FriedEgg

Onces again we follow the adventures of Cugel the "Clever" as he he attempts to return once again to his homeland and wreak vengeance on his nemesis Iucounu, the Laughing Magician.

This book is a direct sequel to The Eyes of the Overworld following on immediately from where that book left off. Those who read the previous book when it came out only had 17 years to wait for the sequel to find out what would happen to the almost loveable rogue Cugel.

Cugel, possible one of the greatest characters in the fantasy genre. The tall, bow-legged man of loping gait, who strides from one place to the next always looking to get ahead but invariably barely escaping with the shirt on his back. He oscillates between good fortune to misfortune with alarming regularity. He seems damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. If he sets out to con or deceive he invariably gets his comeuppance but if he tries to make his way honestly, he becomes the unwitting victim of bizarre local customs or vindictive individuals. Usually, at the end of the day, he hightails it from one place to the next with his life intact but his dignity in tatters, leaving a trail of angry crowds in his wake.

All in all a worthy addition to the Dying Earth saga and I look forward to the last installment.