Kirkus Review
Fourth and final part of Feist's Serpentwar Saga (Shadow of a Dark Queen, 1994; Rise of a Merchant Prince, 1995; Rage of a Demon King, 1997). The Emerald Queen and the Demon King have both been vanquished, but poor old Midkemia, battered and smoking, is still threatened, this time by the Queen's sidekick, General Fadawah. He'll be opposed by supremo magician Pug's great-grandsons, Jimmy and Dash Jameson, as war (again) gets under way. Simultaneously, Feist seems to be setting up yet another series, as Pug, Miranda, and other good-guy magicians declare a Conclave of Shadows to oppose the madness of the Nameless One. Meantime, readers can amuse themselves by rearranging the Serpentwar titles into new, likely-sounding combinations: Rise of a Demon Crown, or Rage of a Broken Prince? Fans only--but there are lots of them. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
The fourth and concluding volume of the Serpentwar Saga is notably better than its immediate predecessor, Rage of a Demon King [BKL Mr 1 97]. This time, Feist puts much more emphasis on the diplomatic and military aspects of the kingdom of Krondor's struggle to survive, and Jimmy and Dash, the late Duke James' grandsons, take center stage away from Rage protagonist Erik von Darkmoor. They help persuade the late Emerald Queen's General Duko to change sides and enlist the thieves of Krondor in the resistance to the magically assisted Keshites. Their transformation from green if good-hearted youths to warriors much older than their years is the core of the book and a development Feist works out in some of his best writing ever. Meanwhile, the reptilian Saaur also become neutral, which leaves only the Keshites to be defeated in a series of grim, well-depicted battles employing both magic and steel. The major complaint to make about Shards will likely come from fans of Pug, Miranda, and the saga's other purveyors of potent magic, who are given less consideration herein than their importance to the plot merits. But the book is undeniably riveting, a respectable conclusion to a most readable fantasy saga. --Roland Green