I found this collection of stories to be better then the last few collections. The story has an "Empire Strikes Back" feel to it. The title clues one in to what to expect, just like the movie Empire does. I found that I was able to read through all the stories pretty quickly, and to appreciate the characters and their choices.

I really like and identify with Hazoret, Oketra, and Gideon, and I was pleased to be a bit happier with how Chandra's character was portrayed.

I am looking forward to reading more of these stories. The biggest flaw in not just this, but all of the Magic collections is the never ending conflict, which is the nature of the game that supports the stories. ( )