At the end of Well of Shiuan the many thousand refugees of a doomed world pour through the open Shiuan Gate into a new world. The consequences are dealt with here, and here lies Morgaine and Vanye's most difficult and unpleasant task yet.The world of the Azeroth Gate, or at least its immediate vicinity, is ruled by a society of remnant qhal people, those who once used and controlled the entire Gate system. In this world they have learned restraint and reason and have found a way to live as benevolent overlords, guiding the resident humans and managing the Shathan Forest. To this peaceful situation comes the savages of Shiuan, whose qhal have slid into decadence and brutality and only barely control the coalition of mutual enemies that is their horde. Their goal is of course conquest, especially of the Azeroth Gate.Despite the peaceful inhabitants of Shathan needing Azeroth for defense of their land, Morgaine and Vanye must somehow seal the Gate as part of the mission to serve the greater good. Success means the likely obliteration of Shathan by a hungry and barbaric horde.As in the previous books, a web of power and need drive the characters and the factions they represent. The khal--the Shiuan qhal--compete amongst themselves but are dependent upon an outsider's Gate knowledge. The horde is only united through the force of one man's personality and the possibility of gaining greater power. The humans among the horde are divided and united by their own factionalism. The people of Shathan, while their interests align with Morgaine, have no reason to trust her.The contrast between qhal and khal is a constant factor, with the qhal in a Tolkienesque-elf role while the degenerate khal brought Moorcock's Melnibonéan people to mind.
From trouble to a brief respite -- Nhi Vanye and Morgaine come from drowning Shiuan through the Gate at Azeroth to a strangely peaceful world. But the world holds perilous secrets, and at their heels come savage hordes out of Shiuan and Vanye's own cousin, Roh.Again, a very well-crafted, carefully-drawn tale; again, Vanye finds himself torn between the bonds of his honor and the bonds of his oath to Morgaine; again Morgaine finds herself torn between the bonds of her single-minded pursuit of her mission and the bonds of her obligations to Vanye. Again, very, very highly recommended.
