Sunday, January 29, 2012

Review: THE LORD OF ILLUSION by Kathryne Kennedy


Tender love, furious action and a life-and-death struggle bring Kathryne Kennedy's The Lord of Illusion, the final book in her Elven Lords trilogy, to a crashing finale.

All his life, Drystan has been an outcast because of his magical visions. These dreams have led him to a lonely and frustrating job as a researcher, where he sifts through long-unread records in search of the woman in his visions. That sad, beautiful lady may hold the key to defeating the Elven lords. Her sorrow also tears at his heart. Is she as lonely as he? He yearns to find her and wipe away her sadness. When his researches at last provide a clue about her, he masquerades as a nobleman and travels to the palace of the Elven lord of illusion to find the lady of his dreams.

The slave Camille has suffered abuse from men all her life. Suddenly, a handsome aristocrat arrives who protects her. He's a kind man and she had encountered too few. But she is wary. What does he really want?

The Lord of Illusion is a story of how people can change when circumstances require, but especially when love smooths the way. Both Drystan and Camille, shunned by their compatriots, tentatively search for happiness with each other. Drystan is magnificent as the strong yet gentle man who coaxes the terrified Camille to love him. Camille is heroic as she rises above her abusive situation to help in the humans' fight for freedom from the elven lords. The magical wonders along the way are exciting, well-thought out and lovely in their fierceness, but the real beauty in this novel is the growing love and trust between Drystan and Camille.

Ms. Kennedy also gives us tantalizing glimpses of other couples who have brought us to this ending. May she someday fill in the gaps.

In The Lord of Illusion, with its awe-inspiring world full of dragons, fire fountains, water steeds and other magical marvels, Ms. Kennedy demonstrates yet again that the one true and most powerful magic is love.

Thank you all,
Linda
ARC provided by Sourcebooks

2 comments:

catslady said...

Oh, you reviewed my favorite new author!!I found her a year or so ago and it wasn't a genre I was too sure about but I fell in love with her stories and her writing. This is a wonderful series that I totally recommend!

Linda Banche said...

catslady, I like Kathryne Kennedy's books, too. You'll enjoy this one.