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Title: Mortalis (DemonWars) |
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Review of Mortalis (DemonWars)
- The long struggle is over at last. The demon dactyl is no more, its dark sorceries shattered by the gemstone magic wielded by the woman known as Pony. But victory did not come easily. Many lives were lost, including Ponyâs lover, the elf-trained ranger Elbryan Wynden.
Despite the dactylâs demise, the kingdom still seethes in the same cauldron of plots and machinations. But when a deadly sickness suddenly appears among the people of Corona, Pony must undertake a pilgrimage that will test her powersâand her faithâas never before. Watching her every step of the way is the man she hates above all else: Marcalo DeâUnnero, the villain responsible for Elbryanâs death . . . who would desire nothing more than to lead Pony down that same treacherous path to destruction.
Product Description
- Setting aside his wildly popular Forgotten Realms books for the moment, Bob Salvatore continues to wade into his character-development-heavy Demon Wars saga with this meaty kickoff to the latest DW series. If you're familiar with the series (and if you're not, start with The Demon Awakens), you know that this ain't Icewind Dale. The generously developed characters take center stage, and they--much to our initial dismay, perhaps--are far from invincible. (More than a few hearts were broken when Elbryan the Nightbird, Touel'alfar-trained ranger extraordinaire, bit the dust in the last book, Demon Apostle.)
Mortalis shifts the spotlight to fearsome gemstone-wielder Jilseponie (a.k.a. Pony), who's got to decide just what path to take in the wake of Markwart/Bestesbulzibar's defeat and the death of her beloved ranger hubby. Should she take over the Abellican church as Mother Abbess? Or should she take King Danube's offer to be Baroness of Palmaris? Or perhaps her grief-tinged destiny lies along another path. Countless goblins still require a firm beating down, the ranks of the Abellicans are far from content, and a virulent plague threatens to kill off even more characters. What's a Pony to do? --Paul Hughes
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Comments for Mortalis (DemonWars)
- Posted on 2008-07-14
My favorite Salvatore book to date. Very highly recommended.
Salvatore often states that he believes this is the best book he's ever written, and I cannot disagree. While much different than most of his other books (think Forgotten Realms), MORTALIS will nonetheless please both old and new Salvatore fans. Darker and more mature than most of his work, the entire DemonWars saga is full of death, desperation, and fallible characters. Still fantasy, but much more believable and serious than any of the Drizzt books. And, MORTALIS is my favorite of the series thus far. However, it is not an appropriate place to start the series. To really understand what is going on and appreciate the manner in which Salvatore has developed the world of Corona, you need to start at the beginning, with The Demon Awakens (which is also excellent).
MORTALIS serves as a transition between the first and second trilogies of the DemonWars Saga. Continuing the story where THE DEMON APOSTLE left off, with Jilseponie facing the truth of her lover's death and the Abellican church left in turmoil after the exposure of the demon-possessed Markwart, the first part of this book is fairly limited in scope, but necessary. Fairly quickly however, new aspects of the story are introduced. Plague has come to Corona and nobody is able to prevent or cure this newest threat. Neither the nobility or the church has any effective way to fight back against the insidious disease which threatens the entire land, and so lock themselves away in fortresses in order to protect themselves. Pony and a few others cannot stand by and watch the suffering, and try their hands at healing, only to meet disappointment. Death and desperation are the common theme throughout the majority of this book, as the impossible new enemy claims untold numbers of lives.
The world of Corona is dramatically expanded in the volume. An entire new race of elves is briefly introduced and is sure to play a prominent role in the next trilogy. Also, a group of renegade monks known as the Brothers Repentant is born, led by no other than our old nemesis De'Unnero himself. Also, Jilseponie grows as a character, going from despondency to determination to save the world. While the ending of this book is fairly conclusive (MORTALIS could be considered a stand-alone novel) it leaves room for an exciting continuation.
My favorite Salvatore book to date. Very highly recommended.
Score: 5
- Posted on 2006-01-24
Salvatore does it again!!
I have not read a book by R. A. Salvatore that I did not enjoy. These DemonWars books are his best! A world all his own that is so much like our own, though not.
Mortalis is the fourth book, or, the segway between the two trilogys in the DemonWars Saga. The first Triolgy encompassed our group of heros and thier fight to purity of the Abellican Church and to destroy the Demon Dactyl ( a manifestation of the corruption in the world). I wish to not give away any of the jucey secrets that these books hold, but I must say that Salvatore has no problem with killing off characters, and every one is for a reason.
In Mortalis a plague has taken the land (think Black Plague 'Pocketful of Posies') and the world must now fight this 'New' Old Evil. The Church has shut its doors in fear and the people suffer with only a few heros left fighting the cause. A miracle is in order and it will be found! But the way to purity will not be revealed in this review.
A wonderful book looking to morals and tough decisions. Do you have the faith to go against the crowd and lift your voice high to do what is right??? Get this book ( after having the first three !!! ) and I do not doubt you will enjoy it as much as I did myself!!
Score: 5 - Posted on 2005-11-11
Fantasy at its Best
Mortalis contains everything you could want in a Fantasy novel. Unbridaled emotion, tremendous action, political+religious intrigue, and even a touch of romance to top things off.
I have often heard Bob say that he believes this is his greatest work. Although I believe that some of his other work is better, this novel is definitely right there at the top with some of the books books of the genre,
Score: 5 - Posted on 2005-09-13
Salvatore's Intrigue Management
Just finished this one. After the first three of this serie Mortalis has less action and more intrigue between the church and the crown. Not so many action after the death of Elbryan. Salvatore's Intrigue Management is so unusual for the fantasy series, keeps you turn the pages compulsively and most of the time makes you stop and go "hmmmm". Also it is always nice for the reader to know the future of the characters that we know their childhood. I reccommend all not to read this one before the first trio.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2005-07-01
Superb Fantasy
R.A. Salvatore has written his absolute best book to date. That is not easy for me to say, because I have read most of his works, and always enjoy them. Sometimes his novels are full of action but fall a little short on plot. Sometimes they have mostly strong characterizations but almost always there are one or two who seem out-of-place or need some rounding out. But his stories always bring enjoyment to my reading eyes.
But this time, he has topped all of his previous efforts. Even his Dark Elf Trilogy suffers when stacked against the developing epic of this Demon Wars saga.
I first approached this book with some trepidation. I had completed the first trilogy of the Demon Wars Saga and I was worried at how he would follow-up the emotionally charged ending of that trilogy. I also knew there was (and is) a second Demon Wars Trilogy. This then would appear to be an in-between novel. Was it just filler? Would it simply serve to wrap up any loose ends from the first trilogy and set-up the second?
The answer was yes...but so much more. We do, indeed follow Jillseponie (a.k.a. Pony) as she struggles to find her way in the cruel world of Corona. She has endured much heartache in her life and labors to find her role in the post-Demon world. As the hero that vanquished the Demon of the first trilogy, as well as the evil it had spawned, Pony is offered her choice of political appointments. Whether to be baroness of a province or perhaps the mother abbot of the Ambellican Church? Perhaps she is in line to be queen? Instead she takes the road that allows her to search for answers.
The novel is a bit of a departure for Salvatore. Instead of a hoard of goblins, or a demon spirit to vanquish, and the resulting sword battles that take place throughout, the enemy this time takes the form of the Rosy Plague. This extremely contagious disease has swept through Corona in centuries past and has led to thousands of deaths and immeasurable suffering. There is no known cure, even with the powerful magical "soul stones" of the monks of the Ambellican church. A truly formidable opponent indeed.
We get to see all the characters of previous books in the series, old friends to us now. We struggle with their decisions, both selfish and noble, as they choose how to best help the plague victims, or how best to avoid them. These characters are real. How they act faced with such calamity, may surprise you, just as those in real life may well surprise you when faced with similar circumstances. And we also get to know new characters, who will undoubtedly have large roles in the follow-on trilogy.
There is a great deal of political intrigue in this novel, both for the secular rulers of the region, as well as with the pervasive Ambellican Church. And how these institutions deal with their responsibilities to the people they serve, is fascinating to watch. Neither approach is flattering. And don't worry. There are a few action scenes as well, which are presented with the amazing Salvatore flare.
The best, most satisfying stories, whether fact or fiction, are those that triumph over the most difficult obstacles. Salvatore, in this book, has created an absolutely immense obstacle to overcome: the Rosy Plague. And along with it are numerous lesser obstacles, but nevertheless difficult to conquer. The way in which Jillseponie, addresses these issues is extremely gratifying. The ending is very satisfying and yet leaves open a yearning to hear more from these people. So you might want to have the next book on hand just so you won't have to rush out and get it.
Score: 5