From BooklistThis is the second, after Turning Points (2002), in another series of collections of new stories about the city of Sanctuary, originally the creation of editor Abbey and Robert Asprin in their Thieves' World, now long a setting exploited by a variety of authors. Sanctuary was founded by runaway slaves, hence the name, and remains a refuge for those able to call no other place home--a deadly fate, indeed, for there is no one there to guard one's back. Weapons, wizardry, music--any of these can start something in Sanctuary that only the boldest can finish. Editor Abbey unifies this book with the device of a shipwreck off the coast of Sanctuary, with the stuff looted from it cranking up the levels of menace and chaos in the city. She has gotten high-quality contributions from mostly well-known fantasy hands, and she interweaves them so deftly that the book reads like a novel. Although it will help to be previously acquainted with Thieves' World, it isn't necessary to appreciate this book. Roland GreenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedReviewOn Thieves' World TM: Turning Points"Thieves' World was a signal event in fantasy history ...(a) rich legacy of first rate story."--New York Times bestselling author Raymond E.Feist "Amusingly 'low' fantasy adventure, varied enough to appeal to those who have had their fill of Tolkien and want funnier, nastier stuff." -- Kirkus Reviews

Amazon.com ReviewThe past and future of Sanctuary hang in the balance in this tale of intrigue, politics, magic, and sacrifice from veteran writer Lynn Abbey.Life in the city of Sanctuary has moved on from the days of Jubal and Tempus, and the epic adventures of gods and men are already degrading into myth and superstition. Molin Torchholder, who carries the only living memories of these times, knows that the future of Sanctuary depends on preserving them. With assassins on his trail, Molin must prepare a successor to hold and protect the secret truths of Sanctuary. And Cauvin, a survivor of the cruel pits of the Bloody Hand, will have a series of difficult choices to make as he is drawn deeper into Molin's desperate struggle.Readers new to Sanctuary (the core setting of numerous Thieves' World stories) will find enough backstory to make this novel accessible. Fans should be delighted with the wealth of historical references, new and familiar characters, and high adventure that Abbey weaves together. --Roz GenesseeFrom Publishers WeeklyFans of Thieves' World will relish this sprawling epic, rich with sword and sorcery archetypes, from one of its cocreators. Those not so well-acquainted with the original 12 landmark collaborative anthologies, the subsequent graphic novels or game, however, may find it difficult to immediately access the magic. Touted as the book that unlocks the many secrets of Thieves' World, it relies on far too many history lessons to pad the plot; as a result, the action drags. Happily, Abbey's deft characterizations of Cauvin, a young man who once served the Bloody Hand, and Bec, his nine-year-old foster brother, an imaginative imp who adores him, brighten the story considerably. Both serve the ancient and wise Lord Molin Torchholder, who wishes to turn over his power and the city's secrets before he dies. Sanctuary, once a place where heroes reigned, is now a tawdry place where evils long thought dead have arisen. Lord Torchholder, mortally wounded in an assassination attempt, hopes Cauvin and little Bec, with the help of Torchholder's faithful friend, Soldt, will make Sanctuary a true haven again by fighting the bloodthirsty Dyareela, the Mother of Chaos, and her minions, who may include Cauvin's beloved childhood sweetheart, Leorin. "The Torch" is passed after much convoluted machination - and after 10 years, the gates to this famed city are reopened, assuring all that more adventures are just around the corner.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.