Book Review: Path of the Sun

By Sandy Amazeen Nov 1, 2010, 4:28 GMT

A new fantasy adventure featuring "the highly talented Dhulyn and Parno."(Locus). Mercenary partners Dhulyn Wolfshead and Parno Lionsmane think they\'re escorting the Princess of Arderon to her wedding with the new Tarkin of Menoin, but the Mercenary Brotherhood has a secret mission for them: find out what happened to the two Brothers who were sent on assignment to Menoin a year ago-and vanished. Once in Menoin, they ...more

Mercenary Partners Dhulyn Wolfshead and Parno Lionsmane have returned to Lesonika’s Mercenary House to hear the Senior Brother’s decision regarding charges of kidnapping and murder against them. Although cleared of the charges, honor dictates that Dhulyn and Parno serve as escorts to Princess Cleona on an ocean voyage to her betrothed Tarkin. Coincidentally, this places them in position to investigate the whereabouts of two Brothers who disappeared from Menion. The night after they presented the Cleona to Tarkin, the Princess was discovered brutally and ritualistically murdered during her evening ride.

Dhulyn and Parno soon hear of other such killings and with the aid of Gundaron, a talented Finder and his wife, Mar-eMar the Partners follow the murderer’s trail into the Path of the Sun, a multidimensional labyrinth that takes them to a land where Marked Ones are considered broken and typically killed. As a Marked One herself with the sporadic gift of Sight, Dhulyn has a stake in a land where her people, known as the Red Horsemen live according to the old ways. Dhulyn and Parno come to discover a truly evil creature walking in a most benevolent disguise, using the Path of the Sun to evade capture. To catch him the Brothers must risk becoming trapped within the labyrinth with no way out.

An elaborate plot involving two different yet similar worlds is handled with a deft touch as Dhulyn and Parno face a formidable adversary yet this time, it won’t be fancy swordplay that will win the day. The pace is fast, smooth and flawless as is the character development in arguably, the best book of the series that expands upon an already fascinating world.