β Scribed by David Anthony Durham
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Starred Review. In this sprawling and vividly imagined fantasy, historical novelist Durham (_Pride of Carthage_) chronicles the downfall and reinvention of the Akaran Dynasty, whose empire, called Acacia, was built on conquest, slaving and drug trade. The Acacian empire, encompassing "The Known World," is hated by its subjugated peoples, especially the Mein, who 22 generations earlier were exiled to the icy northland. Having sent an assassin to kill the Acacian king, Leodan, the rebel chieftain, Hanish Mein, declares war on the empire. As Acacia falls, Leodan's treasonous but conflicted chancellor, Thaddeus Clegg, spirits the king's four children to safety. When the Mein's rule proves even more tyrannical than the old, the former chancellor seeks to reunite the now adult Akaran heirsthe oldest son Aliver (once heir to the throne), the beautiful elder daughter Corinn, their younger sister, Mena, and youngest brother, Darielto lead a war to regain the empire. Durham has created a richly detailed alternate reality leavened with a dollop of magic and populated by complicated personalities grappling with issues of freedom and oppression. (June)
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David Anthony Durham, the author of three historical novels, envisions a fascinating, fully developed world in Acacia. He delves into great detail-explaining religious beliefs, political philosophies, even courting rituals-to draw the reader into his creation. Critics acknowledge the necessity of these "info dumps" (_Science Fiction and Fantasy News_) as setups for future volumes of the saga, while maintaining that the frequent descriptions did not detract from the absorbing, fast-paced plot. Readers won't find any wizards or dragons in Acacia; it is narrated in the alternating voices of genuine, convincing characters that blur the lines between good and evil. Packed with suspense, intrigue, and adventure, most readers will devour this first Acacia installment and impatiently await the next.
Copyright 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.
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