Midnight's Mask (Forgotten Realms: The Erevis Cale Trilogy, Book 3)

Paul S. Kemp has, once again, delivered the goods with Midnight's Mask, the third book of the Erevis Cale trilogy, following Twilight Falling and Dawn of Night. The story felt epic in nature as the events chronicled in this book took our intrepid heroes from the ratty streets of Selgaunt to the deepest depths of the Inner Sea. However, when it comes down to what Midnight's Mask really is and, indeed, what this entire series will best be remembered for, the answer is simply, the characters. Erevis Cale leads a battered and beaten troupe of friends, the psionic teafling, Magadon, the stalwart Halfling priest Jak Fleet and the mysterious Drasek Riven, an assassin and fellow follower of Mask whose loyalties seem to constantly shift. These four companions are opposed by a being of immense power, The Sojourner, and two of his "sons," powerful creatures known as Slaads. From the first page to the very last of this novel, Erevis and company must fight overwhelming odds to stop The Sojourner from completing his task. They battle to stalemates, flee for their lives and fight to the death. This is a dark story that, at its heart, is a simple allegory concerning man's selfishness versus his need to belong to something greater than himself. It is about sacrifice and friendship. It is about human beings, creatures who are always more than what they appear. It is no fluke that Mr. Kemp's heroes are flawed, real characters, while the villains are a mirror to those heroes, a device to show them...and us, the readers...what is truly important in a world that seems to have gone haywire...where nothing makes sense and where the darkness seems to have taken a foothold over the land...and over the heart. Mr. Kemp has shown a magical ability to create and bring to life characters of deep meaning and ones which we care for, even though we question in the back of our minds why we should. They are complex characters. They are as real as fiction can make them. The Erevis Cale trilogy, and Midnight's Mask in particular, is a gory, dark and deeply disturbing look into the shadows of the heart and soul. It is also an incredibly emotional and uplifting tale of men who struggle daily with that darkness...and choose instead to follow the path of light and goodness. Midnight's Mask is about wanting to make a difference...wanting to be a hero in the truest sense of the word. It is also about not enslaving oneself to a perceived course of action, a destiny, if you will. This is a story about following your own heart...your own course...for your own reasons. This novel brought me to tears. It did so because of its honest portrayal of what is important to the human heart. Mr. Kemp shined a mirror into the hearts and souls of his readers...and his entire trilogy showed us that even those who live in darkness never have to let that darkness consume them. Midnight's Mask not only gets my highest recommendation, but a promise to this author that my loyalty to his

A satisfying conclusion to the Erevis Cale Trilogy, while still leaving you thirsting for further adventures. Fast paced and exciting, Midnight's Mask wonderfully closes out the trilogy. It exposes the reader to incredible magical feats but remains a character driven story. The two champions of Mask are further developed and solidified as two of the most interesting characters in the Realms. Characters from the previous books are further explored while new interesting characters are revealed as their parts in the story play out. The two main points that I enjoyed from the previous books are still present in the third. The dark nature of the story makes it all the more real, while the depth of the characters makes you feel you know them. This book, like Twilight Falling and Dawn of Mask, is well worth the read. Give me more!

Stunning conclusion to one of the best trilogies I have ever read. Great character building, great spell and combat detail, specks of philosophy, intriguing storyline involving followers of gods, and a villain more powerful than perhaps Elminster himself. Short and sweet review, to a long and powerful trilogy. 5/5.

I'm sad that the series is to an end, though the epilogue hints that we will see Cale again. I won't say much rather than if something makes you sad when it ends it must be good. I find it hard to believe this trilogy is as underrated as it is and deserves more attention.

Midnight's Mask written by Paul S. Kemp is the conclusion of the Everis Cale trilogy. This first two books in this trilogy Twilight Falling and Dawn of Night set the stage very well for this third book. In this book the main character Cale is again faced with tough decisions and we see him grow as a character. The growth of Cale not only in this book, but the entire series is a roller coaster ride few authors can compete with. There are several instances within Midnight's Mask that help define the character in large scale terms. Several other characters develop substantially as well in this book, most notably Riven and Mags. While all the characters are certainly worth the read alone, the plot is also very good along with the multiple sub plots that are interwoven within the story. These subplots keep the novel moving along at a frantic pace daring the reader to put the book down. One subplot, and my only minor complaint with the book, is the relationship between Cale and Mask. While this relationship is touched on in the novel, I just didn't get the feel of any closure that I would have liked. The rest of the plot (and subplots) are very well done - no spoilers here though. :-) One thing I liked about this book is it is darker than most Forgotten Realms books available today, that change of pace makes this book stand out even more. Even with the well written plot lines, this book is character driven. The characters, as mentioned above, are believable and either make you root for them or hate them (sometimes at the same time)! Great characters are hard to come by in novels, and this book has several great characters. Overall, this book is well worth the read (the entire series is for that matter). If you are a fan of the Forgotten Realms, or looking to start in the Realms this series would be a very good place to start.