Rebellion against authority
After the events of the previous volume, the inquisitor enjoys the well-deserved grace of Princess Ludmila. The prospect of returning to the Empire at this point is quite distant, so necessarily Mordimer becomes part of the political games and battles in Rus. One of the duchess’ vassals, together with his band of armed men, murders and loots, not hiding his dissatisfaction with the rulers. So the hero joins the company that is supposed to stop him. However, the fight against the rebel is just the beginning. It turns out that Lyudmila’s seat is taken over by her uncle in her absence. So another battle is brewing. As if there were no problems yet, a legation from Moscow arrived, headed by Hildegarda Reizend – a beauty from Africa. The reason for her visit is to free Mordimer and leave the Duchess someone in his place. This is the official version.
Fights, magic and intrigue
Despite the fact that the action in the book does not rush at breakneck speed, we are drawn into history. The events are not what the fans of the series are waiting for. We will not find here inquisitorial interrogations, missions in the name of Jesus Christ and the only right faith, or conspiracies in the ranks of the Holy Office. Readers still have to wait for all of this. We got power struggles, witches wielding magic and quite a lot of intrigue. Many of them have to do with the title “cursed” women, which we can take literally and figuratively. The love of Mordimer, Natasha, and the swamp the witch Olga can be considered as such due to the use of witchcraft. Hildegard, wishing to take the inquisitor with him, does not do it out of the goodness of his heart. Her intentions are not presented here, but fans of the series can guess her motives.
Summary
Books about Mordimer’s adventures in Russia are a kind of a break in the whole cycle. Many people are waiting for a return to the world of inquisitors. This does not mean that these books are unnecessary and worthless of attention. Thanks to them, we can get to know other corners of the world created by the author and meet new, interesting heroes. They can be treated as a kind of appetizer before the events to come. The most important thing is that the author manages to keep my interest in this universe and keep me waiting for each new part. No matter where it takes place or what it tells about.
