WHEN THE KING COMES HOME by Caroline Stevermer

TOR, Tom Doherty Associates, November 2000

While an artist apprentice, Hail Rosmer develops a fascination for the art of Maspero, a long-dead architect, designer, and alchemist. When she copies one of his works, she is accused of counterfeiting and flees the city, only to find someone who looks like Julian the King Maspero served. Someone is working dark magics to bring King Julian back under their control. Using her knowledge of Maspero, Hail is called on to help reverse these magics--if she can.

Set in a late medieval/renaissance Central Europe world, WHEN THE KING COMES HOME asks more questions than it answers. Because Caroline Stevermer tells the story from Hail’s point of view and because Hail is somewhat self-obsessed, the other characters are never fully developed. The climactic scene where Hail faces the evil necromancer who has brought Julian back to life becomes anti-climax.

See more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by Caroline Stevermer.

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