Book Review of The Warhost of Vastmark by Janny Wurts

Warhost of Vastmark by Janny Wurts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just as with the previous book in this series (The Ships of Merior) Janny Wurts captivates with her believable and relatable characters.

In this novel, we continue to follow Arithon and Lysaer in their quest to kill each other. However, another element has been added to the plot. One of the Fellowship of Seven has returned from a journey to the place the Mistwraith originated from. He was summoned by his fellows, and by answering the call, has provided information to the other wraiths that would enable them to attack.

Faced with this dangerous threat, the Fellowship of Seven convinces Arithon to swear blood oath that he will do whatever it takes to stay alive. Without the half-brothers' powers of light and shadow, the world would be doomed were an attack to come.

But Arithon is still hunted by Lysaer, who remains convinced that Arithon is a danger to his people and must be killed at any cost. The warhost assembled in The Ships of Merior begins its journey to Vastmark, where Arithon is hiding.

Arithon is faced with an enormous army. And he has the people of Vastmark that sheltered him to protect.

Using a brief gift given by an unlikely person, Arithon is able to temporarily use his blinded mage-sight, and seek out a way that might prevent a massacre. The way he finds is a way he can barely tolerate with his magical gift of compassion - to kill thousands in cold blood, to convince Lysaer that his quest is not worth the bloodshed that will come if he persists.

But Arithon's plan is thrown awry.

By taking Lysaer's wife, Talith, captive for ransom, she has been presented with evidence that her husband's quest is unnecessary. Lysaer refuses to listen to her, and remains convinced that turning his wife away from the manhunt was Arithon's true purpose for the kidnapping.

Lysaer puts away Talith, grieved that she has changed her mind, and determined not to let that affect his judgment. Talith's brother becomes determined to regain his sister's honor, and restore the marriage, for the sake of them both. So when Arithon's Vastmark archers pick off thousands of men and send the few survivors to warn Lysaer, Talith's brother has them killed under the mistaken belief that it is a trick designed to turn them off course.

Arithon is then faced with the whole of his brother's army.

The story is absorbing, the world well-developed, and the plot complex. I am very pleased indeed that I was able to read these books, and look forward to reading more!

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