Tales From The Flat Earth - The Lords Of Darkness

In blending A Thousand And One Nights with fantasy elements, Lee created an original world by departing from the Euro-centric mythology that Tolkien had drawn upon in The Lord of the Rings. This is probably what Aladdin would look like if George R.R. Martin wrote it. And it's a work that's huge in scope: It spans several centuries and was published over a period of ten years.Why it made the listIf you're the kind of reader who needs a character driven plot or at least one character to identify with, you might want to give this one a miss. But if this is something you can live without, then you'll love the rich, enchanting prose and the depth that Lee has imbued these pages with.There is darkness in these tales, as well as a sensuality that was likely shocking in the time it was published, but only adds to the depth of the book. And, while there is no central character, the tales are linked by the Prince of Darkness – whose influence impacts the life of each character you meet.The Flat Earth is vivid and full of life: No character feels like a waste. They all serve a purpose – even if it's just to indicate the effects of a magic-wielding manipulator. Even for those of us who have been exposed to the violence of modern fantasies (poor Sansa), it's surprising how limitless Lee's imagination is.It's also one of the few fantasies where the ending lives up to its promise.