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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A medieval fantasy of wild and high magic, 13 Oct 2001
Tarr's latest novel is a wonderful return to medieval fantasy, which she did so well in her "Hound and the Falcon" series from years back. In fact, this book may to begin with feel rather familiar to a reader of that series, as it focuses on King Richard I of England around the time of his crusade. However, despite this, the book in fact has no real connection (save in some of its themes) to that great series but instead makes some connections to her _historical_ novel, _Queen of Swords_.Despite this confusing oddity, the story is well-wrought with Tarr's craftsman-like skill, introducing a Prince John Lackland who is handled with intelligence and care to turn him into a nuanced, sympathetic character while remaining entirely within the unpleasant picture that history paints of him. With him comes Arslan, a protagonist that shares much with characters like Alf, Aidan, and especially Roland (from _Kingdom of the Grail_) from her other works. Magic (portrayed in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising" sequence, with a conflict between the Wild and the High magic) and strangely beautiful people dominate, while Tarr focuses upon the relationships between men and women and lords and subjects that were so important in the Middle Ages, and as always there's a particular, enchanting quality to the language used which affects the way that the book is perceived by the reader. Overall, the book is a good, solid read. It's not as exceptional as her earlier series, such as the aforementioned "Hound and the Falcon" or the purely fantastic "Avaryan Rising", but in the end it's very enjoyable. Some plot developments may come across as somewhat predictable, especially for those who have read many of Tarr's recent novels, but this book is certainly among her most engrossing in the last few years.
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by Judith Tarr
