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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9047626" data-attributes="member: 16069">#193 The Sword Never Sleeps by Ed Greenwood (Knights Myth Drannor 3) Read 8/6/23 to 15/6/23[ATTACH=full]287984[/ATTACH]Well, it's better than the last one, and I really mean that- I even started to like the KoMD a little by the end, they had come alive, or at least their asides and the accompanying shtick started to make a little more sense. What changed? Well, the plot got better- but again, not massively so, it still feels a lot like a sideshow. There's another interlude with Elminster in this one too, El versus the Blackstaff, it still feels like the KoMD are without agency, that the grown-ups could show up at any time and put things right, solve whatever end-of-the-world dilemma that's in play and be at home in time for tea and biscuits. It also feels like the author is making sure that the reader is aware- Elminster is all powerful, Elminster will put things right, Elminster is the best, always on the look-out for the little guy. Take this scene, and a few others like it out and... well, the KoMD get a degree more agency, and respect, and the jeopardy gets upped, and so you are left asking yourself... why include this in the first page. The author seems to content to undermine his own plot all for a bit of product placement.ELMINSTER IS THE BEST.Odd. But again, there's more to like here- because the bad guys are, well... bad guys, this time I am actively cheering (deep inside, just a little) when the adventurers take another one of their foes down, unlike in the last one which just made me mad. I don't want much from these novels- a bit of the realms- check, some interesting folk and places- check, a great enemy (always a bonus)- check, and a story that makes me want to keep turning the pages. It does most of these things, although once again the story/plot and its strange climax is still flakey and odd. Doubly so because the climax seems so ad hoc arrived at, this is a good spot- let's unleash the collective terror of the fifteen different enemies that have been stalking the KoMD. What doesn't work about this is Mr. Greenwood seems to delight in introducing us to each and every one of these enemies, tell us what we need to know- each enemy is given a scene to wring his/her hands and vocalise what trick next they are going to play, how they are going to defeat the KoMD. Why bother with these... you sometimes get the feeling that the author is a bit untouchable, that there's no editor involved with the project. The plot in this series, in comparison to many others, just seems to travel in a straight line, and all along the way signposts to tell us what comes next.Then there's the enemies- Old Ghost and his new apprentice, the Sword That Never Sleeps, daft but... if you like. So, what happens to these fellows... they go away, or at least Old Ghost does. The apprentice has been offed by the end, but here's the thing- the rest of the bad guys are suitably toothsome, but they're not the terror of Old Ghost. Old Ghost has been rolling along, getting nastier all the while- and more powerful ever since the first novel.Old Ghost gets away at the end, or else doesn't really get involved in the climax.What now?Why do this?Will Old Ghost be back in a future Ed Greenwood novel, having found an enemy more suited to his needs... Obviously, I have no idea about this- I'll have to keep on reading, I wouldn't be surprised if a fat lecherous wizard/demi-god whose name begins with 'E', well... I wouldn't be surprised, that's all I'll say. I'm probably miles off, but... don't tell me, I'll find out.It's also a bit silly, now and then, it trades in comic at times, the stumbling bumbling Dauntless (who was a very bad man in book one, although still bumbling et al) finally sees the worth of the Knights, that's daft- is he supposed to represent 'the people', the man on the street, and not as he starts the series- a dim, slow-witted, barbarous thug dressed as a Purple Knight (Onion, sorry... orniron, ornion? O'nion? Whatever). It's a long way to drag a stupid character (three novels) all for the pay off delivered here- 'you are alright, you are- I no longer want to kill you. Bye then.'Just a strange way of doing things.Read. I didn't enjoy it much but it was better than the last one. Stay safe and well you lovely people.Cheers goonalan</blockquote>

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