"cerebral fantasy thriller"
As the suns never stops shining on Ranadon most people
believe the propaganda that the High Priestess of the
Church of the Sun, Belagren and her Shadowdancers cult
followers have spouted. Belagren claims that the Goddess
told her how to banish the Age of Shadows. Now Belagren
is the most powerful force in the Kingdom of Senet and
probably the planet though the Lion of Senet, the deeply
religious Antonev, might think otherwise if he knew the
truth. A volcano erupts ripping asunder the Kingdom of Dhevyn
from the mainland Kingdom of Senet. At about the same
time, a once exiled and now badly injured sailor floats
ashore on the island of Elcast. His arrival reveals
carefully hidden secrets that lead to Antonev journeying
to Elcast to learn more of the truth. Civil war seems
imminent as Belagren's contentions begin to prove false. This world seems real due to the genuine feel of the
characters that make the action-packed fantasy so much fun
to follow. Especially interesting is the pious Antonev, a
firm believer in the Goddess to the point that he will
kill indiscriminately while he viciously imposes his
beliefs on others if that supports his religious zeal.
Belagren is an interesting High Priestess who uses
fabrications to gain followers, but readers will have to
decide if that is for her to achieve and hold power or to
convert zealots to the Goddess. Other players are as
dichotomously intriguing as Jennifer Fallon provides a
cerebral fantasy thriller whose theme of "what a web we
weave when we first deceive" (modern politics?) will be
followed in the next two months with the rest of "The
Second Sons" trilogy. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted March 1, 2004
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