Bard’s Oath

After more than a decade, Bertin returns to her Dragonlords series (Dragon and Phoenix) with a respectable if unexceptional throwback to the morally black-and-white heroic fantasy of the 1990s. In a world ruled by beneficent dragon-human shape-shifters, Master Bard Leet develops an elaborate revenge plan involving a blood-drinking harp with the power to musically enslave listeners. As Leet’s plot crawls slowly along, Bard Raven Redhawkson is accused of a murder he has no memory of committing. Dragonlord Linden Rathan, certain his friend cannot possibly have committed such an atrocious act, must investigate quickly before Raven is executed. Readers will appreciate the unusual music-based plot and masterly world-building, but it never feels like anything much is at stake. (Dec.)