It seems in this book that each character has a personal journey they must undergo while completing the physical one towards what they hope is their ultimate destination. Watching them struggle with the extraordinary circumstances that they find themselves in and dealing with the effect events have on their personalities and behaviour, makes them one of the most realistic groups of characters I have read about in ages.
Of course characters need things to do, and these people have plenty, considering the amount of territory they have to cover. Of course there are also any number of left hooks and plot twists that the authors include to keep both the reader and the characters honest. Nothing and no one is sacred and it is a war where people die and get injured, so you have to be prepared for anything.
There have been so many times when I've been reading a trilogy and been sorely disappointed by the second book. It’s as if the author was just in a hurry to get through it so that he could finish and get on with the conclusion. Lessek's Key the second instalment in Robert Scott and Jay Gordon's Eldarn Sequence doesn't suffer from any sophomore jinx.
They have taken a fine introductory book, The Hickory Staff and expanded on what they started, making the sequel equal, if not better, then its predecessor. Lessek's Key is not due for release in North America until November 2006. That gives you plenty of time to read The Hickory Staff if you haven't already, so you don't miss out on anything. (For readers in Great Britain it will be released on August 17 this year.)
These are two well-written, exciting, and intelligent books with only one problem, they end, but at least there is still book three to look forward to.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!
2 - margaret cole
Hi,
Just by chance at our store in England "Borders" I chanced to read the first copy "The Hickory Staff" and could not put the book down - the second sequal - just as good - I am looking forward to the 3rd "Eldarn" sequence and very much hope it will be out very soon. Thank you for the good read and enjoyable books.
Maggie Cole 24th November 07
3 - Steven Vale
I picked up Hickory Staff as a desperation read, there was nothing else for me to read in the store, and I was amazed that I had found a complete gem of a book. I haven't been able to put it down (which did result in me missing a day of labs, whoops). I've just managed to lay my hands on the the 2nd book and am thoroughly looking forward to to reading it and the third (which I just found was out yay!!!!)