Liscor has faced monstrous moths, cannibalistic gnolls, and an undead horde, but now they face a bigger threat, a greedy human lord armed with a goblin army and Earth inspired catapults. The death of Zev Shivertail ended Lady Magnolia's attempt to stop the Goblin Lord and has left the way clear for Lord Tyrel's great plan. If he's successful, it will mean the end of both the Goblin Lord and the city of Liscor which will mean war between humans and drakes and cement his political superiority among the humans of Izril. This is the most exciting installment of The Wandering Inn and the continent of Izril will never be the same.

Lord Tyrel has managed to round up all three goblin forces and is slowly herding them towards Liscor. Chieftain Rags, Chieftain Garen Redfang, and Goblin Lord Reiss quickly realize that the humans plan to drive them against the walls of Liscor but there is no escape. In the meantime the three forces exist in an uneasy truce and any fighting results in the human mages attacking throwing fireballs at those involved before too much of their cannon fodder kills each other. Rags was led to believe that Reiss was an evil abomination but quickly realizes he isn't evil. Still an abomination trapped in service to The Necromancer though and Garen isn't much better. As Chieftain she dreams of her ancestors and with the growth of her tribe those dreams have reached back more generations until she began dreaming of Velan the Kind, the last Goblin King. She is increasingly puzzled at how a peaceful Chieftain that worked well with other races became a king trying to conquer the continent of Izril. Something obviously changed when he rose to King. Perhaps the dreams of a King revealed something not even a Goblin Lord has seen? Old Greybeard who was a Lord under Velan said she didn't have what it took to be King. But I wonder if there has ever been a Goblin Queen or some other unique class?

Liscor is also in turmoil as it follows the progress of the goblin armies and the human army behind them. Erin tries to argue that the goblins aren't their enemies but even among her friends few agree with her. The drakes send to Liscor's mercenary army to come home and defend them but they only send one fourth of their forces and it's unlikely to arrive before they come under attack. The five hobgoblins living at the Inn are also preparing. They have gained classes never before seen among goblins and they will fight to save their people from the humans. Five hobgoblins might not seem like much but even the Antinium decide to get in on the action. On the opposite side it finally occurs to Laken, the Blind Emperor that he and his catapults are on the wrong side of this conflict. It seems that he isn't the only one who feels like Tyrel coerced him into joining this army but Laken has no idea who can be trusted.

The climactic battle is full of heroism, last stands, and betrayals with the whole world watching via scrying orbs. Several characters that have been part of this soap opera from the beginning will die outside Liscor's walls and others will survive and gain rare skills. The Wandering Inn is at the center of the action and ends as a smoking ruin, again. It can be rebuilt but things will never be the same for Erin or the other recurring characters. I've read all twelve books in the series at this point and this is definitely my favorite.