I really enjoyed all the previous Deryni books, both the Kelson series and the Camber series. However, this book, while still about the Haldanes and the Deryni, is much different in tone and style than the previous novels. The Haldanes aren't the center of the novels, nor is the dynastic action of keeping them on the throne and protected from evil Deryni. Kurtz seems to have fallen into the mode of just describing the world as if she was writing a historical fiction novel, with the emphasis on the period, not on the plot. Nothing happens of note in this book, and when it does, it is minimized so much, its effectively nothing. Whole paragraphs are spent on opening gates. Possibly the problem is that this series falls between the Camber/post Camber books and before Kelson - we know who is going to be king, and when, and we know most of the other major players. However, rather than come up with important activities for the characters of this time, she just seems to be filling space. Not as good as her previous novels at all. ( )

A great addition to a great series ( )

This is the first book that I've read by this author. It had me hooked at first, then I got very bored with the introduction and story line of new characters that were seemingly unconnected to the intrigue in the initial chapters, but I stayed with it. It finally got interesting again, and there are some unexpected twists and turns. I don't like or agree with the ending chapters though, but from what I've gathered, this is the beginning which is finally being told after many other Deryni books have been written, so it had to fit. ( )

Remember how Star Wars episodes 2 and 3 (the new triology) were sort of disappointing, because you knew who was going to die, marry, etc?

I'm like that with this. It's set in the time of the early childhood of Kelson's dad, Brion. It's a well worked story, hence the 3 stars, but it's got that element of having to fit in to the known history and the known future and that limits the tension that can be worked into it.

It would be interesting to see the reaction of someone new to the series, perhaps it's me feeling that and someone new to it all wouldn't feel it. ( )

In the King's Service is the first in a long-promised trilogy that will tell us about the childhood and youth of my favourite Kelson-time characters, Alaric Morgan and Duncan McLain. Ostensibly, In the King's Service chronicles King Donal Haldane's attempts to ensure his young son, and therefore his kingdom, has a strong protector once he is gone. Around this central thread spin the parents and grandparents of many of the characters from Kelson's time.

This book does suffer the fate of nearly any book that tries to cover a long period of time and a lot of characters in a few hundred pages - the characterisations get skimped on. All the same, it's a interesting insight into the development of the Eleven Kingdoms into what we were introduced to in Deryni Rising. There were lots of names where I was trying to remember who I knew from that family, and others where I was suddenly crying, "Oh, that's so-and-so's father. Now it makes sense!"

On it's own, this book would be very confusing and not particularly satisfying, but as a set-up book (which is what it claims to be), it's a useful beginning. Morgan was only born in the epilogue, so I'll be looking forward to the next one as he grows up. Hopefully it won't cover such a long time frame and we'll get a lot more depth and the corresponding satisfaction. ( )