ROYAL EXILE & GODDESS - FIONA McINTOSH

[drosdelnoch]

Bursting into the Fantasy scene a few years ago, Fiona has amazed fans who quickly caught onto her "Quickening" series, after that came the Trinity series and also Percheron. Nominated for the first novel in the Valisar Trilogy, Royal Exile. Here's the place to discuss Fiona's work as well as the chance to raise your banner for the author. What is it about Fiona's writing that you love? Why does these book deserve to be the winner?

[John Rohde]

The Percheron series of which Goddess is the 3rd book, is a tale about a time of change. Focused in the city/kingdom of Percheron, we witness the next stage in a cyclical battle between gods. Every other time, the demon Maliz has prevailed on behalf of his god, and defeated the god Lyanna. This cycle will be different.

Location:
Percheron - a city state like Constantinople under the Ottoman Turks. Arabian Nights–flavored. Harems and all that stuff.

Cast of Characters:
Boaz - becomes Zar at 15 following his fathers untimely death
Odalisque Ana - harem girl, wife to be of Zar, in love with Lazar, intelligent, rebel, is loved by Zar and desert Rebel chieftain, goddess-in-waiting??
Lazar - commander of armed forces, self exile from neighboring kingdom, master swordsman, god touched
Pez - “mad” dwarf jester, god touched
Herezah - the Zar’s cruel mother, head of the harem
Salemo - chief eunuch, sadistic, deserves a cruel death
Maliz - demon taking Grand Vizier as host and making him more likable, survives until the last chapters, and then…
Arafanz - chieftain of the desert warriors (bk3), religeous zealot

The gruelling bits:
Disturbing castration scene, driving stake thru body from ass to head, Lazar’s whipping.

Almost every character listed above is dead at the end, but, hey, its the journey - thats why we read books. At the end of book1 you might think you know who the emissary is, but..

I bought the series because it was on sale for $10/book, and some of her earlier work had been good. The first series “The Quickening” was very good. The second series “Trinity”, just good so I wasn’t rushing out to buy the next series. Maybe her 4th “Valisar” trilogy will bring more reading joy - just no reader reviews to peruse just yet.

The “Percheron Saga” was a good read, but “The Quickening” is still her best work to date.
( text copied from http://jrohde.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/fiona-mcintosh-percheron-saga/ )

Gemmell Award?? - I wouldn't recommend this authors books at this time. Maybe Brent Weeks would be a better choice.

[Steve H.]

Fiona McIntosh has scored a very strong hit with "Royal Exile," the opening salvo in her new Valisar Trilogy. From the time I first got ahold of her work with a copy of "Myrren's Gift," until now, her storytelling has grown and matured, and she really begins to see her voice rise up and stand out with this new book.

I can understand some of the opinions people have regarding the Percheron Saga though I would quite simply say I whole-heartedly disagree. Percheron is a solid work that didn't attract the attention it deserved. With the Valisar Trilogy, which has a connection with Percheron through neighboring lands, more people should certainly take notice and open this book.

As with all of her work thus far, none of her characters are simple cookie-cutter representations. One of the beauties of those who fill "Royal Exile" is that good or evil, none is pure to the cliche. The good drift into grey areas while the evil occasionally perform in a manner you do not find despicable. In presenting her people in such a way, Fiona has given us characters who feel real and genuine.

"Royal Exile" is a tremendous effort from a very gifted artist. The novel is full of heartbreak, difficult choices and, ultimately, hope. All of this is well balanced and are ingredients in a story that is quite maddeningly addicting. It is a fantastic example of a quality work by wonderful new flag-bearer for the genre as a whole, and one I would dare say rightfully deserves serious consideration.

[Catiri]

John i am sorry but i would pick Fiona over Brent Weeks any day of the week!. Have not read Royal Exile yet but have read all her previous work and found all of it thoughtful, creative and well written. Her books always have a twist you don't expect and are very much a 'just one more chapter' sort. Also i had read the book so your review was no surprise to me but it might ruin it for others who have yet to read Goddess.

[B. J. Peters]

I humbly request that you please delete my comments. Fiona McIntosh has proven me wrong. I missed a single sentence that makes my complaint very much in error.

in Chapter 31: “….If it helps, Ganya, I’m not really Ashar. He died back in the arena when he whispered the words I wanted to hear. I’d convinced him,”…

Lesson learned. I hope no damage has been done. I am really quite embarrassed. Thank you for your help in clearing this up.

B J Peters

[Deborah J Miller - Award Administrator]

Tis done, BJ! No harm, no foul!