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Investments #2
The Treachery of Kings
Obeying a royal command can be hazardous to your health....
In a magical world where animals have been given human form and chaos can often be the nature of the day, some universal truths remain. Like the futility of war and the foolishness of leaders. And, of course, the lingering prejudice against the Newlies, the humanized animals.
But Master Lizard Maker Finn has no quarrel with creatures of any sort. Just returned from a highly traumatic vacation, he wants nothing more than a period of prolonged peace with his fetching Newlie lover, Letitia, and his greatest creation, a sassy mechanical lizard named Julia Jessica Slagg.
But the Fates, in the form of the capricious Prince of Fyxedia, have other plans in store for Finn. Fyxedia’s leader has commissioned Finn to build a fantastical lizard timepiece for his archrival, the mysterious King of Heldessia — an odd enough request since Fyxedia and Heldessia have been at war for 700 years. Worse, Finn has been ordered to deliver the clock a mission that involves flying over the war zone in a rickety and badly patched balloon.
Finn can hardly refuse the commission, but the journey is the least of his problems. For Heldessia is a land as odd as any he’s encountered, and he can’t help but wonder what foul plot these monarchs have in store for each other. How can one lone lizard maker, his lover, and his mechanical creation foil a plot they don’t even understand — and still manage to come out of it alive?
In a magical world where animals have been given human form and chaos can often be the nature of the day, some universal truths remain. Like the futility of war and the foolishness of leaders. And, of course, the lingering prejudice against the Newlies, the humanized animals.
But Master Lizard Maker Finn has no quarrel with creatures of any sort. Just returned from a highly traumatic vacation, he wants nothing more than a period of prolonged peace with his fetching Newlie lover, Letitia, and his greatest creation, a sassy mechanical lizard named Julia Jessica Slagg.
But the Fates, in the form of the capricious Prince of Fyxedia, have other plans in store for Finn. Fyxedia’s leader has commissioned Finn to build a fantastical lizard timepiece for his archrival, the mysterious King of Heldessia — an odd enough request since Fyxedia and Heldessia have been at war for 700 years. Worse, Finn has been ordered to deliver the clock a mission that involves flying over the war zone in a rickety and badly patched balloon.
Finn can hardly refuse the commission, but the journey is the least of his problems. For Heldessia is a land as odd as any he’s encountered, and he can’t help but wonder what foul plot these monarchs have in store for each other. How can one lone lizard maker, his lover, and his mechanical creation foil a plot they don’t even understand — and still manage to come out of it alive?
327 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
Neal Barrett Jr.
152 books44 followersNeal Barrett, Jr. was a writer of fantasy, science fiction, mystery/suspense, and historical fiction. His story "Ginny Sweethips' Flying Circus" was nominated for both the 1988 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and the 1989 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
June 15, 2012
An interesting sequel to the first book. It's still crazy – but not crazy like the first book. And it still suffers, at times, from too much rambling speech by the main character. But over all, it is better than the first book. I don't think this will be the end of the series, but I've yet to find another book, so we shall see.
This book is a great example as to why I continue to read series that have great premises, even if the author doesn't quite live up to expectations. I really believe that if there are more books in this series, they will end up being even better - especially since each book seems to refine the world a bit more. So, despite how book one rambled on, I'm actually disappointed that I haven't yet seen another book for this series.
This book is a great example as to why I continue to read series that have great premises, even if the author doesn't quite live up to expectations. I really believe that if there are more books in this series, they will end up being even better - especially since each book seems to refine the world a bit more. So, despite how book one rambled on, I'm actually disappointed that I haven't yet seen another book for this series.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review