"Fine speculative fiction"
At one time Nate Black was one of the best hackers in the
world, getting into systems that if caught could get him
life in prison. Now he is a college student majoring in
computer programming when he gets a series of emails from
a totally anonymous person referring to him by his hacker
name Azrael. He tries to ignore the notes until the day
he is pulled into a portal that transports him into a
medieval like world where the race of man treats the Ghadi
like animals to be used, discarded and slaughtered. Once the Ghadi were intelligent until the College of Man
learned the magical words that transferred them into
little more than dumb animals that can be trained. In
this world the College of Man rules the kingdom in
everything but name as they are effectively a church that
has the power to decide what can be taught to the masses.
The King and a scholar in the college are planning a coup,
not caring that it will mean mass slaughter of both man
and Ghadi. Nate, who has learned that the Ghadi are not
what they seem, uses his computer programming skills to
construct a spell that will hopefully level the playing
field. S. Andrew Swarm has created an imaginative work of
speculative fiction. The protagonist is an adaptable
person who refuses to be enslaved by the College of Man,
the king or the gods who manipulate them all like
puppets. Readers will root for the Ghadi to overthrow the
chains of their oppressors with the help of Nate who they
believe is their messiah. BROKEN CRESCENT is a
superlative reading experience and this reviewer would
like to see more books written about this true hero and
this imaginative world. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted April 24, 2004
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