Dragons, demons, humans and their intricate interactions are the focus of British author Kerner's solid conclusion to her high fantasy series that began with Song in the Silence
(1996). One race of dragons, the Lesser Kindred, has been in exile and also denied sentience and speech for 5,000 years. A second dragon race, the Greater Kindred, are sentient and have a somewhat ambiguous relationship with human beings, who are viewed with some reservations because of their lack of telepathy. Opposing both races of dragons plus the humans are the treacherous, bloodthirsty demons, who wish to either enslave or exterminate their rivals. The fate of the world hangs on the return of the Lesser Kindred and their regaining speech and intelligence, as well as two human lovers, Lanen and Varien, whose courtship forms a complex subplot in its own right. Anne McCaffrey fans, take note. Agent,
TK (July)
