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The God Stalker Chronicles
The God Stalker Chronicles
By P.C . Hodgell
646 pages
Baen
ISBN 10: 1-4165-5576-5
ISBN 13: 978-1-4165-5576-6
The God Stalker Chronicles includes the first two novels of this classic fantasy series, God Stalk and Dark of the Moon featuring humor, tragedy, arborial drift, and the responsibilities of incipient godhood.
Look for the second two novels, Seeker's Mask and To Ride a Rathorn in the Baen omnibus Seeker's Bane in July, 2009.
DESCRIPTIONS
GOD STALK
Jame of the Kencyrath stumbles out of the Haunted Lands, away from the ruins of her home keep, to find the great labyrinth that is the city of Tai-tastigon. Unluckily, she arrives during the Feast of Dead Gods when all the gods who have lost their followers hunt the shuttered streets for souls to devour in order to maintain their shadowy half life. This situation poses an extra problem for Jame because her people are unwilling monotheists, chosen by their Three-Faced God to defeat the encroaching shadows of Perimal Darkling. Having once chosen his (or her or its) champions, however, the Three-Faced God left them on their own to fight a long, losing batttle from threshold world to world down the Chain of Creation. During her stay in Tai-tastigon, Jame not only struggles with this enigma of one diety or many but also joins the Thieves Guild ( another tricky situation in that Kencyr can't lie), dances at the tavern that has taken her in, and in generall creates chaos wherever she goes. What she hasn't quite realized yet is that she is becoming the Third Face of her detested god, That-Which-Destroys, while at the same time doing her best to save the day. Imagine collateral damage galore, followed by a rueful voice: "Oops. Sorry."
DARK OF THE MOON
Leaving Tai-tastigon in flames (don't ask), Jame, her ounce Jorin, and her elderly warrior friend Marc set out to find her twin brother, Torisen. All that lies in the way are the Ebonbane Mountains, a pack of ravenous wyrsa, the Anarchies, and an aging rathorn (think in terms of an ivory-clad unicorn with fangs and a really bad temper). Meanwhile, her brother Torisen has become the leader of the Kencyrath and, somehow, ten years older than Jame. He is also facing the challenge of his life so far in that the Waster Horde is about to march down Rathillien's throat, eating everything and everyone in its path. Faced with treachery within and without the Kencyrath, Tori must lead the Kencyr Host against an overwhelming enemy. Brother and sister meet on the battlefield in time to encounter their long-lost, mysterious mother, who spontaneously combusts rather than hurt either one of them. Then comes the battle, followed by an ever greater conflict: how can Tori accept the sister whom he still loves but has been taught to fear for her darkling traits and nascent power?
EXCERPTS
ORDERING INFORMATION
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CRITICAL PRAISE
GOD STALK
"Hodgell has crafted an excellent and intricate fantasy with humor and tragedy, and a capable and charming female hero.
Highly Recommended."
--LIBRARY JOURNAL
"...God Stalk [is] one of the most inventive and original fantasies of recent years ..."
--SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"Hodgell's book is a dramatic introduction to a new world that both embodies and transcends our own."
--MINNESOTA DAILY
"Bizarre and entertaining ... one of the best."
--SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE
"Hodgell takes some familiar elements of fantasy ... and blends them into a delightful concoction bubbling with originality."
--LOCUS
"Students who enjoy complex fantasy novels that promise several sequels will want to read God Stalk....The story is rich in plot and characterization and makes one eagerly anticipate the next installment."
--JOURNAL OF READING
"It's become increasingly hard to do anything new in the high fantasy field, but there's still a big difference between those who can only reheat the same old stew and those who take full advantage of all that's been done before to brew up a fresh mix. Hodgell proves with [God Stalk] to be in the latter group."
--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
God Stalk is a "rich and enjoyable tapestry that ... should draw the attention of anyone who enjoys and studies fine fantasy."
--Roger C. Schlobin, SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY BOOK REVIEW
DARK OF THE MOON
"The world she has created seems to live beyond the page."
--Charles de Lint, FANTASY REVIEW
"P.C. Hodgell is one of the best young fantasy writers we have.... Her strong characters, strange sense of humor, and intense, visually lush writing style keep Dark of the Moon on track to a powerful conclusion ... clearly one of the finest fantasy novels [of the year]."
--FANTASY MAGAZINE
"Delightful originality ... [Hodgell] brings a welcome freshness and flair to a field where creativity often seems more the exception than the rule."
--LOCUS
"As complex as God Stalk, the sequel will whet readers' appetites for the next entry in the series."
--BOOKLIST
"A young, talented and ambitious writer!"
--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
