The Dark Lord Thomas Harlan
Within the fourth volume of his OATH OF EMPIRE series, Harlan (SHADOW OF ARARAT) brings his exquisitely detailed, multifaceted saga of an alternative seventh-century Roman Empire to a satisfying close.
Familiarity with the three previous installments, nonetheless, is crucial to understanding the motivations of some characters, Mohammed in particular. While the author relegates some necessary people from the earlier books to bit roles on this movie-like chronicle, he develops others extra absolutely, although with somewhat complicated attributes and rationales.
Galen, emperor of Rome, continues to carry the destiny of the Empire in the steadiness, alternately aided and annoyed by his sorcerer brother, Maxian. The resurrected Gaius Julius (Caesar) and the Duchess Anastasia intrigue against one another and the brothers, enjoying out the normal Roman grasp for power.
All oppose the evil Persian sorcerer, Dahak, lord of the seven serpents, who can count as his allies the King of Kings, the Palmyran queens and the raised dead. The battle involves a head first in Alexandria, the place Aurelian, the center brother, faces especially bloody preventing, dust and suffering. On Aurelian's dying, the action moves to Sicilia, the place Maxian, now emperor, finally understands the true nature of his enemy. Rip-roaring battle scenes offset the typically slow pace essential to hold all the complexities of the story on track. That is opulent historical fantasy on a grand scale.
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