The High Lord – Trudi Canavan
This is the third and final book in the series by Trudi Canavan. I reviewed the second, The Novice  last month. It concerned a girl, Sonea from the slum quarter of the city of Imardin, in a land where magic works under strict rules that have to be learned at the Magicians’ University. The second book saw her learning to use her magical powers. The High Lord  of the title is, of course, Akkarin. As Sonea’s tutor he starts to teach her about black magic, the practising of which is proscribed and punishable by death. The murders in the city are continuing and the finger of guilt appears to be pointing at Akkarin. So Sonea sees no problem in going along with him to try and prove his guilt. But, the cause of the murders is not Akkarin, it is something far more serious. She soon discovers that nothing about Akkarin is clean cut – perhaps he is not as evil as he has appeared in the first two books. Other plot-lines develop the rest of the characters that we have met in The Magicians Guild and The Novice. Cery is still working for Akkarin by finding foreign spies for him. Dannyl is still acting as a roving ambassador but he has finally come to terms with his sexuality. Unfortunately politics at home prevent him actually “coming out”. And poor Lorlen is still doing everything Akkarin wants, because he still needs hard evidence of his guilt before he can expose him. Trudi Canavan takes all these plot-lines and weaves an excellent and plausible story. This book is far more complete and satisfying than the first two. This is the story that Trudi wanted to write. But she had to write the first two to set the scene and develop the characterisations.
Publisher: Atom Date: 2004 Pages: 647 Pages Price: £7.99 ISBN: 1-904233-68-6 Format: Trade Hardback Reviewed by: Rod Cameron Date Reviewed: May 2006