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UK Authors - Sci-fi & fantasy |
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Sultan of the Moon and Stars |
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 Sultan of the Moon and Stars:Third Book of the Orokon by Tom Arden Victor Gollancz 517 pages, 2000 ISBN 0575-063726 Reviewed by our UK Editor Rachel A. Hyde Fresh from his adventures in the 18th century world of Varby and Agondon, Jem now enters an Arabian Nights scenario. So it's all here - cruel Sultans, desert sands, eunuchs, genies, harems - and here too is the cast of the earlier books, including Jem’s love Cata, the sadistic Polty (along with Penge), Bean, Rajal and Lord Empster. Now they are all in the Land of Kal-Theron, threatened by invaders. The Sacred Flame is in peril. Cata is caught up in the glamorous web of the Shimmering Princess, while Jem gets entrapped in the magic dream world of the evil enchanter Almoran. Will he reach the red crystal of Theron in time? In Book One, Arden set his tale in the typical quasi-mediaeval village setting, so beloved of fantasy readers. In Book Two, he surprisingly created a cross between the 18th century and the Regency. Now, the scene has changed again, and here are the Arabian Nights. The change of setting makes for an interesting read, but as in the other books, if you like a fast-paced story you won’t find one here. Arden likes to take his time over the tale. He is a meticulous describer of details so here is a story as rich as a woven carpet - a flying one. He certainly manages to immerse the reader in each of his settings, and as before, I applaud his breaking away from the inevitable world of castles, dungeons and orcs. More action and pace would make it an even more admirable feat. I look forward to finding out where he is going to take the reader, in Book Four of the Orokon Sisterhood of the Blue Storm. |
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