Warriors of the Storm (Rings of the Master)

Backtracking a bit, Book One was character inception and plot layer. The book was full of plot history and character development. The sheer richness of the beginning of the series was gorgeous. It seemed like it had unlimited possibilities. Then came Book Two. Here, the cast was still growing and the plot was still thickening... the stage was being set! Now you come to Book Three... the curtain rises... and the stage explodes with everything thus far set-up. Idle idiosyncrasies and personal histories shape the plot is ways I never would have thought. The inter-personal relationships become more involved, also thus shaping the plot. Alternate-human cultures are explored is beautiful detail, as are the world in which the future humans live. Clever are the crew when confronted with difficulties on the ship, on the planet or between each other. Some lingering questions are answered about the rings mysteries. Book Three is a definite confirmation that the Rings of the Master series is character driven. Book Three sets the bar QUITE high for Book Four.

Hawks and his band of revolutionaries who call themselves pirates continue their plan to find the five rings and bring down Master System in this sci-fi thriller. They find two of the rings on the planets Janipur and Matriyeh, both of which present some really strange problems and solutions to stealing the rings. Chalker continues to reveal the pasts of his characters and takes us through some of the most bizzare situations I have read in all my years of reading sci-fi and fantasy. This book is definitely inventive. However, despite the amazing situations the author puts his band of unlikely heroes through, I am starting to find the plot somewhat predictable; not the details. I won't spoil it for you so you'll have to read this to know what I mean. Hopefully this is just part of being a book that is a bridge to the climax awaiting us in the next book. Although a little slow at times and a tiny bit predictable this is a very fun read. I can't wait to see what weird things the crew of the Thunder has to do to get the last three rings and defeat Master System; if they defeat him.