I Read Books: The King Beyond The Gate

 

The King Beyond The Gate

A sequel to Gemmell’s classic Legend. In the aftermath of the Nadir war the Drenai formed a new standing regiment to counter the Nadir, called The Dragon. In addition to make peace a descendant of the Drenai Earl Of Bronze married an heir to Ulric Khan. They had one child, Tenaka Khan, neither Drenai nor Nadir, or both, once an officer of The Dragon, later a mercenary general, later still a retired gentleman of leisure.

The Dragon was disbanded when Ceska became emperor and Tenaka Khan was one of the officers who stopped a mutiny. Now Ceska is a tyrant, burning out his own people, enforcing his rule with Joinings, giant and brutal beast-men created by mysterious machines. There was a message telling The Dragon to re-unite to overthrow Ceska. Tenaka Khan didn’t go, he was happy with the woman he loved. It turned out to be a trap, and then the woman he loved (who didn’t love him) died. Tenaka Khan is back, and he plans to kill Ceska.

This simple mission, kill the emperor, spirals out of control. While sheltering in the old barracks of The Dragon Tenaka encounters Renya and Aulin, the latter the scholar who uncovered the machines for Ceska. They’re fugitives and Tenaka saves them from their pursuers. There’s a rebellion in Skoda, the mountain province. There’s nowhere safe, but maybe they’ll hold out for long enough to let Tenaka kill the emperor – if he can get them there.

They encounter others. Ananais, former Dragon officer, once known as the Golden One, had his face destroyed when he fought a Joining in the gladiator arena. Scaler, now a thief, also the heir to the Earl Of Bronze. Pagan, a foreign king, looking for revenge from a raid by Ceska’s ships.

There are Dark Templars who can use the spirit realm on Ceska’s behalf. But the Thirty, an order of warrior-priests who can also use the spirit realm, have been re-born, though the Abbot has doubts. It was his decision to recruit magic children, not inspired by The Source. One of them died, yet there is a replacement. Decado, the Ice Killer, the most dangerous man in The Dragon, has abandoned war and joined the monastery. His faith will be shaken when he finds they are warriors.

Together they can weld the rebels and refugees of Skoda into a fighting force. But only another army can defeat Ceska on the battlefield. Ulric’s heirs are preparing to decide who will be the Great Khan, and perhaps Tenaka can use that; yet are the Nadir any better than Ceska?

Some of Gemmell’s more interesting variations on his themes here, yet the plot fractures. Having gathered his characters together, he then has to send Tenaka Khan away to get involved with steppe politics. The doubt in the Thirty, their lack of seasoning is good, and mirrors the raw edge of the Skoda army that they struggle to get into shape before they are attacked by regular troops, and then monsters. It doesn’t quite flow, doesn’t quite come together.

Read This: Excellent heroic fantasy of people who missed their chance to be heroes and have to deal with the consequences
Don’t Read This: Slightly bitty, confused non-ending, works better in the context of the series than alone