"A treat for fantasy lovers"

The Waterlords are the most powerful caste in Sileria because they magically control the scarce commodity water. With the Valdani conquerors defeated (see book one), the Waterlords betray the trust of the rebel leader Firebringer, have him assassinated, and begin charging exorbitant prices for their valuable sustenance desperately needed by a parched populace. Tansen the great warrior and Mirabar the fire wizard prophetess lead opponents against the water oligarchy that controls how much of the supply side will respond to the demand.

However Mirabar sees that ridding the land of the magic elements of water cannot occur if Sileria and its people are to thrive. Somehow, the magic must remain; Mirabar concludes they must defeat the waterlords to break up their tyranny, but cannot commit total genocide. That is the easy part of what they must do. The difficult part is to persuade her partner Tansen, who detests with good reason the Waterlords, that they cannot eradicate the enemy of the people.

Though the tale contains the high level of action expected from a fantasy, THE DESTROYER GODDESS: IN FIRE FORGED also includes strong fabulous characters that interrelate in an intelligent, at times emotional, manner but appear reasonable. The hero tries to control his frustration; the fire wizard in spite of knowing what needs to be done must rein in Tansen; and the Waterlords seems realistic in some ways like the oil industry. Fans will appreciate this powerful Silerian journey from a rising superstar who is much more than a chip off the old block as Laura Resnick may prove to be Barry to Bobby (both great) if she keeps hitting home runs.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted December 28, 2003

Summary

An epic saga of such grand scale it must be told in two books Laura Resnick, author of In Legend Born, has created a novel so epic in power and scope that it could only be told in two parts. In The White Dragon, part one of In Fire Forged, the island nation of Sileria had finally been freed from the tyranny of foreign Valdani rule by Josarian, the rebel leader who became the Firebringer foretold in prophecy. But Josarian was slain by the White Dragon, a creation of Kiloran, the most ruthless of the powerful mages called waterlords, who terrorize those who depend on their mercy for the water that all life must have. Now that mercy is denied. As the waterlords begin a reign more terrible than that of the Valdani, Tansen, Josarian's second-in-command, joins forces with Mirabar, a Guardian who is feared and admired for her fire magic, and Zarien, a mysterious sea-born boy. Mirabar and her bitter enemy, Torena Elelar, the faithless wife of a Valdani aristocrat, contend with prophecies both vague and daunting, each destined to serve the destroyer goddess in her own way as they try to discover the meaning of Mirabar's visions. The fragile alliances forged by Tansen between the peasant shallaheen and the Guardian resistance begin to crumble as he tries desperately to save Sileria. Zarien, however, is determined to bring Tansen to the sea goddess Sharifar to be her consort. But no goddess is as easy to placate as mortals may think . . . . And Kiloran will stop at nothing to trap Tansen and crush the resistance in order to maintain his tyrannical reign. As the power struggle among Sileria's warring factions intensifies to a fevered pitch, the tremors of Mount Darshon increase, threatening to engulf them all in molten death. Kiloran and Tansen prepare for a final confrontation that will change Sileria forever. But no one may triumph unless the destroyer goddess wills it . . . . With masterful storytelling, Laura Resnick brings this great epic tale to a conclusion that readers will find riveting and enthralling.