The Infernal City-Greg Keyes

The Infernal City
Greg Keyes
Del Rey, Nov 24 2009, $14.00
ISBN: 9780345508010

At sea, the sailors feel the heaviness the water and look up to see floating in the air a big mountain wit the cone pointed downward with a beautiful city on top. The ship speeds to the docks to spread the word, but was given no credence until Annaig the young human female and Mere-Glim the sentient reptilian find themselves on the floating island of Umbriel. They had floated up there using the magical potion that Annaig had drank, but also has no way to turn them home in Limoth, which was once part of the Empire but now belongs to the An-Xileel due to the events of four decades ago during the Oblivion Crisis.

The island’s inhabitants find themselves on the south of Annaig’s world especially the High Lords while the lesser beings shall need to find food to stay alive. Annaig obtains a position as a cook and the Lord live her banquet meals. She uses a mechanical bird to send a message to try and get Prince Attrebus back to the Empire to rescue them get rid of Umbriel. To do so they need to travel through the inter-dimensional portals. It is not long before the people with various missions getting rid of Umbriel is next to impossible but it must be done before its evil destroys all life on the surface below its shadow.

Based on the Elder Scrolls video game, THE INFERNAL CITY occurs between the fourth and fifth game. Readers do not need to have played game four as the novel stands alone, but it helps to understand the events of four decades earlier that led to the current surface world. Annaig is the star of the tale as her ability to face up to challenges lead others to want to assist her; she makes friends with them though they are of a different sentient essence. Although at times the plotting feels like a game especially when Annaig gets in trouble, fans will enjoy Greg Keyes’ fine adaptation that stays true to the original saga yet brings fresh action-packed excitement on its own front.

Harriet Klausner