Tomes of Other Realms: Dance of the Dead

Tomes of Other Realms

Welcome to the lands of swords and sorcery, where people live and die by the sword and only the bravest of souls stand between the common folk and the forces of darkness. Join me as I wander different planes and hear the stories of their greatest defenders and the sagas of their worthiest warriors.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Dance of the Dead
Author: Christie Golden
Publisher: TSR, Inc.
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1992

Larissa Snowmane, a dancer aboard the riverboat La Demoiselle du Musarde, can remember little of her life before her father abandoned her as the collateral for a gambling debt. But the life she does know is filled with music and magic, because the riverboat works its musical magic in the dark lands it visits. But when circumstances force the riverboat into the swampy land of Souragne, Larissa learns of another side to her heritage, one that could mean the difference between life and death...and undeath. Because here in this strange land a whitemane--such as Larissa--has the power of her own, and she will need it against the forces of darkness that have gathered around the riverboat. One is Lond, the strange practitioner of bone and blood magic whose desire to leave Souragne has thrown him into an uneasy alliance with Raoul Dumont, captain of La Demoiselle. Another is Dumont himself, whose true strength comes not from his own musical magic but the forces he's imprisoned in the hold of his ship. And finally there is the lord of the land himself, Anton Misroi, who's law in Souragne is final, and whose terrible power can call forth the dead themselves to serve his whims. Can Larissa save her friends aboard the riverboat before the powers of darkness overwhelm that which once brought light into the hearts of the downtrodden?

Dance of the Dead continues the Ravenloft open-ended series of books. It takes us away on an adventure entirely removed from the lands established in Vampire of the Mists and Knight of the Black Rose. There are many lands in Ravenloft, after all, and the struggle between good and evil is endless.

What I like most about this book is that we get to see an adventure that involves characters who have lived in Ravenloft all their lives, not those whom the mists have brought in from other planes. Larissa and her companions come from many different lands, such as Valachan, and Richemulot, and Invidia, and other lands get mentioned as well, such as Arkendale and Falkovnia. It would be interesting, I think, if we had a chance to follow more closely the riverboat's travels through those other lands, but this adventure is quite satisfying on its own. These are characters that grew up knowing about the dangers of the nights--and many times the days--of the lands of Ravenloft, and you don't ever, ever forget it.

Dance of the Dead stands alone quite nicely, with absolutely no need to refer back to the previous two books for background information. Just settle yourself down and start reading! You can grasp the basics of Ravenloft easily enough. You'll have to if you want to survive!

Rating: Thumbs up! Music and dancing are arts, but did you ever imagine the arts could be so powerful?

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