Product Description: The River flowed through all the land, deep and unstoppable, a god in his own right. His head was in the mountains; his arms embraced the outlands; his body lay at the core of all the civilized realms; and his legs stretched on to the distant sea. Dark and sluggish, he rolled unchallenged, dreaming his own invincible might and glory into stark reality.
Everywhere he touched, the River God held dominion. And in Nhol, the fabled city at the heart of the world, an emperor ruled as the living aspect of the god, presiding over the splendors and intrigues of a prosperous land and a glittering court.
Hezhi was an imperial princess; her blood carried the seeds of the River's power. When her favorite cousin disappeared, Hezhi searched throughout the sumptuous palace with its ghosts and priests, giants and courtiers, and frightening creatures of wizardry. And the magic within her began to grow; soon it must attract dangerous attention. Hezhi's anxious quest ripened into a desperate fight for her own life--a battle she could not hope to win alone.
Small wonder that the princess wished for a hero.
And far away, a hero's journey began...
Amazon.com Review: It's that story again: unsophisticated adolescent boy, spunky, curious princess, large landscape for them to tour, troublesome deities, a magic sword. J. Gregory Keyes's knowledge of epics, myths, and human cultures is a solid foundation for his series, making it far better than the average product: a story that might have happened sometime between the Ice Ages when numinous deities still dwelled in every tree, rock, and pool. The detailed social structures and customs feel more authentic, though they're also familiar--the urban monotheists, the shamanistic horseback nomads, and so on. The writing is workmanlike, but the anthropological soundness and echoes of ancient stories give life and dimension to the old archetypes.
Fantasy at its best ! This book would make you wonder "Where was Gregory Keyes all along"? The plot is dark, complicated, powerful and intense. It is adult fantasy at its best.
Having seen the rise and fall of many a fantasy writer getting bogged down by their creations, this book is a refreshing and welcome change. The story is unique and extremely well written. It will keep you hungering for more of Gregory Keyes and his other books are equally well written.
Pretty good stuff I thought this book was pretty original. It did have the storied nobody becomes big important stud theme but a lot of fantasy does that. I thought the world was unique and interesting. The book was very simple and easy to follow. The only problem is the characters lacked depth as did the plot. Same goes for the sequel Blackgod.
Not your typical fantasy Keyes draws on older legends and invents some of his own in telling the story of a boy's coming-of-age quest. Perkar's love for the goddess of the stream that runs by his village leads him along strange paths, and you won't be able to guess the ending. This was one of the most imaginitive and original fantasy debuts I ever read.
Fantasy infused with myth The problem with most fantasy is that it is written entirely within the world of fantasy literature. It refers only to other books, creating a mirror world in which every image has been seen before, and every character is the reflection of many others. With the Chosen of the Changeling series Greg Keyes has escaped from this trap by infusing his story with anthropology and traditional myth. These books feel original because they return to the tradition of heroic stories told around the hearth that lies behind all fantasy. Keyes' heroes are like the heroes of epic, chosen by the gods to play parts in stories they don't really understand. The setting is magnificent, the writing fine. I enjoyed both of these books and recommend them highly.
A Great Writer This was the first Keyes book that I read and I have to say that, after wandering through a wilderness of some of the lousiest sci-fi and fantasy books over the past few years, that this was, oh so, refreshing. I believe that Greg Keyes is probably one of the finer writers out there right now. So, I'm picking up just about every book of his that I can.
A great read, well worth the money for a new one off of your favorite book store shelf.
Anything Goes Trivia
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Trevor
