The new Sembia series of Forgotten Realms novels kicked off last year by Wizards of the Coast works under an interesting concept. Although not threaded as such - each novel has or will have its own distinct plot - the novels are linked, focusing on the wealthy Uskevren family of the city of Selgaunt in the nation of Sembia. The first book in the series, The Halls of Stormweather, is actually an anthology, introducing the Uskevren household and revealing the secrets that drive each of them. If this anthology is anything to judge by, the Sembia series is one to watch.

That promise is certainly filled in Shadow's Witness, the first novel to be issued in the series. Shadow's Witness is the story of Erevis Cale, introduced in The Halls of Stormweather as the towering, taciturn butler to the Uskevrens. As with each of the main characters of the Sembia series, Cale has a secret (revealed to the reader early on): a trained assassin, he was planted among the Uskevrens as a spy for the thieves of the Night Knives ten years ago. Cale very quickly discovered a great respect and love for the Uskevrens and has since actually protected them from the guild.

Now, however, a greater evil than the Night Knives will threaten the Uskevrens and all of Selgaunt. In a bid to destroy the evil organization of the Zhentarim (long familiar to Forgotten Realms fans), the Righteous Man, master of the Night Knives and priest of the thief-god Mask, summons a soul-drinking demon as a magical assassin. Before he can loose it, however, he is betrayed by one of his most trusted lieutenants. The demon possesses the Righteous Man's body, delighted at being free to feast on the energy of the living.

The demon's plans intrude on Cale's world as a lesser demon and a pack of ghouls crash a party at the Uskevren manor with devastating results. In the chaos, however, Cale realizes that the ghouls are actually the Night Knives, apparently corrupted by the power of Mask (though really by the demon, of course). Believing that the Righteous Man has gone mad in his fanaticism, Cale resurrects his skills as an assassin, risking his happiness with the Uskevrens to put an end to both the Righteous Man and his own association with the Night Knives. The true importance of his mission, however, quickly becomes apparent as Cale finds himself struggling not only for the safety of all of Selgaunt, but his own identity as well.

Paul Kemp has written a fast-paced book, stuffed with action, intrigue, and the most horror I've seen in a Wizards of the Coast fantasy novel since the demise of the Ravenloft line. At first the story feels very front-loaded, with several big scenes occurring in the first few chapters, but these are a necessary set-up for what comes later. The book also picks up nicely on the memorable characters (notably the larcenous halfling priest, Jak Fleet) from Kemp's story in The Halls of Stormweather. Reading that story will help sort out the background of Shadow's Witness (and whet the reader's appetite for the Sembia series) but is not strictly necessary to follow the novel.

Although the focus of the series on the seven cast members introduced in The Halls of Stormweather implies that it will end after eight books (seven novels plus the anthology), Shadow's Witness is clearly set up for a sequel. Hopefully that will be forthcoming - Shadow's Witness is a very strong launch to the Sembia series and a great place for readers to break into a new storyline in the Forgotten Realms setting.

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Product Update:

Paul is writing an Erevis Cale trilogy - Twilight Falling is scheduled for July 2003 publication.

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