor. Surrender could."
"Defeat couldn't strip a man of his honor. Surrender could."
August 20, 2021
Book 2 of the Haunted Lands Trilogy. This book was action packed from beginning to end. It has three battles throughout the book with a lot of small fights and in-between. You watch the shift sides as one side grows stronger then the next and the power keeps shifting. One thing I really liked about the novel is that the spell plague takes place during the novel and for once you get to the the devastating effect it has on the lands. You watch a land where the greatest leaders all use magic suddenly find out that magic is now unpredictable or useless.
To be honest, just about everything the antagonist set off to accomplish from the first book to the second is nearly already accomplished by the end of this book that makes you wonder what the next book is even needed for.
At least this book has a list of who the main character's are, though it's in the back of the book and not in the front so it's easy to miss. The map shows a good lay of the land but I still would like a second zoomed out map to better understand Thays location on the big picture. Als0- vampire..... it's funny that almost anyone dies and they are dead but there is a vampire that should have died a thousand times who keeps getting brought back to life. You would think the rulers would give themselves some kind of special ability like this so they don't die and stay dead.
All and all a good book that reads quick and easily. The chapters are really large so saying just one more chapter is committing yourself to an hour's read.
To be honest, just about everything the antagonist set off to accomplish from the first book to the second is nearly already accomplished by the end of this book that makes you wonder what the next book is even needed for.
At least this book has a list of who the main character's are, though it's in the back of the book and not in the front so it's easy to miss. The map shows a good lay of the land but I still would like a second zoomed out map to better understand Thays location on the big picture. Als0- vampire..... it's funny that almost anyone dies and they are dead but there is a vampire that should have died a thousand times who keeps getting brought back to life. You would think the rulers would give themselves some kind of special ability like this so they don't die and stay dead.
All and all a good book that reads quick and easily. The chapters are really large so saying just one more chapter is committing yourself to an hour's read.
April 21, 2025
Interesting step in to the world of the Red wizards of the forgotten realms. I thought some povs were boring, others better. Intend to finish the series, but need some motivation to want to learn more of sass tam
May 19, 2023
"Undead" by Richard Lee Byers, huh? Well, let me just say that this book didn't quite give me the jolt of excitement I was hoping for. It's like a zombie with a limp, struggling to keep up with the pack. The plot stumbled along, lacking the bite that makes a story truly come alive. And don't even get me started on the characters—they felt as lifeless as the undead they were meant to be.
I had high hopes for this book, being a fan of the genre and all, but it felt like a missed opportunity. The writing style lacked the punch and pizzazz that would have breathed life into the story. It's like trying to dance to a slow jam when you were expecting a wild rave. All in all, "Undead" fell short of my expectations, leaving me craving something with a bit more life and vitality.
P.S: The 2 vampire characters were interesting and Szass Tam is a good villain, but he is "invincible" and that takes away some of the tension. Also, most deaths felt really anticlimatic? The book tried to make them nonchalant like in "Game of Thrones", but there they had weight because the plot and characters changed accordingly, plus there was a real connection between the reader and the characters. Here that wasn't the case.
I had high hopes for this book, being a fan of the genre and all, but it felt like a missed opportunity. The writing style lacked the punch and pizzazz that would have breathed life into the story. It's like trying to dance to a slow jam when you were expecting a wild rave. All in all, "Undead" fell short of my expectations, leaving me craving something with a bit more life and vitality.
P.S: The 2 vampire characters were interesting and Szass Tam is a good villain, but he is "invincible" and that takes away some of the tension. Also, most deaths felt really anticlimatic? The book tried to make them nonchalant like in "Game of Thrones", but there they had weight because the plot and characters changed accordingly, plus there was a real connection between the reader and the characters. Here that wasn't the case.
November 15, 2020
This book picks up quite a few years later, and I was surprised by how much I appreciated it. Everything gained different weight when it had been going for years instead of a few weeks or months.
The characters are changed yet the same, and I really liked that. I got a stronger feel for them than in the previous book, and it made me care about them more. In other words, they've grown on me.
The plot was just as exciting if not more. There were a lot of twists and turns, some of which were obvious but others were unexpected if you don't know your Forgotten Realms lore. This was my second book in this setting, so I had quite a shock at one point.
The characters are changed yet the same, and I really liked that. I got a stronger feel for them than in the previous book, and it made me care about them more. In other words, they've grown on me.
The plot was just as exciting if not more. There were a lot of twists and turns, some of which were obvious but others were unexpected if you don't know your Forgotten Realms lore. This was my second book in this setting, so I had quite a shock at one point.
May 25, 2018
The lich is up to his no good necromancy again in this second book of the trilogy. Good fantasy with a good pace and LOTS of undead to keep you happy! Events in the first book are continued in this one, and naturally things don't resolve in this book... or else it wouldn't be a trilogy, right!?
I'll eventually come back and read the 3rd book. First I need a palate cleanser and get back to something more *normal*... such as a good murder mystery.
Too much of a good thing can be bad, especially if those things happen to be undead.
I'll eventually come back and read the 3rd book. First I need a palate cleanser and get back to something more *normal*... such as a good murder mystery.
Too much of a good thing can be bad, especially if those things happen to be undead.
November 12, 2025
The war is over…
Byers really wrote one for the ages with this one. One has to read the book before in the series to get the full scope of the hardships, drama, and scope for all the main and supporting ones along with all of Thay, but this pays that good book with a great one.
Twists and turns that aren’t telegraphed are the key to fantasy like this and this novel has them all. Read it and you will like it.
Byers really wrote one for the ages with this one. One has to read the book before in the series to get the full scope of the hardships, drama, and scope for all the main and supporting ones along with all of Thay, but this pays that good book with a great one.
Twists and turns that aren’t telegraphed are the key to fantasy like this and this novel has them all. Read it and you will like it.
September 8, 2025
I had no idea how pivotal this series was for the shaping of the Forgotten Realms. I can't wait to see more of Szass Tam's machinations unfold! It will be pretty tough topping his spellcasting in this one!
November 14, 2019
This is a quality story that builds off the first in an unexpected time jump and also has good personal and story twists throughout. A solid novel.
September 19, 2022
Enjoyed it more than book 1, the 10 year time skip felt a little odd at first. The motivations of most of the characters were pretty unclear as well and a quite a few felt pretty flat.
June 2, 2011
Please Note: This review is for all three books in this series.
Unclean, Undead, Unholy, The Haunted Lands Trilogy, by Richard Lee Byers
FR Date: 1375 - 1478
Richard Lee Byers, author of Dissolution (War of the Spider Queen Series) and The Year of the Rogue Dragon series, works his magic once again with his new series, The Haunted Lands. This three book trilogy includes Unclean, Undead, and Unholy. The adventure is set in the Forgotten Realms in Thay, land of the Red Wizards who are renowned for the magical might and evil tendencies.
Byers educates readers on Thayan rule and politics by introducing the Zulkirs, the council of wizard rulers of Thay and the Tharchions, the governors of the provinces of Thay as they battle the mysterious invasion of undead that is beginning to plague the land. Readers will meet and follow several characters on their individual quests before they all discover they have a common goal. Bareris Anskuld, is a bard who has returned to Thay, after making his fortune in other lands, to marry his childhood love, Tammith. After discovering she has sold herself into slavery to support her drunken father and idiotic brother, Barris sets off to buy her back. Interestingly, Barris befriends a ghost named Mirror, as they search for Tammith. Malark Springhill, an immortal monk of the Long Death and spymaster for Dmitra Flass has his own agenda and sees opportunity to fulfill it as the undead horde continue to invade Thay. Aoth Fezim, warmage and Griffon Legion scout, and his familiar and mount, Brightwing, are the first to discover the undead horde advancing out of the Sunrise Mountains. Aoth reports to his Tharchion, Dmitra Flass who in turn notifies Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy, and the intrigue begins.
As the story flows from one book to another, Byers explores Thayan politics and the land of Thay itself. Much previously unknown about the Red Wizards of Thay is revealed in this series. Byers also exhibits his usual skill with how knowledgeable he is in regards to the undead. More than just skeletons, zombies, wraiths and vampires compile the undead horde invading Thay. Intuitive readers may guess at some plot turns but Byers ensures there are several surprises by introducing characters that are as creative as they are discussing. Xingax is one such character, a deformed aborted fetus looking monstrosity who rides undead Giants and practices foul necromantic magic’s as he creates unique undead for the horde. Byers, through his character Xingax, creates several exceptionally creative combination of undead that have no names as of yet. Skinkites, animated undead griffons, Dread Knights, and demons are also thown into the undead mix for good measure. One demon, a Blood demon Tsagoth, think the vampire version of a demon, is another interesting character unique to this series.
Each chapter, in each book, begins in the familiar FR style, providing the “Year of…” and the DR date, allowing Faerûn historians to easily place these events into the Forgotten Realms timeline. The Haunted Lands occur during changing times within the pantheon of Faerûn. Fans of the Realms will experience the effect of Mystra’s death as the resulting Blue Flame scours and changes the land as the Weave crumbles. As the Blue Flame swarms over the land of Thay, it morphs both the terrain and living creatures alike into monstrosities that add to the chaos of the undead war the heros are trying to win. Byers does not elaborate on the death of Mysta but instead shares only who killed her and some of the results that her death as caused. More than likely, fans will learn these details when Ed Greenwood releases his upcoming novel Elminster Must Die.
Booklovers who are fans of the undead will find this story is right up their alley as Byers skillfully shares, in his typical style, his knowledge of the undead. Role-Playing fans will want to read this series as it will enhance their gaming knowledge and experience when encountering undead. Fans of the Realms will delight in Byers intrigue, the political scrambling of the rulers of Thay and the changes that Mystra’s death has wrought. Book one, Unclean, and book two, Undead, are not stand alone novels but they do have a natural stopping point in the overall tale. Book three, Unholy, provides the climax and conclusion to the story. All three books should be bought and read in sequence for the best reading experience. Once again, Richard Lee Byers works his magic and readers will not be disappointed with this Forgotten Realms series.
Unclean, Undead, Unholy, The Haunted Lands Trilogy, by Richard Lee Byers
FR Date: 1375 - 1478
Richard Lee Byers, author of Dissolution (War of the Spider Queen Series) and The Year of the Rogue Dragon series, works his magic once again with his new series, The Haunted Lands. This three book trilogy includes Unclean, Undead, and Unholy. The adventure is set in the Forgotten Realms in Thay, land of the Red Wizards who are renowned for the magical might and evil tendencies.
Byers educates readers on Thayan rule and politics by introducing the Zulkirs, the council of wizard rulers of Thay and the Tharchions, the governors of the provinces of Thay as they battle the mysterious invasion of undead that is beginning to plague the land. Readers will meet and follow several characters on their individual quests before they all discover they have a common goal. Bareris Anskuld, is a bard who has returned to Thay, after making his fortune in other lands, to marry his childhood love, Tammith. After discovering she has sold herself into slavery to support her drunken father and idiotic brother, Barris sets off to buy her back. Interestingly, Barris befriends a ghost named Mirror, as they search for Tammith. Malark Springhill, an immortal monk of the Long Death and spymaster for Dmitra Flass has his own agenda and sees opportunity to fulfill it as the undead horde continue to invade Thay. Aoth Fezim, warmage and Griffon Legion scout, and his familiar and mount, Brightwing, are the first to discover the undead horde advancing out of the Sunrise Mountains. Aoth reports to his Tharchion, Dmitra Flass who in turn notifies Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy, and the intrigue begins.
As the story flows from one book to another, Byers explores Thayan politics and the land of Thay itself. Much previously unknown about the Red Wizards of Thay is revealed in this series. Byers also exhibits his usual skill with how knowledgeable he is in regards to the undead. More than just skeletons, zombies, wraiths and vampires compile the undead horde invading Thay. Intuitive readers may guess at some plot turns but Byers ensures there are several surprises by introducing characters that are as creative as they are discussing. Xingax is one such character, a deformed aborted fetus looking monstrosity who rides undead Giants and practices foul necromantic magic’s as he creates unique undead for the horde. Byers, through his character Xingax, creates several exceptionally creative combination of undead that have no names as of yet. Skinkites, animated undead griffons, Dread Knights, and demons are also thown into the undead mix for good measure. One demon, a Blood demon Tsagoth, think the vampire version of a demon, is another interesting character unique to this series.
Each chapter, in each book, begins in the familiar FR style, providing the “Year of…” and the DR date, allowing Faerûn historians to easily place these events into the Forgotten Realms timeline. The Haunted Lands occur during changing times within the pantheon of Faerûn. Fans of the Realms will experience the effect of Mystra’s death as the resulting Blue Flame scours and changes the land as the Weave crumbles. As the Blue Flame swarms over the land of Thay, it morphs both the terrain and living creatures alike into monstrosities that add to the chaos of the undead war the heros are trying to win. Byers does not elaborate on the death of Mysta but instead shares only who killed her and some of the results that her death as caused. More than likely, fans will learn these details when Ed Greenwood releases his upcoming novel Elminster Must Die.
Booklovers who are fans of the undead will find this story is right up their alley as Byers skillfully shares, in his typical style, his knowledge of the undead. Role-Playing fans will want to read this series as it will enhance their gaming knowledge and experience when encountering undead. Fans of the Realms will delight in Byers intrigue, the political scrambling of the rulers of Thay and the changes that Mystra’s death has wrought. Book one, Unclean, and book two, Undead, are not stand alone novels but they do have a natural stopping point in the overall tale. Book three, Unholy, provides the climax and conclusion to the story. All three books should be bought and read in sequence for the best reading experience. Once again, Richard Lee Byers works his magic and readers will not be disappointed with this Forgotten Realms series.
October 20, 2011
I am still very new to Goodreads and haven't by any means figured out the best method to make updates as well as my review. If this site lasts longer then Virtual Bookshelf and I have opportunity to look back at it in a few years, it is my hope that I haven't overly embarrassed myself.
This is the second book in the Haunted Lands series. I feel like I was pretty harsh on the review of the first book, Unclean. I am enjoying the story. This is my lunch time reading so I do want something light and fun to read...
The Forgotten Realms books do that for me. Plus it scratches my D&D itch. I would love to play but just haven't organized my time enough to add another night of activity to my schedule...
This installment of the trilogy allowed all of the character seeds planted in Unclean to blossom into a rich tapestry. That being said, the Thayian Civil War which has been raging since the beginning of the series has taken its toll on a few of the players. I really do like to put myself in the position of one character or another and determine how I would role-play the situation from both the DM & the RPC point of view. A D&D campaign is rather different from a fixed story where a character’s demise makes a better plot twist especially when he has completed his task, herculean or not.
Undead finishes with the end of the war! What a relief, some of the battles were fairly difficult to read through. The whole time I have been reading this series, I keep asking myself what society would be like if it were governed by truly evil beings, even if they are lawfully evil such as a litch. But then one only needs to make a short list of openly Evil leaders in our own world, Hitler, Stalin, Hussein and even covertly evil people in our own government like Bush and Cheney who would put profit and corporate greed above the welfare of its citizens.
Urging me on to Unholy: the epilogue makes mention of the prologue from Unclean! why did Szass Tam kill Druxus Rhym? Finally during Undead, one of the characters makes a decision to reverse a stance he took that was based on his moral code. The reason was hidden from the reader and glossed over only to be casually brought up in the last few pages in a way that revealed almost nothing of the reason itself.
This is the second book in the Haunted Lands series. I feel like I was pretty harsh on the review of the first book, Unclean. I am enjoying the story. This is my lunch time reading so I do want something light and fun to read...
The Forgotten Realms books do that for me. Plus it scratches my D&D itch. I would love to play but just haven't organized my time enough to add another night of activity to my schedule...
This installment of the trilogy allowed all of the character seeds planted in Unclean to blossom into a rich tapestry. That being said, the Thayian Civil War which has been raging since the beginning of the series has taken its toll on a few of the players. I really do like to put myself in the position of one character or another and determine how I would role-play the situation from both the DM & the RPC point of view. A D&D campaign is rather different from a fixed story where a character’s demise makes a better plot twist especially when he has completed his task, herculean or not.
Undead finishes with the end of the war! What a relief, some of the battles were fairly difficult to read through. The whole time I have been reading this series, I keep asking myself what society would be like if it were governed by truly evil beings, even if they are lawfully evil such as a litch. But then one only needs to make a short list of openly Evil leaders in our own world, Hitler, Stalin, Hussein and even covertly evil people in our own government like Bush and Cheney who would put profit and corporate greed above the welfare of its citizens.
Urging me on to Unholy: the epilogue makes mention of the prologue from Unclean! why did Szass Tam kill Druxus Rhym? Finally during Undead, one of the characters makes a decision to reverse a stance he took that was based on his moral code. The reason was hidden from the reader and glossed over only to be casually brought up in the last few pages in a way that revealed almost nothing of the reason itself.
July 4, 2020
This series reminds me of the engrossing TSR stories I read as a teenager, which is high praise, obviously. Whereas "The Year of Rogue Dragons" employed the "Dragonlance" Chronicles' focus on a single group of companions, Byers gives us a wider range of perspectives here. He does a great job of handling his large cast of characters, successfully juggling multiple agendas and stories within each chapter. (OK, you occasionally confuse a tharchion with a priest of Bane, but it doesn't happen that often.) For example, he infuses the competing (and constantly changing) members of the zulkirs' council with recognizable personalities as opposed to reducing them to the "Forgotten Realms" equivalent of talking heads. Even Szass Tam appears surprisingly charismatic. But, it isn't just all political intrigue. Byers uses Aoth, Bareris, and Tammith as the emotional pillars of the series. I'll be honest that I found Bareris to be somewhat tedious, and it was hard to feel anything for Tammith, given she's a vampire without feelings. At the end of the novel, they seemed to be developing into more fully formed characters than they had been, but it was too little too late for me. But, Aoth is a great character and I am thrilled to discover Byers wrote an additional five books focused on the Griffon Legion. Near the end, I was wondering what story Byers had left to tell, given that he seemed to be wrapping up his loose ends so clearly. However, the last chapter opens up an entirely new set of issues, and I'm seriously excited to see where we go in the final novel. As this series serves as the transition point between the 3rd and 4th editions of "Dungeons and Dragons," I'd recommend it to anyone nostalgic for the way things used to be. I was particularly thrilled to see the more active presence of the gods here than we saw in series like "The Last Mythal." If you liked the "Avatar" series, I'm pretty sure you'll like this one.
June 12, 2014
Outstanding thriller featuring undead and those pesky Red Wizards of Thay, who spend 90% of the time screwing themselves over before they even get started with their imperialistic ambitions. Great job by Richard Lee Byers in a fast paced, magic hurling war story as the devious Arch-Lich Szass Tam launches his most ambitious bid yet to take control of the country, but where is the Simbul, the witch queen of Aglarond and Tam's check in his rise to power? Ten long years of war have passed, Aoth the Griffon Rider, Malark the Spymaster and Bareris the Bard have seen Thay turned into a wasteland of pain and suffering. The Zulkirs embark on an ambitious plan to defeat Szass Tam but fall into his trap! All seems hopeless until Fate intervenes with the death of Mystara, the Goddess of Magic, murdered by Shar and Cyric. An event briefly touched on in the abortion known as 4th edition D&D. As the weave dissolves into the chaos of the Spell Plague, Tam retreats. Aoth becomes one of the Plague-touched. The vampire, Tammith reunites with her childhood lover, Bareris and more battle ensue until the God Bane is summoned by Tam. Lives are lost or forever changed, allegiances change, are strained or completely destroyed. If Wizards had brain one with this excellent series used as a stepping stone to revive the Gothic horror Ravenloft series. Byers has an excellent flair for magic and horror, he does a remarkable job of tying a major world shattering event,barely covered in the game rules to his story and fleshing it out.
July 21, 2012
This is the second installment in the Haunted Lands trilogy. if you like Sword and Sorcery fantasy with some horror thrown in; you will enjoy this book.
The most compelling character is Szass Tam. He is the top Wizard of Necromancy in the nation of Thay. In this trilogy, Thay is ruled by a fractious council of Zulkirs(the top Wizards in each magical discipline). Self interest, greed, and infighting plague this council; in other words gridlock. Szass Tam has a plan to change that. He shows himself to be the slickest of politicians even without big hair or kissing babies. This despite being an Undead Lich. His plan for unity, though, is even more horrible than the Council of Zulkirs at their worst venality.
In this 2nd installment Thay is in a civil war. The other members of the council have imperfectly united. Even some Undead have joined against Szass Tam. For every one step forward they are knocked two steps back at the very last minute. Our Lich is an able tactician and is able to win some very powerful allies to his side.
The best action sequences are the air maneuvers of the Griffon Riders and the amphibious battle at the end. We even see the resurrection and control of a Kraken.
So, read and enjoy!
The most compelling character is Szass Tam. He is the top Wizard of Necromancy in the nation of Thay. In this trilogy, Thay is ruled by a fractious council of Zulkirs(the top Wizards in each magical discipline). Self interest, greed, and infighting plague this council; in other words gridlock. Szass Tam has a plan to change that. He shows himself to be the slickest of politicians even without big hair or kissing babies. This despite being an Undead Lich. His plan for unity, though, is even more horrible than the Council of Zulkirs at their worst venality.
In this 2nd installment Thay is in a civil war. The other members of the council have imperfectly united. Even some Undead have joined against Szass Tam. For every one step forward they are knocked two steps back at the very last minute. Our Lich is an able tactician and is able to win some very powerful allies to his side.
The best action sequences are the air maneuvers of the Griffon Riders and the amphibious battle at the end. We even see the resurrection and control of a Kraken.
So, read and enjoy!
August 31, 2015
Well now, I guess all the personalities and separate plot lines came together to bear fruit in book 2. I actually didn't realise that this book crosses the Year of the Blue Fire - the Realms-wide Spellplague event.
The conflict that started in book 1 was now 10 years ago, and Thay is a nation torn apart by civil war. You are still following the same characters and you see through their eyes, actions, and reflections on how the war has changed them and the land around them.
I'd say this was portrayed very well, and you start getting attached to these characters - even the zulkirs and their quirks. By far, Malark and Aoth got a lot more interesting, while Bareris got better (didn't quite like him in book 1) - although that bit with Tammith felt a bit odd and forced.
The descriptions of the war and the action was done well, and I found the pacing to be good.
Lore-wise, it was pretty good - portraying the after effects of the death of the goddess Mystra in a deadly, mysterious, and very much land-altering event.
Book 2 is definitely an intermediate book, as it's not enough to stand on its own. Definitely looking forward to book 3.
The conflict that started in book 1 was now 10 years ago, and Thay is a nation torn apart by civil war. You are still following the same characters and you see through their eyes, actions, and reflections on how the war has changed them and the land around them.
I'd say this was portrayed very well, and you start getting attached to these characters - even the zulkirs and their quirks. By far, Malark and Aoth got a lot more interesting, while Bareris got better (didn't quite like him in book 1) - although that bit with Tammith felt a bit odd and forced.
The descriptions of the war and the action was done well, and I found the pacing to be good.
Lore-wise, it was pretty good - portraying the after effects of the death of the goddess Mystra in a deadly, mysterious, and very much land-altering event.
Book 2 is definitely an intermediate book, as it's not enough to stand on its own. Definitely looking forward to book 3.
June 2, 2013
This was what I was expecting of this author and this setting. This was a great book. The confusing scenes back and forth, the tons of characters are almost gone, thankfully. Bareris and Tammith play a big role in this novel and I dislike them a lot, despite the very good work done with Bareris' powers. However those characters personalities and story just makes me want to throw up (like a cheesy mexican soap opera...).
For me the most delightful thing about the book was witnessing the spellplague "inside" Faerun. The Ampyrean Odissey was great on describing what happenned to cause the spellplague, but this book really shines by giving the effects of the spellplague first hand. The shock felt by everyone and the attempts to work around it is great.
For me the most delightful thing about the book was witnessing the spellplague "inside" Faerun. The Ampyrean Odissey was great on describing what happenned to cause the spellplague, but this book really shines by giving the effects of the spellplague first hand. The shock felt by everyone and the attempts to work around it is great.
Read
August 2, 2011This book was certainly a great improvement over the first book Unclean. It's much easier to read and nothing jostled me out of the forgotten realms mindset like the first book did. I quite enjoyed the continuing adventure of the characters. But, like most, I don't feel much of a connection with them. I wish the rest of the characters were built as good as Tammith's. Her depth, her trial and agony, and her life and undeath were the best parts of both books. I am curious to see if she will somehow come back to us in Unholy.
April 14, 2009
The following link http://beezermn.laethyn.com/is highly recommended for its review of this and other fantasy authors.
I usually completely agree with the review wholeheartedly. I still recommend the website for the review of this book, however, I liked it a bit more. I enjoyed the pacing it even though it did bog down a bit in the middle. The book does provide some nice explanations and a bit how things will become affected in the future of the realms.
I usually completely agree with the review wholeheartedly. I still recommend the website for the review of this book, however, I liked it a bit more. I enjoyed the pacing it even though it did bog down a bit in the middle. The book does provide some nice explanations and a bit how things will become affected in the future of the realms.
January 8, 2017
The second book in a trilogy, Undead was written better than Unclean, there was more of the lich that was promised in the first one, and even a nautical battle with amphibious undead. I mean, the lich was able to reanimate a kraken. How cool is that?
What I found most intriguing however, was that two prominent characters were killed off. One for good, and the other became a part of the undead hosts.
A good continuation of the trilogy.
What I found most intriguing however, was that two prominent characters were killed off. One for good, and the other became a part of the undead hosts.
A good continuation of the trilogy.
Read
June 21, 2009Fantasy
July 20, 2011
Even better than Unclean. Very exciting world and character building. Classic Byers writing.
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