Fantasy/SF Book Reviews
The Saints of the Sword by John Marco
Bantam, February 2001.Trade Paperback, 560 pages.
ISBN: 0553380230.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
Count Renato Biagio has finally become Emperor of Nar,
after destroying his main rival Bishop Herrick, and his
followers. But there will be no rest for Biagio now that his
grand design has been accomplished. After giving up the
incredibly addictive drug which all Naren lords took to
prolong their lives (which had the nasty side effect of making
the user a homicidal, amoral maniac), Biagio is beginning
to realize what a monster he has been most of his life.
Determined to change, to be a better man, he
sets out to quell the world war which
is brewing. But no one believes that he is not the evil man
he used to be -- except for a young boy named Alazrian who
has Triin blood and a powerful magic that allows him to
read men's souls and to heal. Biagio sends the boy to Falindar
to ask Richius Vantran to raise a Triin army and to join Biagio
in preventing a war instigated by the evil Elrad Leth
(Alazrian's father) and the demented king, Tassius Gayle.
Weak and suffering monstrous withdrawal pains, Biagio
must use all of his strength and wiles to forge unusual
alliances, prevent a horrible war, and save the Empire he
loves so much.
In the first two books in this series, The Jackal of Nar, and The Grand Design, it always seemed as if there must be a different side of the evil Count Biagio, and in The Saints of the Sword we finally meet the decent man that became a monster after using the dangerous youth-giving drug concocted by Emperor Arkus' scientists. Biagio is surely the most complex and interesting character to come along in fantasy fiction in a long time, and his struggle to stop a war is absolutely riveting. The true king of Aramoor, Richius Vantran, the noble Captain Kasrin who must betray a friend for the greater good, and the youthful and impetuous Queen Jelena of Liss are just some of the fascinating characters who will have an impact on the future of Nar and the stability of a world where cruelty, kindness and magic are commonplace. Marco writes riveting battle scenes (at sea and on land), and his skills with character, pacing and plot are all excellent -- something which is rare in epic fantasy today. Highly recommended.
--Claire E. White
The Faeries' Oracle by Brian Froud, Text by Jessica MacBeth
Fireside Books, November 2000Hardcover (includes Tarot Deck), 242 pages
ISBN: 0743201116
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
The immensely talented Brian Froud (Good Faeries, Bad Faeries)
has teamed with Jessica MacBeth to create a set of
66 oracle cards, which can be used the same way you would
use a Tarot deck for readings. The Faeries' Oracle also
includes a delightful hardcover book with full descriptions
of each of the oracle cards, directions for doing readings
and getting in touch with the faeries. The paintings on the
cards are exquisite. The beautiful Spirit Dancer, the
majestic Solus, the intriguing Piper, the joyous Maiden
and the frightening and ugly G. Hobyah are all here, and
bring different meanings when they show up in a reading.
And it doesn't take an oracle to predict continued success
for the gifted Mr. Froud and Ms. MacBeth.
Tarot card users, fantasy lovers and lovers of the wee
folk should snap this set up immediately -- it's just too
good to let get away.
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Return to the February 2001 issue of The IWJ.
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