Tomes of Other Realms: King 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: King of the Dead
Author: Gene De Weese
Publisher: TSR, Inc.
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1996

The realms of Ravenloft, the demiplane of dread, grow and expand by absorbing individuals of varying power, manipulating them in various ways until they generate their own dread lands in the mists. And of these individuals lured into the mists, perhaps none is as monstrous--though they all are--as Darcalus, ruler of the land of Darkon. Yet, what hidden secrets drive the undying being in his existence? Fame? Power? Wealth? Or is there something more? Now, a wizard seeks vengeance for his son's death, and would brave the evils of Castle Avernus itself and its dread master to triumph over his foe. But will Firan Zal'honan find the revenge he seeks, or is there another fate in store for him?

King of the Dead provides readers with an in depth look at the past of Darkon's lich-lord ruler who, unless you haven't been doing your reading, you know to be Azalin. Like the biography of Strahd von Zarovich, we find out much more about the ruler's life before entering into the mists, including what eventually turned him to a life filled with evil and death. Unlike with Strahd's biography, however, we must be aware that Azalin was not the first soul drawn into Ravenloft, and that no matter what happens, he has already had some of the work done for him, thanks to those souls who entered before him.

I think the most impressive part of this novel is the way Azalin actually becomes the ruler of Darkon. In previous novels--Knight of the Black Rose and The Enemy Within, and to a lesser extent Baroness of Blood--it was pretty simple: the new rulers did something extremely evil, the mists came for them, and they soon ruled a land of their own. In this novel, we actually got to see something else entirely, such as a single soul dividing into two different beings, neither of which is wholly complete without the other. The format of the story made this division entirely acceptable, and the results of it were entirely in keeping with the characters involved.

King of the Dead is an interesting book that involves some jumping around in time, bouncing from the present to the past to the present again, with some tantalizing glimpses into the future. In the end, though, you're faced with a book that encompasses it all, and it's up to you to work through it to the surprisine ending.

Rating: Thumbs up! Who knew the powers of Ravenloft could be so very, very deceitful?

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