The Veil Of A Thousand Tears by Eric Lustbader

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Technology, science, history, religion, everything and anything in between. Eric Van Lustbader spins a remarkably good story in 'The Veil of a Thousand Tears', the second volume in 'The Pearl' saga. Be taken into Lustbader's world of Kundala, a fantasy world mingled and entwined with aspects of technology that defeats any other fantasy this reader has ever read.

Lustbader makes this book different to many fantasies by taking your average fantasy world and developing it into a land where ion cannons and hover pods are possible. The characters you meet along this rich and wonderous journey each have their own unique personality, personal problems, secrets and a family history that is leaked out bit by bit in this book, spinning the story from different character perspectives so you can see things from every angle. The characters you come across you will love, love to hate or hate to love. You may even change your decision about one character as the story unfolds by each page.

The second volume of 'The Pearl' saga, 'The Veil of a Thousand Tears' looks at Giyan, a sorceress that has been possessed by the arch daemon Horolaggia, and her friends on their quest to save Giyan from being lost forever. This story is impossible to put down and will keep you guessing and keep you turning pages until there are no more pages left to turn. Be immersed into different realms and learn things with the characters, giving you the feeling that you are actually there with the characters, sharing the journey and emotions with each. There is so much that Lustbader has put into this novel, covering every angle possible to immerse you into the history and culture of the world, each town and place sophisticatedly thought out with unforgettable characters to match, Lustbader developing each character throughout the novel.

There are a lot of things going on and a lot of things to understand, each time you turn the page you are unearthing something new or embarking on a new stretch of the adventure. Whilst many times throughout the novel the main characters are apart, each character is embarking on their own personal vendetta and by the end of the novel, all come together and go out with a bang, to say the least. In this novel, there are many themes presented by Lustbader, one of the most important themes that I feel really came through is that of trust. There are many issues and goings on in the world of Kundala that is based on trust. Trust is breached and favored on numerous occasions throughout the novel, some characters giving away trust too readily and some not giving it away at all. In conclusion, this fantasy is unlike any in its genre. The way that technology has been integrated into the storyline is remarkable. Congratulations Lustbuder on such a brilliantly written novel, you have clearly outdone yourself and what expectations I had proved to be meager compared to what you have indeed delivered.

Review by Jason Damman.

Note: This review is subject to copyright. This review may not be used for reproduction or other purposes unknown to the author of this review.

© 2005 Jason Damman

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