"Fantastic fantasy"
The God-Wall protects the city of Anavatan, the Silver Lake
known as Gol-Beyaz where the six Gods live, and twelve
outlying villages. The power and richness of the city is a
magnet to the barbarian tribes like the Yuruk who each year
unsuccessfully try to breach the wall. The spirits
(essences of prophecy) want form and to have that they need
to drine from the lake and eat the people unsworn to any
God; neither the tribes nor the spirits have managed to
breach the wall except this year during theevent known as
Havo's Dance. During the second night of the event, the spirits attack
teens Brax, his younger friend Spar, and the malevolent
Graize. Brax calls on the God of Battle Estavia for help
and she makes him and Spar her own. Graize wakes up spirit
filled in the plains where he meets up with a Yuruk tribe
who takes him in and prophecies that this year they will be
able to breach the God walls because the spirits who want
substance will help him. Brax becomes Estavia's champion
and is destined to meet Graize in battle, while Spar is
trying to find a place for himself without giving in to a
seer that speaks to him telepathically and wants to use him
in his plans for conquest. The first book in The Warriors of Estavia is a fantastic
fantasy filled with action, intrigue and refreshingly
original and realistic characters. The bond between Brax
and Spar is beautiful to behold and the pair change over
the cycle of the book in a realistic manner as they are
shown love combined with discipline. An expert world
builder, Fiona Patton actually has her audience believing
in Gods who commonly manifest themselves to their people in
a physical form. Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 15, 2005
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted January 25, 2007
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