The Agony of an Age is an intricate tale of power, warfare and torment. It is the sequel to The Plight of a People, and it continues the saga set up in its predecessor with three more riveting stories. Part I picks up nearly a century after the conclusion of the first book and delves deep into the mind of an immortal philosopher and commander. Rahdain, as he is called, struggles against scheming enemies and reluctant allies alike as he attempts to prevent a war that would lay his entire world to waste. A few generations later, Part II follows the life of Hallmund, a king plagued with inner demons aplenty. In a maelstrom of misery, he faces invaders, zealots, rebels and a haunting past all at once. Finally, in Part III, the battered and bashful farmer Reolus is thrown into a world of chaos when his village is set ablaze and his life is burned before his eyes. He and his family are then forced into a deadly race against time as they flee towards salvation and away from a man determined to slaughter them at all costs. The book as a whole is an adventure through the pitfalls of misery and the terror of towering opposition. It spans the entirety of an era filled with climactic battles and unspeakable tragedies, but throughout all this boundless woe, the light of hope is never once lost. The Agony of an Age is a fantasy epic filled to the brim with political intrigue, pressing issues and personal perseverance. It takes the reader back to a time of mythic beasts and inhuman masters, never letting itself dawdle into mundanity. And, simultaneously, it stays focused on the tribulations of the human spirit that drives and unites us all.