#149 Resurrection by Paul S Kemp (War Spider Queen 6)
Read 23/12/21 to 26/12/21
Hmmmmmmm.
I mean, hmmmmmmm.
This is the bad one- right, only its not that bad. It's nowhere near as good as some of the others en route but, it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Okay, Pharaun has gone from suave sophisticate with the touch of the common man (drow) to surly and spoiled (kill the oaf Jeggred) and then... until the finale, a bit invisible. Basically, he's no-longer telling us the story.
Although we do get the Pharaun versus Ultroloth, Street Magic 2- the ultimate spell battle button bash at the end.
Quenthel and Danifae just keep on getting better, more malice, more spite, more ultra-polite threats wrapped in custom and guile (top drow matroning). Halisstra, well- I'm surprised she knows which way is up, if faith is defined as the belief in something unprovable, then... well, she ain't never had none. Halisstra therefore (maybe) embodies the dilemma of being drow- in a society with rigid structure and order, and in which every significant member constantly seeks to undermine, trip up (or just plain murder) their rivals, well... not a lot of room for faith. Perhaps Halisstra is the ultimo-drow, happy to change deities as often as she changes her clothes.
Jeggred just gets more Jeggred, he's a lovable ol' draegloth, kidding- he's terror incarnate. Love it.
The Ultroloth, didn't really get it, except that the author, I suppose, at some point thought- not enough bad guys for the finale, I know- an army of Yugoloth's. So, that was nice, as was the Klurichir (never heard of it, but I googled) and the great spider swarm et al. So, lots of climactic finale good stuff, even folk that you think are dead (Halisstra) getting back up again.
There's a mad bit where the main players head through the Pass of Whatever It Was Called and take it in turns to get swallowed by the ancient colossal serpent within, and there's some of this that I kinda got, but then wasn't sure about.
I take it the random chapter in which Danifae does favours for money, disfigured and discarded she... keeps the faith, I guess this bit was the test- all part of the passage to the domain of Lolth and the great plains and the city, and world/universe-wide-web.
So, forgiven.
BIG SPOILER.
I liked that the Yor'thae turns out to be Danifae, for two reasons- I was much too fond of Quenthel, the character, in my mind she needed to get back to Menzo quick-sticks to make more mischief in other books, in my head she is the ultimo-drow, she's the one my PCs are going to encounter. And later wish they hadn't. The opposite is true of Halisstra, to begin with she was cool- her and Ryld, but then- well she just tied herself in knots (repeatedly, and there comes a point- the lady doth protest too much), and in this one... I get she was finding out stuff (about herself) as she went along but she was (seemingly) happy to play good/bad, and in both guises ultimately screw her compatriots over (so, drow). I didn't like her so much, so screw her- she can't be the Yor'thae.
I get that Lolth embraces chaos but surely the Self comes before the chaos, apologies if that doesn't make much sense. Let me put it another way- Halisstra is too bothered by stuff, she lacks bad ass, gravitas and, well. she's a mess.
In truth, when I was reading it, from the chapter with Danifae still worshipping Lolth (and murdering folk in her name) while she turned tricks, well- I thought she's got to be the winner.
Liked all the journey, and the end-game.
Not as good as some of the others but, it worked- for me.
Last bit, the Gromph attack on House Dyrr should be read accompanied by the Mission Impossible music, or else something from one of those interminable Oceans followed-by-a-number films.
Like the Lolth finale this one (Archmage versus Lichdrow et al) got silly, but here's the thing- what did I expect, if not this then what... It was good, all of it. Just not, y'know, a firecracker- the novel's biggest problem being that some of the previous ones were just plain cooler and better.
Read.
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Have a great Christmas break and New Year.
Cheers goonalan