Thraxas and the Warrior Monks (Thraxas Novels) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Entertaining hardboiled low rent, PI with a sword and the very occasional spell. When one of Thraxas' clients is arrested, he has to find out what is going on. This involves a political conflict involving some dangerous monks, some dangerous sorcerors, and lots of people that as usual are not big fans of the big bloke. Luckily Makri is still around to lend a hand.

Thraxas and the Warrior Monks (1999) is the second fantasy novel in the Thraxas series, following Thraxas. In the previous volume, a riot disrupted Turai society and almost killed Thraxas. But Thraxas slapped Lisutaris awake and she produced a counterspell that stopped the riot. Still, some sorcerers and many common folks were killed.

Praetor Cicerius was pleased with the results of the investigations and paid an exorbitant sum to Thraxas. Princess Du-Akai was absolved from the dragon slaying incident and was also pleased. Although Thraxas had suspicions, the bolt of red Elvish cloth was never recovered. At least none were complaining about that failure.

In this novel, Thraxas is a Private Investigator. In his own opinion, he is the best in the citystate of Turai. Still, he is avoiding more work since he has money left from the previous case.

Makri -- the mixed blood barmaid -- chastises Thraxas for his laziness. If it was up to her, Thraxas would be out practicing his sword drills and looking for a good fight. She says that Thraxas will gain even more weight.

Gurd -- friend and landlord of Thraxas and Makri's employer -- says for her to let Thraxas be. He mentions that Thraxas has never liked to exercise in the summer heat. Thraxas ignores the harassing and just asks for another beer.

Dandelion is a young woman with bare feet and flowers in her hair. She talks to dolphins. Dandelion claims that the dolphins also talk to her.

Tholius is the Prefect of the Twelve Seas district. Naturally he despises Thraxas. Most of the Prefects hate Private Investigators.

In this story, Thraxas is drinking in the bar of the Avenging Axe. Two men enter the bar for a beer. One of them recognizes Thraxas and pulls his sword to attack him. Thraxas and Makri quickly dispose of the pair and Thraxas searches their bodies, but finds nothing except a purse hanging from one man's neck. The purse is empty, but is nicely embroidered, so Makri hangs it around her neck.

Afterward, Thraxas goes upstairs to his office with the intention of taking a nap. But a young man pounds frantically on his outside door. Thraxas lets him into the office and he exclaims that they are going to hang him.

After calming down the man, Thraxas learns that he is Grosex, the apprentice of Drantaax the sculptor. Drantaax had been stabbed in the back with Grosex's knife. Drantaax's wife Calia had found Grosex in the workroom with Drantaax's body and then called the Guard.

As Thraxas is questioning Grosex, Prefect Tholius demands entry to arrest Grosex for murdering Drantaax. Thraxas tries to refused entry to Tholius, but the sorcerer with the Guard knows that Grosex is inside the office. Then the Guard breaks down the door.

By the time that the Guard has loaded Grosex in a wagon and driven him away, Thraxas is mad enough to go back to work. Buckling on his sword, he sets out to discover the facts in the case. Unfortunately, the Guard is satisfied with Grosex as the killer and Calia has disappeared from the scene.

Thraxas does confirm that a very heavy statue of Saint Quatinius on horseback has disappeared from Drantaax's studio. Old Hasius the Brilliant -- sorcerer from the Abode of Justice -- has found no trace of sorcery in the workshop. So what happened to the statue?

When Thraxas returns to the Avenging Axe, Makri tries to get him to take a case from Dandelion. The dolphins have lost their healing stone that fell from the sky. They think that Thraxas is the proper man to find the stone.

Thraxas tries to scry the location of the vanished Calia, but something spoils his concentration. He comes out of the trance to discover two warrior monks searching his papers. Thraxas attacks them, but his blows are blocked and then he is forced into the wall. When he recovers from the blow, Makri is within the room and the two monks are gone.

This tale involves Thraxas in the affairs of two militant monasteries, one a splinter group of the other. Thraxas finds the warrior monks are much too effective against his style of fighting. On several occasions, he stands aside and watches the two groups battle each other.

The story has many twists and curves. Thraxas has multiple problems trying to discover the truth in the various felonies and misdemeanors. Even Makri is frustrated. Enjoy!

Recommended for Scott fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of armed conflict, martial arts, and persistent investigators.

-Arthur W. Jordin