La Citadelle des Ombres, Tome 4

Oaths and Mournings / The Ice Dragon / The Black Man / Farewells and Reunions Today, in France and abroad, The Citadel of Shadows is unanimously hailed as one of the masterpieces of 20th century fantastic literature, to the point that some compare it to J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. At the beginning of this third volume, fifteen years have passed... Far from the court, and the wounded heart, Fitz has retired to an isolated cottage with his only faithful friend, the wolf Nighteyes. But unexpected visitors come to disturb him in this Umbra retreat, his old mentor, Asterias, the minstrel and incidentally his mistress, and the Fool. All three beg him to return to the Citadel of Castelcerf where Kettricken reigns during the minority of her son. The latter, Prince Dutiful, has mysteriously disappeared. By agreeing to go in search of him to bring him back to the castle of his ancestors, Fitz embarks on new adventures. For the prince has been bewitched by a sect pursuing dark designs on the kingdom and threatening to trigger a terrible civil war. Once again, the bastard, disguised as a servant, is led to serve, at the peril of his life, princes to whom he is bound by blood ties. And, to face the threats that arise from all sides, he must multiply himself without ever being able to find the rest to which his years of service would nevertheless entitle him.