Rightous Fury

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From the author of the bestselling fantasy series The Dwarves --which has sold over one million copies--come the dynamic new series The Legends of the Alfar. In Righteous Fury , the elves, dwarves and humans all know the alfar to be dark, relentless warriors. In Dson Faimon, the realm of the alfar, the warriors are planning a military campaign. Caphalor and Sinthoras are looking to enlist a powerful demon to strengthen their army - but the two alfar have very different goals. While Caphalor is determined to defend the borders of their empire and no more, the ambitious Sinthoras is intent on invasion: and he has the kingdoms of dwarves, elves, and me firmly in his sights.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

The author of the "Dwarves" series (The Dwarves; War of the Dwarves) now turns his attention and point of view to the alfar, a race of immortal, casually cruel warrior-artists who appeared as deadly foes in his previous books. Although their name, their immortality, and their finely honed skills suggest a connection to typical fantasy elves, they are actually more similar to the obscenely decadent Melniboneans of Michael Moorcock's "Elric" books or the pride-corrupted emperors who presided over the fall of Numenor in J.R.R. Tolkien's backstory to The Lord of the Rings. Heitz makes it clear from the first chapter that his protagonists are very problematic antiheroes: vain, racist slaveholders, whose lovingly detailed art and architecture, even more than their martial skills, reveal a nightmarish fascination with the infliction of pain, humiliation, and death. The author places the reader inside the minds of his characters "as they see themselves." Readers who are not repelled by the alfar's nature will find an absorbing tale of battles, quests, Machiavellian scheming, and, perhaps, in the end, the foolishness of shortsighted arrogance. VERDICT Fans of The Dwarves will want to view Heitz's fantasy world from a different perspective, but with so few likable characters it may limit this series' potential audience outside that fan base.-Bradley Scott, Buffalo, MO (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

A Tolkienesque fantasy adventure novel needs a solid villain for the readers to loathe, and in Heitz's new novel, we find a quite impressive one. Serviceable antagonists inspire us to hate them and their goals, but following the rivalry between two immortal Alfar warriors, Sinthoras and Caphalor, gives us a villain to despise and admire simultaneously. Both come from a proud and vicious race of ageless artist-warriors, but Sinthoras' passion, ambition, and beauty are only outdone by his cruelty. The two warriors' political ideals Sinthoras for their race's imperial expansion, and Caphalor for a conservative defense set them on course for an inevitable and gory collision. But however captivating our antagonist appears, it may be the end of Righteous Fury's exceptional qualities. The complex political intrigue along with the exotic creatures of the fantasy world are creatively imagined, but those who aren't already fans of the Forgotten Realms style of high escapist fantasy may not find much to compel them through to the last page. If your bookshelf is already home to Tolkien, Martin, and company, this novel will find a comfortable spot to fit in and make for a fun read.--Francis, Chris Copyright 2014 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

From the author of the best-selling Dwarves series (The Fate of the Dwarves, 2008, etc.), a new venture retelling substantially the same story but from a radically different point of view; it first appeared in Germany in 2009.The dark elves, or lfar, are renowned for their uncompromising warrior ethos. Their rulers, the Inextinguishablesan incestuous brother-sister couple so overwhelming in aspect that other lfar cannot behold them without going maddecree that the elves (for whom the lfar bear a particular loathing) shall be destroyed. First, though, they will need to unlock the gates of the impregnable fortress that bars access. So they dispatch warriors Caphalor and Sinthoras to obtain the support of a mist-demon. Caphalor's Constellations faction believes only in defensive wars, while Sinthoras' rival Comets thirst for conquest. Sinthoras, a great artist, owns Raleeha, a human who voluntarily gave herself into slavery in order to learn to create great art; as punishment for a minor oversight, Sinthoras blinds her. Caphalor, meanwhile, watches in approval as his daughter lobotomizes a potentially rebellious slave. To reach the mist-demon, they brave many perils, including defeat and humiliation at the hands of the gnomelike fflecx, who are expert poisoners, and the glran zhadar, whose magic and technology is unsurpassed. After many adventures, they return, their limitless contempt for nonlfar races and boundless arrogance somewhat tempered, with the mist-demon's agreementor so they think. This excellent back story, driven by unrelenting action, springs to life through the vivid, vigorous writing and almost despite characters so unpleasant it's difficult to sympathize with them. The intricate lfar artworks, derived mostly from flayed or eviscerated enemies, both intrigue and repel.Fine for fans of the Dwarves series; others may be in for an uncomfortable visit. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.