Book Review: The Mask and the Sorceress

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Mask and the Sorceress     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Dennis Jones
Class/Genre:   Fantasy
Series: House of the Pandragore # 2
Eos, Apr 2001, $25.00, 454 pp.

Evil beings broke the Ban that safely locked away the Deep Magic, leading to a vicious war. Though the forces of good won, one malevolent individual Theatana, sister to the ruler of Ascendancy escapes. Her nephew Ilarion knowing his aunt is a dangerous lunatic pursues her in an attempt to stop her spreading madness before civil war II further decimates the country.

Though insane, Theatana begins to accumulate allies while her foe struggles to simply survive. However, Ilarion finally catches up with his aunt on an island on the edge of the world where the magically powerful Mask of the Adversary can be found and, if harnessed, should lead to easy victory.

THE MASK AND THE SORCERESS is an entertaining epic fantasy that though part of a series can stand alone (what a unique thought for the genre). Dennis Jones provides enough information from the previous book (see THE STONE AND THE MAIDEN) within the subplots so those in the audience who did not read that novel will understand how events reached the points in this fun to read story line. Genre fans will look forward to the final tale of the "House of the Pandragore" where good vs. evil in confrontation with the stakes being world domination.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner