And Eternity

With this seventh book Anthony concludes his series called the Incarnations of Immortality. Previous works have focused on Death, Time, Fate, War, Earth, Evil; the subject here is the Incarnation of Good, and the setting is an alternate Earth where Magic and Science share power. Each of the offices of these Incarnations must be filled by a human who will not age while occupying the position. Following the theme of the series, this book is concerned with the transition to a new Incarnation of Good. Each Incarnation has different rules for change, and that of Good requires the agreement of all six other Incarnations, including Evil, a decided complication that the other five must deal with. Anthony's excellent prose and well-thought-out plotting deliver an enjoyable and logical surprise solution to the conflict, following the resolution of Luna Kaftan's critical vote (a subplot of the entire series). (Jan.)