This is actually a pretty good overview of the Flat Earth theory/myth. Short and quick but it is one of Charles River Editors better offerings. The writer walked the line of showing how the theory was wrong but did not name call.

The Basics

Night’s Sorceries serves as a companion novel to the previous volume in the series, Delirium’s Mistress. While the events of Azhriaz’s story are unfolding, she and the other players are inadvertently affecting the human lives that stray too close. These are their stories.

My Thoughts

At first I wasn’t sure how to feel about the fact that this story is not a continuation of the Tales of the Flat Earth so much as an expansion upon the last book. Yet like most of Lee’s books, it endears itself so quickly that I couldn’t be annoyed by that for long at all. Each of these tales has a different tone to it, some light and fluffy, others dark and cynical. Each one brings something fresh to the table.

One of my favorites was “Children of the Night”, wherein a young woman is betrothed to an evil lord. That sounds pretty straightforward, but the story is anything but. It has a decidedly Midsummer-Night’s-Dream feel to it, with a lot of whimsy and humor. In the same vein as that play, dark and powerful creatures are about their business, and humans get caught in the crossfire.

The hardest part of reviewing a book at the end of the series is my fear of spoiling someone into not wanting to read it at all. That would especially be a shame with a series as amazing as this one is. Having said that, in the spirit of not giving away too much about the ending, the last story, a substantially long one, does turn out to be a continuation. It’s beautifully done and as well crafted as I could hope. A wonderful note to end on, though I am hopeful that this won’t be the last we see of this series.

Final Rating

5/5

The Basics

This is the fourth installment in Tanith Lee’s Tales of the Flat Earth. Last we left off in Delusion’s Master, Azhrarn, Prince of Demons, had fallen in love with a mortal and sired a child. This is the story of that child.

My Thoughts

Tales of the Flat Earth is Lee’s masterstroke when it comes to fantasy writing. It’s a dark fairy tale that makes no attempt at being anything but purely adult. I have copies of the previous three books that plainly state “adult fantasy” on the cover, as if to say, “don’t say we didn’t warn you.” And going back to that “masterstroke” statement, its scope is enormous and the writing is perfectly beautiful. It’s purple, but it suits the world and these characters and the lustrous quality of everything shown.

From birth until Azhriaz’s ultimate fate, Lee covers it all. She is amazing at showing a character’s entire life, leaving out no detail, and yet condensing it so perfectly. It never drags. And it’s never rushed. But you’ve lived an entire life with Azhriaz, gone through all her changes (which include several name changes to denote her different stages), and it’s incredibly satisfying.

It’s hard for me to go into details without spoiling, because this is the fourth book in a series, but I will say it’s hard to get me hooked into a series. I tend toward standalone novels. Trilogies and series are hard to commit to for me. I ask a lot of a story that long. Namely that it be engaging throughout and have a world worth exploring. So admitting that I mostly avoid long series of books, that should be a testament to how wonderful these books are. I’ve been making my way through this series over the years, and I’m always so involved in the story and characters, every time. The same goes for this particular volume.

Lee is a highly overlooked author who deserves a great deal more attention, and this series is a fantastic place to start if you’re interested.

Final Rating

5/5