"Excellent fantasy"

Everyone who cared and loved Prince Conar McGregor thinks he died several years ago although his body was never found. Instead his childhood mentor and tormentor Sorcerer Kaileel Tohre, leader of the Dominion and the kingdom of Serenia, condemned Conar to live what remains of his tortured life inside the Labyrinth Prison for a crime he never committed; the island prison contains many of his enemies who loathe him and enjoy torturing him especially with his childhood nightmares. Though some might question his sanity, he survives because of the memory of his love for his Princess wife and the pain from the beatings.

However, Conar for all purposes is dead, but has metamorphosed into the Raven. He escapes his debilitating captivity to begin his plans to stop the evil that engulfs his people. Raven forges a force of twenty-two loyal strong and courageous soldiers the Wind Force. He and his troops believe the enemy is Tohre and his Dominion supporters, but they will soon learn that an evil entnity , perhaps worse than the wicked sorcerer, has started to also rise.

To better understand the motives of the key two antagonists and several supporting cast members, fantasy fan should read the three earlier novels first although THE WINDHEALER easily can stand alone. Conar is a terrific hero who has met tortures that Job would struggle with yet somehow keeps on going. Tohre is one of the best villains in the genre as this evil seeks vengeance on his former student for rejecting him. In her fourth WindLegends tale, Charlotte Boyett-Compo once again provides an excellent novel that genre fans will find immensely satisfying and seek the rest of the saga.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted December 31, 2004

Summary

The Coming of the Raven Conar McGregor: A man forgotten, an identity erased. Broken beyond the limits of mortal endurance, he rises again from the ashes, a dark demi-god, devoid of feeling and barren of heart. Marked with the power of the Great One since his conception and betrothed to The Great Lady will he ever again find love? The Webspinner: A seductress beyond compare. Her powers enhanced by sorcery, her treachery threatens to break the tenuous hold on sanity that Conar McGregor has finally achieved after years of hell. The Wind Force: A group of twenty-two hand-picked men dedicated to seeing The Raven overcome the evil encircling the land. The loyalty of these men has given rise to The Dark Lord, but even they are not aware of the curse the Black Ascendancy will bring to the realms.