Submitted by Rob Roy 
(Jan 21, 2005)This book was absolutely fantastic. I don't think I have read a book as fast as I read this one.
The story is based around a world where the northern continent has fell from grace and is rampant with barbarians. The southern continent too has fallen from grace and the most sophisticated city lie on the isthmus that connects them. The city of Felk in the northern part of the Isthmus has decided that IT should rule the whole of it. Felk is a city that has embraced magic users and infact opened a university dedicated to schooling those with potential in the ways of magic. The only problem is, they don't know anything about war. To lead them in their campaign, they have resurrected Dardas, the great conquerer of the northern continent, when it was in all it's glory some 250 years earlier. A noble allows them to place Dardas spirit in his body to learn the ways of war and to help Felk in it's conquest. The only other problem is, Dardas needs the resurrection magic to keep himeself from dying again, but he knows all to well, that once he conquered the isthmus, the felk will have no use for him and let him die. He won't let happen.
The story is written through the views of several different characters. THe first is noble playwrite, Bryk, who begins his tale by riding to the south to gain allies to come to his kingdoms aid. The next Chapter is through the eyes of Dardas. The next chapter is Aquint, a former smuggler and now part of Dardas's army, but not by choice. When his city was conquered, he was absorbed into the war machine. The next is through the eyes of Praulth, a studious girl at a university in the southern portion of the isthmus, whose forte is military history. The next chapter is Radstac, a female, drug using mercenary who is headed north toward the battle and looking for work. The last character is Raven, a pudgy young girl at the Felk's university for magic. She believes herself to be the daughter of the leader of the Felk.
The book cycles through the characters serveral times and each character's tale is very well written. This book is just absolutely freakin fantastic and I couldn't possibly give it a higher recommendation. Can't wait for the next installment.
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