| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dennis |
Posted - 20 Jun 2011 : 11:38:29
First Flight by Edward Bolme is the second entry in the anthology Realms of the Dragons: The Year of Rogue Dragons. It tells the story of a Netherese archwizard investigating the cause of the “blight” that ravaged the lands of Netheril. It is highly entertaining, and a must-read for fans of the Forgotten Realms, of the lost Netheril, and quite broadly, of good fantasy. Bolme immediately draws you into the thick of the story with the first paragraph, and spins a yarn in such a fashion that you wouldn't dare leave your seat till you read the last word. It's interesting in many ways. You get to see one of Netheril's proudest and biggest enclaves, Delia. Though Bolme didn't take liberty in describing Delia in extensive details (no one could, with the small word count the author had to work with), he still managed to provide it with enough illumination for the readers to see clearly.
Serreg, the hero in this story, is a typical archwizard--- haughty, selfish, and fearless. And Bolme deftly captured those traits, with lines like ““I may come back empty-handed, but I think it is far more likely that I shall uncover the source of this evil magic, and show them what it means to cross a Netherese archwizard.”” and ““Once his surprise passed, Serreg didn't even think to be frightened. After all, what did a Netherese archwizard have to fear from any but his own kind?”” But unlike most, he's got a wry sense of humor. These lines and a few before and after them had me laughing: “"Rreeooowwf," he said as quietly as he could.” and “"An orc?" he said, his voice muddy and unrefined. "Well, at leasht I can shpeak."”
Bolme also appeared to have read The Netheril Trilogy by Clayton Emery and respected some established facts from that series. For one, the lifedrain that the phaerimm cast was something very few knew about, and no archwizard ever managed to counter, not even the great Karsus; thus speaking of how difficult it would be for anyone to dispel it. In this story, Bolme related how hard it was for Serreg to discover the cause of the blight: “Every so often, Serreg would get close, and he'd feel the spell squirming to evade his scrying eyes. He was never sure if the spell itself took action to evade definition, or if the practitioners behind the magic made adjustments to keep it out of Serreg's hands, but every instance gave the Delian archwizard a better idea what was happening.”
The action scenes are done with finesse and as evocative as any pro fantasist could ever make. To those who are familiar with Netherese spells, you will see some of them here named and used. Serreg's magical facility and military training both contribute in showcasing Netheril's might, and to some extent, obvious inadequacies.
A certain “being” makes an appearance. A meddling entity. A nice surprise. I relish Serreg's reaction to “it.” I find their conversation amusing, too.
So, now, you might ask, where do the dragons fit in the story? You will have your answer in the last few pages. But honestly, this story could have been easily shelved into any of the Realms of X anthologies, more appropriately in Realms of the Arcane and Realms of Magic. The dragon angle is rather flimsy. However, in no way does it ruin the story.
Serreg's realization towards the end is sort of abrupt. I would have liked it if he first pursued other paths on how to live his life before he settled on his last choice.
Overall, it's a great read---something you would undoubtedly reread for countless times.
Rating: 9/10 |
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