cover image Pass on the Cup of Dreams

Pass on the Cup of Dreams

Bruce Fergusson. Lucky Bat, $17.99 trade paper (418p) ISBN 978-1-939051-49-3

The third installment of Fergusson’s Six Kingdoms fantasy series (after The Mace of Souls) suffers from a lack of clear visual descriptions, leaving readers adrift in an unearthly place. Devious antihero Falca Breks and his companions try to fulfill a promise made in their previous quest, but they face hardships aplenty as they dodge vicious magical beasts, vengeful soldiers, and a highly trained assassin. The action begins swiftly and without explanation, leaving readers to sink or swim according to their imaginations. This approach can be frustrating for those without a copy of The Six Kingdoms Codex, Fergusson’s detailed companion to the series, but it’s rewarding to those who have followed Breks’s adventures so far. Fergusson develops his characters thoughtfully and methodically, and though he falls into some tired and unfortunate revenge-based tropes along the way, his plotting remains dense and satisfying. (BookLife)