Harlequin (Inquisition War Trilogy)

Ian Watson's second installment in The Inquisition War continues the story of Jaq Draco and the mysterious plots that he has become wrapped up in. As in the first book, HARLEQUIN is a non-stop, action-packed thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat with brutal battles and intriguing riddles. A number of new characters are introduced in this book, but the original cast maintains the prominent roles. Death and brutality are widespread throughout the book, with characters coming and going quite frequently. This book doesn't do much to answer questions about the overall story, leaving you with more questions than when you started. This book delves into some of the most obscure aspects of the WH40K universe. One of the first books to provide a good look at the Eldar, HARLEQUIN gives some detail to the ancient enigmatic race. A significant part of the book takes place within the Eldar interdimensional Webways, where the heroes face unstoppable-seeming adversaries as they travel to discover the mysterious Black Library. Also, some of the inner workings of the Inquisition are uncovered, revealing the shadowiness of the galaxy's secret police. Ian Watson's view of the WH40K universe differs in many aspects from that of most other authors, and while it upsets many die-hard 40K fans, I think its good that he was able to show some leeway in his interpretations. His version of the universe is even darker than most and the near-total despair and miserableness he portrays casts the universe in an even grimmer light. Grotesque piercings, tattoos, and scars seem nearly universal in these books, with every character having severe bodily alterations. Personally, I don't like this vision as much as those of Abnett and King, who tend to make the WH40K universe a lot more livable. Overall, this book brings the story of the Inquisition War along nicely and leaves you with a burning desire to finish the trilogy.

Thank god they translated some of the Latin in this book. Harlequin is an excellent follow up to Draco even if it's not quite as good. The writing at the beginning and the end of the book didn't seem to flow well, it seemed as though Ian Watson was forcing Draco and Harlequin to fit together (Petrov having 2 arms again on page 281 after losing one to a flamer on page 243-246 made me wonder). The author also has bouts of being excessively verbose in his descriptions while not really making his vision any clearer. Once the story hits it's stride it's an excellent tale. To sum it up, if you enjoyed Draco, you'll enjoy Harlequin.

As anybody who has read my review of "Draco" will know, the Inquisition War trilogy is one of my favorite SF series of all time. The first book was a masterpiece of its kind, and those who have not read it should do so before reading "Harlequin". After getting the story off to a cracking start in "Draco", Ian Watson continues at a steady pace. The events of the book, especially his encounter with the Hydra plot, have shaken Inquisitor Draco's worldview to the core. Now, adrift in a universe of chaos and uncertainty, he sets out with his companions in search of answers and explanations. What he finds are more questions, complications, and enigmas than he ever thought possible. It seems that the Inquisition, sworn to keep watch over all of humanity, has declared war on itself. Although utterly loyal to the Imperium in theory, Inquisitors are developing their own mysterious agendas-- agendas which may place the entire universe at risk. The ancient Eldar, a race on the brink of extinction, exert their enigmatic alien intellects in an effort to bend the factions of humanity towards their own mysterious ends. In the depths of warpspace, mighty spiritual entities gather their strength.In this time of crisis and change, Draco must strive to find his own role in the course of events. For it is clear that he has a part to play, whether he wants to or not. What he discovers, and what he must do, carry both his party and his readers into the most mysterious reaches of the Warhammer 40,000 setting. The human race, and the entire universe, are headed into an epoch of unprecedented cataclysm, from which they will emerge into a new era of greatness-- if they are not destroyed forever. Draco and his companions continue to interact with their surroundings and with eachother in fascinating ways. As more and more of their most basic assumptions disappear into uncertainty, the characters find themselves moving closer and closer to the breaking point. Can they achieve their objectives, or at least find meaningful answers, before they are all driven insane? Ian Watson's powerful, energetic writing style continues unabated in this book. Strange settings and stranger events zoom by at a rapid pace, but they never seem gratuitous. Everything that happens contributes to a satisfying, if unsettling, whole.IN RESPONSE TO THE PREVIOUS REVIEWER (The one from "Overthere"): At first glance, it's true that some of the events of this book seem implausible based on what we know of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. However, there is one MAJOR fact that you must remember: Draco is acting under some form of divine guidance. The exact nature of his supernatural benefactor may be open to question, but it clearly allows him to do things that would not otherwise be possible (this was clear even in the first book).