Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #695375 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 544 pages

Review
"An enchanting blend of detection and sorcery, it features a memorable cast of characters and a wealth of 'period' detail. Highly recommended."--" Library Journal "Splendid plotting and characters. . .Thoroughly engaging."--" Kirkus Review"A chillingly convincing tale that will entrap genre readers."--" Booklist"A thoroughly entertaining high adventure." --" Locus

Synopsis
Bent on avenging the execution of his godfather by a duplicitous count, master criminal Nicholas is diverted by a series of eerie events that forces him to confront an ancient evil. By the author of The Element of Fire. Reprint. PW.

Customer Reviews

Wow!
The first thing I did upon finishing this book was run to the local bookstore to see if they had any of Ms. Wells' other books (found one, luckily, but her first novel is out of print *sob*). "The Death of the Necromancer" transcends genre, combining elements of fantasy, mystery, and horror into a fast-paced, well-written, incredibly readable narrative. The mood and setting of the novel are meticulously crafted and all-pervasive--the city of Ile-Rien is almost a character itself. The characters are nothing short of incredibly drawn and multi-dimensional--there's no black and white here, folks! And the plot twists and turns, but never loses the reader or becomes difficult to follow. The mood and narrative style took me back to my Victorian Novel class in college, but had a kick that would have given the Bronte sisters spasms. Imagine the complex plots and memorable characters of Dickens, then add a few ghouls, some fey, and an undead sorcerer. What may seem an unlikely mixture makes for an absorbing, exciting novel you won't want to put down. Now, only one problem: I WANT MORE!!!

Surprisingly Good
I'm not a great fan for mystical magical medieval fiction, but this book had me engrossed. Highly entertaining from the first few pages to the last, it is written in an easy to follow way, and introduces the reader to various concepts of sorcery and regal courts in a way that allows the enjoyment of reading to continue.

The story is well paced, with wonderful detail at all of the right points. The villain is revealed slowly and methodically, giving you time to feel for the other characters as they are built up.

The plot is as shown in other reviews, but what I'd like to add is this. If, like me, you are not a big follower of such tales, don't be put off. Give it a go, it is very good indeed. I'm sure expert readers of this field have a different view, but nobody can argue that the plot, pace and detail in this book is entertainment at close to its best.

Only 4 stars since I wasn't entirely happy with the rushed ending, but otherwise great.

A great romp.
Nicely drawn world -- love the 19th century + magic setting. Valiarde is a bit cardboardy, standard Stiff Upper Lip Gentleman Thief Male Lead type, but the supporting cast is excellently drawn -- the characterization just didn't spread to the protagonist for some reason.

An improvement over City of Bones (which was also fun, but with weaker technique) -- I'll be keeping an eye out for future Wells books.