From Publishers Weekly
Brimming with insubstantial stock fantasy characters, this sequel to last year's Into the Forge does, however, boast lots of plot. Our heroes, the warrows?short people reminiscent of hobbits but without the charm?take to heart the prophecy, "Seek the aid of those not men to quench the fires of war," and spend much of their time with various supernatural creatures. Two-dimensional elves, dwarves, stone giants, magical wolves, warrior maidens and a host of good guys battle the forces of darkness and win only because of the quick thinking of the height-challenged heroes. Warrows Tipperton Thistledown and Beau Darby are on a quest to find the High King and deliver a token to him. Traveling the length of their beloved land, they plod from ambush to battle, striving to save the lives of their friends and stay one step ahead of the dread Modru and his Swarm. Plagues and pitfalls notwithstanding, the brave, half-pint warriors prove their mettle again and again as they are befriended by taller people of every ilk. Even with a war going on, romance blossoms, and, as one would expect, evil is eventually vanquished so that laughter and song can again peal forth across the land. What hath Tolkien wrought? Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Tipperton Thistledown and Beau Darby, a pair of diminutive creatures known as warrows, continue their trek across the breadth of the land of Mithgar in order to keep an oath and deliver a message to a king they have never met. Set in Mithgar's far past, this sequel to Into the Forge (NAL, 1997) leads its heroes into the midst of a great battle against the forces of an evil god. McKiernan's talent for shaping grand pageants of history and legend comes to the fore in this engrossing installment of Mithgarian lore. Fans of Tolkienesque fantasy, as well as the author's sizable readership, will enjoy this lavishly told quest. For most fantasy collections.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
This companion to Into the Forge concludes the "duology" Hel's Crucible, but ignore that coined marketing term and just appreciate that this is a very fine story indeed. Tipperton and Beau, a pair of everyman characters, spent the previous book trekking through one peril after another to deliver a mysterious coin to the almost equally mysterious King Agron. They are now obliged by honor and duty to participate in the Great War of the Ban by marching at the head of Agron's army against the Black Mage Modru. The battle scenes, especially those related from the viewpoint of Beau, who as a healer has to patch up the wounded, are notably vivid. With this highly satisfactory conclusion to his two-volume tale, McKiernan demonstrates that he has come a long way since his early Iron Tower trilogy in terms of realizing a major fantasy. He deserves the large audience he has won. Roland Green

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Tipperton and Beau, having delivered a mysterious coin to the seclusive King Agron, realize that the coin was actually a plea for help from King Blaine for aid in the Great War of the Ban. But the two adventurers are still not free from duty. Tip burns to avenge the death of his lady-love, fallen in battle, and Beau the healer cannot ignore the suffering of those around him. So they join the fight, leading Agron's army into the lands of their enemy, the Black Mage Modru, carrying with them an ancient prophecy of victory.... Praise for the HEL' S CRUCIBLE DUOLOGY: * "Page-turning adventure."--Michael A. Stackpole, New York Times bestselling author of the Star Wars: X-Wing series * "Storytelling at its best...evocative and compelling."--Jennifer Roberson * "McKiernan brews magic with and insightful blend of laughter, tears, and high courage."--Janny Wurts, author of Curse of the Mistwrath

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Brimming with insubstantial stock fantasy characters, this sequel to last year's Into the Forge does, however, boast lots of plot. Our heroes, the warrows--short people reminiscent of hobbits but without the charm--take to heart the prophecy, "Seek the aid of those not men to quench the fires of war," and spend much of their time with various supernatural creatures. Two-dimensional elves, dwarves, stone giants, magical wolves, warrior maidens and a host of good guys battle the forces of darkness and win only because of the quick thinking of the height-challenged heroes. Warrows Tipperton Thistledown and Beau Darby are on a quest to find the High King and deliver a token to him. Traveling the length of their beloved land, they plod from ambush to battle, striving to save the lives of their friends and stay one step ahead of the dread Modru and his Swarm. Plagues and pitfalls notwithstanding, the brave, half-pint warriors prove their mettle again and again as they are befriended by taller people of every ilk. Even with a war going on, romance blossoms, and, as one would expect, evil is eventually vanquished so that laughter and song can again peal forth across the land. What hath Tolkien wrought? (Sept.)

VOYA - Beth Karpas

The HSl's Crucible duology is set in the same Mithgar universe as McKiernan's Iron Tower trilogy, and is a direct prequel to that earlier work. It is the story of the Ban Wars told through the eyes of two Warrows (a race similar to Tolkien's hobbits), Tip and Beau. When a kingsman dies at Tip's doorstep, he vows to continue the man's mission to deliver a coin to a far away king. Beau accompanies his friend Tip. So begins the war and the pair's adventures in this exciting tale of ordinary people accidentally crawling (literally in some cases) into the role of heroes. While exciting, there is one significant flaw in the story's telling. Since the duology takes place in the middle of previously published Mithgar tales, the author has a tendency to retell that history. These retellings are more distracting than informative for a new reader. The author also uses this method to explain his philosophies. While "It's all connected, you know" becomes an important theme of the novels, the way in which Tip and Beau are introduced to the philosophy distracts from the rest of the story. The second novel has far fewer historical summaries and philosophical ramblings than the first, although the two books are so intertwined that a reader must read the first to truly appreciate the second. Characters who leave in the first novel return in the second without reintroduction, and a reader who had skipped book one would be very confused. This set is recommended for those libraries where other McKiernan books are popular. Others may wish to begin with individual books earlier in the Mithgar universe and test their readers' preferences that way. Note: This review was written and published to address two titles: Into the Forge and Into the Fire. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Will appeal with pushing, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

Library Journal