Book review: Chaz Brenchley -- Outremer 4/6: Feast of the King's Shadow

It's surprisingly tricky to review the later books in the series without giving too much away, in large part because the whole thing should really be regarded as a single long novel. Nevertheless, here's the review of part four. I finished part five last night; *late* last night, because I could not put it down. Part five review will probably follow later today.

Chaz Brenchley -- Outremer 4/6: Feast of the King's Shadow

As the fourth volume opens, the little group of travellers finally reaches the safety of the desert city of Rhabat, and the council of the sheiks. But safety only for a little while, before the 'ifrits make their presence felt. Again, Brenchley draws on the real world to form a solid foundation for his creation, with his depiction of the city carved from living rock.

The are two main plot threads running through this volume; one the growing love and friendship between various characters, the other the shifting balance between war and peace as Hasan tries to unite the Sharai tribes for war against the Outremer states, and the King's Shadow and Ruban of Surayon try to dissuade them from war. But the future war is forgotten for a little while, as both sides make common cause to defend Rhabat from an enemy deadly to all.

Both plot threads come together around Julianne. The King's Shadow is quite willing to use his own daughter in persuit of his cause, recognising the strong mutual attraction between Julianne and Hasan. Julianne finds herself with a second wedding arranged for political purposes -- and a second prospective husband she is in love with, political marriage or no. But that's far less complicated than the emotions swirling around Marron...

As with the previous volumes, much of the appeal of the series lies in the complex characters. They mostly try to do the right thing, at least by their own moral codes, but don't always succeed. They're human and have human failings, and one of the things the series shows is that moral codes can be different and not perfectly compatible, -- and not always perfectly followed even by people who try to do so. It's easy to become attached to these people, wanting to know what happens next and hoping for a good outcome for them all. But there are no guarantees here; characters die, and not just redshirts introduced as cannon fodder. It makes for a reading experience that is sometimes painful, but certainly intense.

Feast of the King's Shadow (Outremer) 2/3 at Amazon UK
Outremer #4: Feast Of The King's Shadow (Outremer, 4) 4/6 at Amazon US
Chaz Brenchley's website

food porn

I am debating whether to make confit of duck leg this week. The debate is merely over timing rather than whether it would be made at all, and the reason for the debate is that duck leg confit involves the use of an astonishing quantity of duck fat. Now, rendered duck fat is perfectly possible to buy around here, but as it's about $7 for a small tub and I can get about the same quantity of fat by roasting a $10 Peking duck from the local Chinese supermarket, I have chosen to take the route that involves roast duck dinners and duck soup along the way. Slower, but far more enjoyable.

So there is, or should be, the rendered fat of about five ducks sitting in the freezer. "Should be", because I am sure there is less in there than I remember putting in. I suspect Other Half may have accidentally thrown away one container, having failed to understand what it was or why it was in the freezer.

Thus, the debate: is there or is there not enough duck fat in the freezer? For the weather is warming up, and salad for lunch is now a much more enticing prospect. A little sliced duck confit tossed with baby spinach and the first of the new season tomatoes would go down a treat...

Book!

Just got my finals of Dolphin Dreams. It should be available from the Loose Id website late tonight or early tomorrow morning.

Thanks to all the people who helped me on this one, especially watervole for nitpicking details of the Dorset coast.

Book review: Chaz Brenchley -- Outremer 5/6: Hand of the King's Evil

Chaz Brenchley -- Outremer 5/6: Hand of the King's Evil

The middle two volumes were focused purely on the desert, but this volume opens in Outremer, showing something of what happened to the people who were left behind. Magister Fulke is still intent on war against Surayon, and when he marches out, Sieur Anton marches with him -- still hoping to find his errant squire Marron.

Those of the desert have a more pressing concern -- finding and rescuing Julianne, who was abducted on her wedding night. They follow the trail to a trade city on the border between Outremer and the lands of the Sharai.

That's her second wedding night. She ran away from her first husband on her first wedding night, hating to leave him but following a more urgent promise. Imber hasn't giving up hope of finding her, and joins a march to the trade City in search of the coming war.

Then there's the mysterious preacher and his flock of the not-quite-healed; an army, perhaps, for someone who chooses to use it that way.

And they're all aimed at Surayon, with one tiny and personal battle near the end of this volume paving the way for a much larger battle in the next and final volume of the series.

This is only the first half of what was originally published in the UK as a single volume, but stands well on its own as a prelude to the final twisting together of the various plot strands that have been laid out over the course of the series. Even now it is impossible to predict how events will play out and whether any of the characters will find what they desire. It's beautifully written, as ever, and shows us still more of the characters and their world.

Hand of the King's Evil (Outremer Series, Book 5) 5/6 at Amazon US
Hand of the King's Evil (Outremer) 3/3 at Amazon US
Chaz Brenchley's website

Out now: Dolphin Dreams

Dolphin Dreams
ISBN: 978-1-59632-383-4
Published by Loose Id

Author: Jules Jones
Cover Artist: Anne Cain
Price: $7.99

Martin's a sexual submissive, but he's nobody's doormat. So when he discovered that his boyfriend was already married, he told him to go. When it still hurt weeks later, a seaside break housesitting for a friend seemed just the thing to help him heal.

When he made friends with two dolphins, he was simply grateful for the pleasant company. He didn't expect to need their help when his small boat was caught in a storm. And he never expected them to ask for payment -- or what shape they'd be in when they did so...

His dolphins turning into two handsome men had to be a hallucination, born of concussion and longing. Not just handsome, but the sort of men he wanted -- dominant without being domineering, men who were secure enough to consider his needs as well as their own. Doms desperate for a sub who was a real partner, not just someone looking for a few days' fling. It couldn't be real, not when it was so much what he wanted.

But it was real. And now Martin has a brand new set of problems to worry about. Two men. Men who aren't quite men, who have problems of their own...

Excerpts