My brief review of "The Bastard King" really applies to the entire trilogy. I have to go on a minor rant about the publisher. The first two novels were listed as being by "Dan Chernenko." So naturally, when I went looking for the third novel, I looked in the C's in the fantasy/SF section of my local bookstore, and could never find the darn thing. One day, while just browsing the shelves randomly, I found "The Scepter's Return," except it was listed as being by "Harry Turtledove, writing as Dan Chernenko" and so was filed under T. I had no idea Chernenko was actually Turtledove. Note to publishers: if you're going to use the pen name use it on ALL books in the series; don't switch 2/3rds of the way through!!!