Tetrarch : Well of Chaos

by Ian Irvine

Reviewed by Cain D. of year 7

Tetrarch is the second of a 4 series book called The Well of Echoes. The book follows the book Geomancer and is followed by the books Scrutator and Chimera.

It is a about a war between the Lyrinx (large humanoid bird-like creatures) who are trying to take over the human world (Santhenar). The humans known as the old-humans by their superior human race (Aachim) who have fled their world (Aachan) due a massive volcanic eruption, use a 20 year old girl known as Tiaan to build a gate so that the Aachim could travel over to Santhenar.

The Aachim who tricked Tiaan into making the gate have now attempted to take control of Santhenar by becoming neutral in the human-Lyrinx war, waiting until both forces are weakened then bringing their entire force of constructs (machines that hover off the ground and can fire powerful javelards) to destroy the survivors. Cryl Nish Hlaar, commonly known as Nish is trying to find Tiaan to bring her back to the factory which makes weapons for the war. Tiaan has already fixed several important issues that were killing the human army. She ran away because she was falsely accused of having crystal fever (hallucinations induced by crystals usually known as hedrons). Irisis Stirm is Nish’s companion in finding Tiaan. Scrutator Xervish Flydd (scrutator: second in command in controlling the worlds army) has been helping Irisis and Nish in their mission. Xervish Flydd who is also Irisis’ lover is on another mission to destroy the Lyrinx Torgnadyr which absorbs the nodes energy which helps control clankers (monstrous machines of war) to move and fire their javelards and catapults.

The Torgnadyr is in the Lyrinx stronghold which is where the humans are going to attack next with the help of the Aachim who the humans managed to persuade to help them because of their distant relation. Unfortunately when Xervish Flydd placed upon the Torgnadyr which was supposed to destroy the Torgnadyr instead destroyed the entire node and the clankers and constructs are now helpless and must use all their strength to haul the clankers and constructs away from the attacking Lyrinx.