This is briliantly researched and full of evocative, strong writing.
It continues the story of the attack on the matriarchal society of ancient Crete by the patriarchal mainland, around which is woven the story of Aridela, daughter of the Queen of Crete, and the two blood brothers who are bound to her.
The author recounts scenes of intrigue, love, happiness, terrible devastation and dismal atrocities with perfect control; as before, it is a tragic story of conflicting loyalties, divided motives, passionate love and sorry betrayals.
As I have said in my review of ‘The Year God’s Daughter’ I find the characterisation in this series very telling; when the disasterous volcanic eruption hits, and then when war breaks out, and various of the characters I had got to know are killed, I felt a sense of desolation.
Aridela herself is subjected to a misery that nearly breaks her spirit; but she is brave and motivated by honour, and this brings her through; that and the devotion of some of her supporters. But there is a lot of joyfulness, and celebration of life in this novel, and when circumstances render that impossible at parts of the story, there are acts of heroism so that the reader remains optimistic about human potential.
There is no authorial intrusion, but as before, we are left in no doubt of the terrible price that humanity pays if one half of the people are enslaved by the other.
The wealth of historical detail in this brings back Bronze Age Crete astonishingly to life; the landscape, the lifestyle, the customs, the very scents and sounds.
The interlocking threads of visionary experiences and day-to-day life are brilliantly combined to bring to life a mindset where the presence of divinities and their intervention in everyday life was never doubted.
The scenes of the volcanic eruption and earthquake are brilliantly evocative – I was carried away by them.
I am extremely impressed and will certainly read the next. I can’t wait to see if Chrysaleon will overcome his egotism and devote his forceful character to making a new and better world.
You can get a copy of this book from several sources, the link from Amazon.com is http://www.amazon.com/The-Thinara-King-Child-Erinyes/dp/0983827729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365517798&sr=8-1&keywords=the+thinara+king.