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REVIEW OF THE WATERBORN AND THE BLACKGOD
I loved these two books...fast, exciting and different! The premise is that the land is full of Gods, i.e. Stream gods, Tree gods etc. One, the "Changeling" is a mighty River God that devours all other Gods and allows the people near him to only worship him. The hero of the story is a young man who falls in love with a Stream Goddess and vows to kill the Changeling who is slowly devouring the Stream Goddess. This starts many strange, exciting adventures. After reading so much fantasy, Keyes fresh approach was really appreciated. The intrigue of not knowing many of the character's real motives until the end of this double epic really made for a stimulating read. Very highly recommended. Review by Brian
(Juggernaut)
"This is a satisfyingly robust, impressive
debut."
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...
"A new myth-maker, a new star of the fantasy genre has arrived." -- Bookpage "Take a chance on this new voice. He is already being compared to Tolkien." -- Infinity Online "STRIKINGLY IMAGINATIVE . . . WATERBORN FANS WILL BE JUBILANT." --Kirkus Reviews "WONDERFUL . . . Keyes is as fresh a voice as Tolkien was in his time. Keyes brings a world of mythology to life, a world both new and familiar . . . Buy it, read it, and tell your friends." --Sci-Fi Talk Review
A mythic tale of magic, passion, and primal power. In the rich and tragic world beyond the River, magic springs from the elements--and danger, fear, and friendship each wait to claim their place in the grand design of life . . . Prepare to encounter a world where magic springs from earth and sky and water, and where danger, heartache, fear, and friendship each wait to claim their place in the grand design of life. J. Gregory Keyes pursues a tale as big as life in the stunning sequel to The Waterborn. The River flowed from the mountains to the distant sea, and everywhere he touched, he ruled. Powerful and hungry, he had scoured every rival godling from the land. But the world beyond the River's reach was a riot of gods and ghosts and other deities, large and small. Strange spirits jostled and contended with each other, and with the humans who shared their range. Into this rich and dangerously open land came a surprising refugee: Hezhi, the River's own daughter. When the magic that was her heritage awakened in her back in the glittering palace of imperial Nhol, Hezhi fled for her life. With Perkar, a youth in search of honor, and loyal Tsem, her half-Giant bodyguard, she sought refuge among the barbarian Mang. She had hoped for the freedom to build a life of her own, but in these demon-haunted hinterlands, every bubbling spring, crevasse, and hillock boasted some spirit. Until she learned to wield the powers of her birthright, she would be vulnerable to any arcane attack. Hezhi's sanity, and her very soul, would be at risk. Meanwhile, grisly danger followed her from the world she thought she had escaped. The River focused all his might and cunning on the task of finding his wayward child. From the depth of his yearning, the River plotted to take Hezhi alive. For Perkar, her champion, he had no such benign end in view ... Only the Blackgod saw a way for Hezhi and Perkar to defeat the River, once and for all. But he was a creature of guile and limitless duplicity; to trust him might be the most perilous move they could make. Perkar knew that better than anyone else -- better, at least, than anyone still alive ...
Newton's Cannon is an Umberto Eco-like tale of fantasy and history, magic and science, peopled with characters out of his imagination as well as from history -- Louis XIV, Benjamin Franklin, Blackbeard, Voltaire, and the enigmatic Sir Isaac Newton.
In this stunning new novel, acclaimed author J. Gregory Keyes charts a course sideways through time. Come with him to a world both deeply familiar and wondrously strange. Lose yourself in a fantasy woven from the stuff of history, a dazzling quest whose outcome will raise humanity to unparalleled heights of glory--or ring down a curtain of endless night . . . NEWTON'S CANNON 1681: Sir Isaac Newton turns his restless mind to the ancient art of alchemy. He achieves an unprecedented breakthrough, unleashing Philosopher's Mercury, a primal source of matter and a key to manipulating the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Now, Louis XIV of France and George I of England battle for its control. As English armies push nearer to Paris, Louis calls for a new weapon--a mysterious device known only as Newton's Cannon. Amidst the decadence of Versailles, courtiers and poseurs plot and scheme. And Adrienne de Montchevreuil, an impecunious noblewoman of great beauty and unsuspected talents, labors to unlock the mystery of Newton's Cannon before it is too late--for her King, for her country...for herself. In Boston a half a world away, a young apprentice by the name of Benjamin Franklin stumbles across a dangerous secret. Pursued by a powerful and deadly enemy--half scientist, half sorcerer--Ben makes his fugitive way to England. Only Newton himself can help him now. But who will help Sir Isaac? For Newton was not the first to unleash the Philosopher's Mercury. Others were there before him. Creatures as scornful of science as they are of mankind. And burning to be rid of both...
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Newton's Cannon