drey's library

In Carol Berg's latest fantasy, it's magic vs. science, with the latter coming into popularity in the kingdom of Sabria. When this results in magicians' attempt to assassinate Sabria's King Philippe, he enlists the help of his very-distant cousin to uncover the traitors, and to determine if his wife is somehow behind the attempt.Portier de Savin-Duplais agrees to help the King, and hits the ground running. The stuff he uncovers places his own life at risk, and he finds himself looking for plots within plots as he tries to unravel the tangled web of treachery. But can he do it before the kingdom unravels right in front of his eyes?Character: Portier is a typical hero in this type of story. He's not very good at what he does, and fumbles his way through the hurdles that are thrown in his path. He's just nice enough, just personable enough, just smart enough, to try to put the pieces of the puzzle together. His companions are a foppish dandy and an irascible magician. Between the three of them, it's almost like watching The Three Stooges.Pace & Plot: The Spirit Lens moves along quickly, and at times your head spins with the reveals. The plot is twisty, too, which doesn't help with the head-spin. But it does keep you turning the pages!