June 29, 1998
Kurtz and Harris's Adept series established the authors as reliable voices in fantasy. Here, as in two story anthologies edited by Kurtz (On Crusade, etc.), the subject is the enigmatic Knights Templar, the powerful religious-military order renowned for its role in the Crusades and medieval world politics. This novel's heroes, Arnault de Saint Clair and Torquil Lennox, belong to le Cercle, an initiated inner order possessed of good magic with Hebrew, Christian and Celtic sources. Their goal is to establish a Fifth Temple in Scotland--but this means Scotland must be free, while King Edward and even fellow Templars seek to institute English rule. Against the magic of le Cercle is set evil, ancient blood-magic, leading to exciting conflicts and a final banishment of the goddess Gruagah and her servants. Yet reviving the Stone of Destiny--seat upon which all true Scottish kings are crowned--demands a sacrifice, though a willing one in imitation of Christ. This seamless combination of historical novel and fantasy offers rich background and, especially in the second half, substantial suspense and adventure. The magic scenes will please fantasy readers, while the atmospheric and well-detailed setting holds promise that the novel might cross over to fans of historical fiction.
August 1, 1998
Following a vision that foretells the formation of a new Temple of Solomon in Scotland, Brother Arnault de Saint Clair, a member of a secret magical order within the Order of the Knights Templar, becomes involved in the struggle for Scottish independence. The authors of the Adept series (featuring modern-day Templars) vividly re-create one of Scottish history's most compelling periods, as Robert the Bruce and William Wallace share the limelight with fictional, but no less credible, characters. Solidly researched medieval history and legends of Templar magic blend seamlessly in a fascinating tale of faith and high magic that belongs in most fantasy collections.
August 1, 1998
The creators of the Adept series, each a master of historical fantasy in her own right, take up the nightmarish Anglo-Scots wars of the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. Arnault de Saint Clair and Torquil Lennox, two Knights Templar driven from the Holy Land, are assigned secret work aimed at finding a secure place for their fellowship's fifth temple. That place seems likely to be in Scotland, so the ruthless ambitions of England's Edward I to rule the Scots must be opposed. Meanwhile, the blackest ancient sorcery is working against the survival of Christianity, let alone independence, in Scotland. The tale sprawls more than even its large-scale story quite justifies but is packed with treats for the historical fantasy buff--such things as portraits of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Kurtz and Harris have lost none of their intensely visual quality, though, leading one to hope that this apparent prequel to the Adept will have a sequel of its own, featuring Robert the Bruce and the epic Battle of Bannockburn. ((Reviewed August 1998))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1998, American Library Association.)