One A Thief...
The renowned theif Livak employed her great courage and cunning to escape the evil, mindbending sorcery of the Elietimm -- with the help of Ryshad, the noble swordsman who stole the beautiful bandit's heart. Now a fortune awaits her and her beloved, if Livak can secure a powerful, ancient, and forgotten magic that the Empire seeks to defend itself from its enemies.
But there are others who covet the secrets of these lost arts....
The third installment in “The Tales of Einarinn” series continues from the point the previous volume left us – the remarkable discovery of the rich traditions of the Archipelago and the dark, coveted secrets of people from ages long gone. Our main characters Ryshad and Livak have started to plan their future life together, but before their final reunion one last impediment remains. The point of view in “The Gambler’s Fortune” is yet again transferred to Livak, as the retired thief-turned-almost-noblewoman starts her personal adventure in the Great forest aided by the talented pupil of the Archwizard. Her mission and intuition for ever-present trouble lead her to the mountains inhabited by a race closely resembling the hated Elietimm, where old alliances will be tried out by fire and steel.
“The Gambler’s Fortune” is Juliet Mckenna’s testing ground for developing strong characters from the “enemy lines”, such as a disillusioned highlander with high hopes, a beautiful woman craving for knowledge and happiness, as well as an unscrupulous and crafty Elietimm. Furthermore, the author delves more deeply into the magic system of artifice with some excellent description of intense battles. Unfortunately, no major events occur during this novel, as it suffers from the middle-book syndrome and is thus too predictable and schematic to live up to the expectations set by the previous volumes. Be prepared that superfluous information and sluggish pace are the bane of “The Gambler’s Fortune”, though the dreary picture is enlivened by the presence of two new witty and memorable characters.
To sum up, the third book in “The Tales of Einarinn” series is lagging a couple of steps behind its predecessors, though in my opinion, the author is still setting the scene for the upcoming groundbreaking, world-shattering events and thus, the novel is worth a try. As I have mentioned, Juliet Mckenna spends a lot of time giving life to her fantasy setting, the epic war conflicts are just as spectacular, the main characters continue to come across insurmountable hurdles and gush out smart remarks (not necessarily in this order). So, although the author may not win an award for ingenuity, “The Gambler’s Fortune” is a passable novel in the series and will satisfy Mckenna’s fans.
My final verdict: 6/10
Read my reviews of other books by Juliet Mckenna:
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