Seven Sorcerers

Fultz wraps up his Books of the Shaper Series (Seven Princes; Seven Kings) with a bland slog of a quest story. The armada of Zyung the Almighty is advancing to expand his Living Empire. Ageless wizard Iardu the Shaper must rally the few surviving magicians not under Zyung’s thrall to defend the free lands, but the armies of the Five Cities may not be able to buy enough time to allow Iardu to awaken the titular sorcerers from eons of forgetfulness. Magic, bloodshed, treachery, and the occasional bit of romance ensue. Aiming for lush decadence, Fultz instead achieves the pedantic tone of a gamemaster painstakingly telling role-players about every detail of the world he’s built for them. Recitation overwhelms action—especially with some major battles taking place off the page—and renders the series climax inert. (Dec.)