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Cole, often Chris Bunch's collaborator, strikes off on his own again. Warrior Iraj Protarus was a boyhood friend of Safar Timura, who, raised to be a potter, turned out to have an at first unsuspected talent for sorcery. The visions they share and the battles they fight side by side as they set off on a journey impeded by intrigue, enemies, plots, betrayals, adventures, and all the other trappings of the fantasy quest are the basic stuff of the book. Eventually, Iraj has a throne and Safar is his high magician, but realistically, the tale cannot end there, for the friends have hardly seen the last of the host of enemies who customarily badger the possessors of power. Although a trifle short on originality, Cole's second solo outing does feature fine characterization, finer narrative technique, and superlative pacing. A book to make fantasy fans' lives more pleasant. Roland Green

From Kirkus Reviews

First of a fantasy trilogy from the author of The Warrior Returns (1996), etc. Young Safar, of the Timura family of expert potters, becomes friends with warrior Iraj Protarus when the latter takes refuge in Kyrania after having been driven from his home by a blood feud. In Safar's prophetic dream, Iraj is crowned King of Kings; Iraj dreams that Safar, a mighty wizard, stands at his side. Safar and Iraj then save a caravan from demon raiders. In time, Iraj returns home to claim his throne and begins to conquer neighboring states. Safar joins a traveling circus whose beautiful owner, Methydia, teaches him first to accept his magic talents, then how to exploit them. Eventually Safar, despite misgivings, agrees to join Iraj as his Grand Wazier. Demon King Manacia, meanwhile, mounts an invasion, but Safar and Iraj defeat him and occupy the demon capital, Zanzair. As Iraj surrounds himself with the wizards and advisors of his vanquished foes, however, he and Safar fall out over a woman; Safar, forced to flee, skulks in the wilds plotting revenge. Hardworking, competently wrought, and independently intelligible, but talky and undistinguished. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.