This book sufficiently describes Lord Loren Soth's decline from famed Knight of the Rose, to wife-murdering psychopath.
He is a genuinely disturbed person, and it is a haunting story to read.
I've always been a fan of Lord Soth, and this book does not disappoint. ( )

The fearsome Knight of the Rose, Lord Soth (aka Loren Soth), rises to power quite quickly, as he knows his craft and vows to live by The Oath and The Mesure, a code of conduct for all knights of Solamnia. Playing a leading role in life: gallant, polite, helpful, ... all for the greater good.

Lord Soth (link to Dragonlance Nexus) is featured in several Dragonlance-novels: the Chronicles, [b:Chosen of the Gods|590813|Chosen of the Gods (Dragonlance Kingpriest, #1)|Chris Pierson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389851555s/590813.jpg|577572] (The Kingpriest Trilogy, #1), and more. Knowing how he got to be Knight of the Rose and how his downfall occured, is what this stand-alone novel is about. Warning: as is custom in the world of Dragonlance, not every author pays attention to continuity and correctness of events. Many readers pay attention to such details, I don't, also because I don't often read a DL-novel, as you can see here.

In this novel, we follow Soth in his quest for world-domination. However, the flesh is weak and soon enough he cheats on his wife, not in the least because she can't get pregnant. Or at least, that's what Soth thinks. Korinne, his wife, thinks the same, goes visit a witch to fulfill her wish for a child, if only because she suspects Soth from cheating on her with the elven lady he saved from a band of ogres.

Soth wanted desperately to take her back to Dargaard Keep to have her injuries treated, even though his healer Istvan was of the opinion that she wasn't that badly hurt. And so, one thing leads to another and Isolde becomes a prisoner of Soth, or rather, his mistress.

When Korinne gives birth to the "magic" child, which is hideously deformed, Soth is furious, accuses her of having cheated on him. In his fury, the kills both her and the child. Korinne's maiden spreads the "rumour" that Soth killed Korinne and her child. Isolde, now Soth's wife and also with child (how odd, two pregnancies on such a short occasion; Isolde's child-birth did go well), refuses to accept this accusation and dispels Mirrel, who soon afterwards flees to Palanthas, to the High Court of Justice.

After an investigation, all tracks and evidence leads to Soth, who is condemned to death. Howeve,r his trusty band of knights rescue him and together they return to Dargaard Keep.

Meanwhile, the Kingpriest has banished magic, except for Thought Control or something of the sort. Reading the people's minds, to banish evil from the world. That's where this novel links up with the Kingpriest Trilogy, as the Kingpriests arrogance leads to the first Cataclysm, as he defies the gods of Krynn, thinks himself to be worthy to be a god and rule at the side of Paladin and other, all to rid the world of Evil.

Lord Soth can only redeem himself, as Mishakal has stated after Isolde's prayer, by battling the Kingpriest, so he no longer causes any trouble. To succeed, Soth will have to sacrifice his life... for the greater good.

And he does sacrifice hmself, only not as the gods wanted him to do. With him, his thirteen knights, condemned forever. No eternal sleep, no death, no rest in peace. Especially Soth is doomed, as he turned out to be an even viler and more terrifying monster than his father, despite his vowing to not become his father.

The story reads fast enough and is nice for in-between, if you need to change of setting. There are better DL-novels out there, obviously. Some things were handled too superficially, too rapidly, ... However, it's better, in my opinion, to read this novel AFTER you've read the Chronicles and the Kingpriest Trilogy. ( )

If you have a fondness for tales where the hero falls, this is a tragedy. ( )