Eclipse: Book Two of Star Shadow by Louise Cooper
I haven’t read Book 1 in this saga by the late author, but I’d like to. In this 1994 novel, magi and others serve the Gods of Chaos and are regarded as evil. The Gods of Order and their followers are good or so they believe. A conflict ensures. A spy is undercover in the magi’s stronghold and is under the ludicrous pretence that she is righteous; she is just galling and not hindered by compassion.
Servant of Chaos Benetan Liss begins to construe negatively the Chaos Gods he was incentivised to worship all his life. Cue violent acrimony, hysteria, the servants of Order being ghastly and the leader of the magi plans to implement an evil plan. The opposition forces have conflicting agendas and all is dark. This was very good; I hope to read Books 1&3.
Best Lines:
“Sound can carry, even through these doors.”
“I doubt if even the First Magus understands more than a fraction of the powers the gods allow us to play with.”
“She knew what would please him, she did what would please him.”
“I have to believe that. The alterative is unthinkable.”
“He reviled Order as an evil abomination.”
“The shadows around him grew darker, in their depths something horrifying seemed to stir.”