SCROLLS OF THE ANCIENTS_ THE

The Scrolls of the Ancients is listed as the final installment of The Chronicles of Blood and Stone trilogy, although Del Ray announces signing Newcomb for three more volumes. The trilogy has not been a clean sweep with readers. Many rate its endless first 1,234 acres of exposition right up there with mowing the lawn for two weeks. And now we have a further 550 acres adding their swells of excitement. Newcomb chronicles the history of "endowed blood" in Eutracia, explaining how the prophesied two Chosen Ones, Prince Tristan and twin sister Shailiha, face the country's devastation. "Endowed blood" means that magic is passed on only in the pure azure blood of the Chosen Ones. Considering that Tristan was forced by the vile Coven of Sorceresses to murder both his father and mother, thus losing his kingdom, it's no surprise when his own son, Nicholas, becomes Tristan's worst enemy. It was the disguised sorceress Natasha who lusted to mingle her blood with the Chosen Ones. At first, Tristan wanted only to slog through his years on the throne, then retire and lead the Directorate of Wizards. But in the fall of Eutracia, the Directorate of Wizards is wiped out, except for Tristan's talkative tutors, the elderly wizard Wigg and the Wizard Faegan, who returns from exile. Can order be restored to Eutracia? Well, not when Nicholas leads an army of wizards and posts a reward for the capture of Tristan. It is Nicholas who has depleted the magic luster of Eutracia's Paragon Stone. Only the recovery of the Scrolls of the Ancients, an almost unreadable magic tome, can restore the Stone to its full power. But first there arises Krassus, the demonslaver, whose fleet takes Eutracians in chains to the evil Citadel, a place crawling with living nightmares. There also arises the fierce Tyranny, a female privateer, to help Tristan battle the demonslavers. Despite horrors, all ends serenely. Drudgery, not fun. (Kirkus Reviews)