Mystic Empire: Book Three of The Bronze Canticles    by Tracy Hickman & Laura Hickman Order:  USA  Can Aspect, 2006 (2006) Hardcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Tracy and Laura Hickman continue their engaging tale of three worlds connected by a dream realm in Mystic Empire. Over eighty years have passed since the mystic city of Calsandria was found, Dwynwyn became Queen of the Dead, and the academic community of HOB-goblins arose. Those eighty years had been a time of growth and prosperity, but all that is about to change and it is time for one world to fall, one world to submit, and one world to reign. Calsandria has been free of dragon attacks and inquisitions by the Pir since Caleth Arved defeated the dragon eighty years ago. Since then, the city has been overseen by the Council of thirty-six, a group of mystic descended from the founders. Strategic matches are made within families of leading mystics to make sure their clans retain power. Once such match is between Crown Prince Treijan - a direct descendant of Caleth Arved - and Valena, the beautiful elder daughter of the Conlan merchant clan. However, Treijan has no wish to marry, because he is trying to keep his epilepsy a secret. When he and his cousin Gaius run away, Valena and her sister Theona set off to find them. When they finally do meet up with the two men, a faery and a centaur appear in their world - having just escaped from the world of the goblins to which they had been transported by a rift-gate. Soon, all three worlds collide as gates open between them, resulting in a war grander than any one world has ever seen. The Hickmans follow great literary tradition by making love the trigger for this massive war. Lunid, a goblin Tinker, develops a crush on her dream partner, a faery named Arryk. Determined to make him hers, she invents a rift-gate to transport him to her world. Unfortunately, Arryk was on a mission to return a centaur to the Kyrrie when Lunid uses her rift-gate causing a war between the Kyrrie and the Faery. When Arryk escapes to the world of men, the goblins follow to conquer the gods and claim their books. However, the faery must also come to the world of men to escape annihilation. This is the stuff of which great epic fantasy is made. If you are a fan who has not yet experienced The Bronze Canticles, run to the store now. The Hickmans have created three fully realized fantasy worlds, each as amazing as the next. Sadly, Mystic Empire is the last book in the trilogy, but I hope this is not the last we will hear from Tracy and Laura Hickman writing as a team. Since a few points were not wholly resolved by the end of this book, perhaps there will be more tales of the three intertwined worlds. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews