Only one reason to read this series

books:

	• The Chaos Curse (Forgotten Realms: The Cleric Quintet, Book 5) R. A. Salvatore Wizards of the Coast, 2000 - 336 pages average customer review:based on 22 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Only one reason to read this series

The Bouldershoulder Brothers. They are the funniest characters in the forgotten realms. Everything else in the series is blah.

R A SALVATORE is as good as ever!

Suspensful, gripping as usual, the type of book that is hard to put down when the alarm is set for 6 am it is already 2 am and you have been reading since 9:30 pm

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A fitting conclusion to the saga

On my first read through this series, years ago, I felt that Salvatore fell into a common writer's trap of overpowering the main character, to near god-like status. In many respects, I still feel that way, even though I recognize that he did make attempts along the way to temper that power.

The book is the final installment in the Cleric Quintet, and if you have not read the prior 4 books, I recommend that you do so for this one to make more sense.

The book picks up from the end of the last book, Fallen Fortress. Cadderly, priest of Deneir, along with Pikel and Ivan Bouldershoulder (dwarven brothers, one of whom aspires to be a druid) set off to find a way through to the old red dragon Feyrenn's treasure. Danica, the warrior monk and Cadderly's fiancee, together with Dorigen, the repentant wizard, set straight off for the Edificant Library, home to priests of both deities Deneir and Oghma. Shayleigh, the woodland elf, goes with Danica and Dorigen most of the way to the Library, then parts ways to return to Shilmista, her home.

Unknown to any of them, Kierkan Rufo, a branded, cursed and fallen priest of Deneir, has returned to the Library before any of them, together with Druzil, the mischievous imp. Together they enter by way of the catacombs, seeking to liberate the Chaos Curse, held captive in a bowl of holy water by Cadderly's hand. Rather than liberating it, however, the bumbling Kierkan drinks the potion instead, then runs out, vomiting all the way, in the hopes that the priests of the Library might help him.

As Kierkan is in the process of dying, the corrupt Dean Thobicus, leader of the Library, invites Kierkan into the Library, so that the priests may try better to heal Kierkan. What Thobicus fails to realize is that while Kierkan is killed by the potion, he is also, through its power, returned to an undead state as a vampire, the most powerful of undead creatures, and Thobicus' invitation gives the vampire Kierkan free reign in the Library.

So it is that Kierkan and Druzil set about desecrating the Library, converting some priests to vampires, and turning others into zombies, in the hopes of unleashing this unholy army against Cadderly and his friends in this final confrontation.

In my eyes, the ending is tragic, even though it might be seen as noble, there is a loose thread left hanging concerning the dragon's horde, and a number of characters have glaring blonde moments. In all, though, the book is well written, suspenseful and difficult to put down (especially if you've read the prior 4 books and want to see how it all turns out). I am a little foggy on how Kierkan manages to gradually desecrate the Library, yet the all-powerful Cadderly is either too stupid to try re-consecrating it, or lacks the power to do so (even if it is on a piece-by-piece basis).

Nevertheless, I recommend the book, especially to those interested in clerics, druids and monks, classes which are often overlooked in fantasy literature.

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Inept Readers Perhaps...

So many bad reviews, I think the problem lies not with the book, but with the readers. This book is what it is, a closing to a 5 book series. The reader should know better then to jump into the story at book 5 and expect indepth character development and the logical development of a villain. This book is meant to end the story of Cadderly not begin a new one.

The Clerical Quintet is a series that overall bears a 5 star rating and is one of the best fantasy reads you can find. This book lacks in areas and is not as enthralling as the first 4 but it closes the story well regardless of whether people liked the ending or not. If you continue to read the Drizzt's series books that procede this book on the Forgotten Realms timeline you will run into Cadderly once again and find more information about what happened to him that might change your perspective on the story teller.

Salvatore is a master at painting a picture in everything he writes. If you purchase this book, purchase the entire Quintet and be prepared to be whisked away and immersed into the world of the Forgotten Realms by one of the best fantasy writers of our time...

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The quest is over. The hero returns home.

A weary Cadderly makes his way back to the Edificant Library, where he can begin to rebuild his shattered life. But the Chaos Curse has one last surprise for him.

If he fails to meet the challenge, his beloved Danica will be lost to him forever.

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