The generic plot of this slow-starting sequel to 2007's The Wanderer's Tale
does little to engage readers. After the confusion of a climactic battle, Bolldhe, the warrior destined to battle the resurrected evil lord Drauglir, grimly resumes his journey north to battle Drauglir at Vaagenfjord Maw. Despite being the ostensible hero, Bolldhe is quickly eclipsed by his fellow fighter Nibulus, whose evolution into a true leader gives him top billing among their companions. The pace accelerates promisingly when the warlord of Wrythe's army and Nibulus's allies converge upon the darkly menacing Maw, but the ponderous and unwieldy prose frequently detracts from the action. British colloquialisms like “knackered” and modern objects such as gas masks and “strangely shaped polyhedral dice” (used for role-playing games, no less!) are jarring in the epic fantasy setting, and egalitarian fans may seethe over women being repeatedly called “breeders.” This disappointing second installment contains the same shortcomings as the first. (June)
