The king of dreams - Robert Silverberg

The reader of earlier Majipoor books will thrill to this title: the Prestimion trilogy is set many years before the Valentine books, and the King of Dreams is an established, terrifying figure in those. Now eponymous, this is the story of his origins. Fifteen years have elapsed since the events recounted in Lord Prestimion. Prestimion has become Pontifex, and named Prince Dekkeret to succeed him as Coronal. As he prepares to take his place in the subterranean Laybyrinth where the Pontifex must dwell, the diabolical Mandralisca manipulates a declaration of independence for Zimroel from the five nephews of the treacherous Dantirya Sambail (see Majipoor Chronicles). Out of Zimroel comes a devastating mental broadcast that strikes randomly all over the world, inflicting terrible psychological pain. Prestimion's brother Teotas commits suicide. His wife Varail and their daughter are damaged. The complex, intriguing transformation of that sinister power in to a feature of a unified Majipoor involves bitter conflict between Pontifex and Coronel, and the unveiling to the world at large of Prestimion's secret hold over the memories of the everyone alive.;We know from the Valentine books that Prestimion's reign will initiate a Golden Age of prosperity and peace, but until the end of THE KING OF DREAMS, it is difficult to see how this comes about. Good storytelling, a magnificent setting, grand political vision.