- Hardcover: 400 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (May 1 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0743209656
- ISBN-13: 978-0743209656
- Product Dimensions: 23 x 15.4 x 3.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 558 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,723,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Inquisition is as effective a second volume of a trilogy as Heretic was an opener; Anselm Audley recomplicates his take on political intrigue and the role of religion with some real understanding of the mechanics and psychology of power. His Hamlet-like narrator-hero Cathan is ineffectual because of his rational virtues, but some of the villains who walk all over him have hardly less brilliance; his friend turned fanatic enemy the Inquisitor Sarhaddon is a gifted orator whose subtle misrepresentation of historical fact, backed as it is with overwhelming brutal force, provides a goodish reason for many minor characters to capitulate to his church. The magician/emperor Orosius sneers at Cathan as he tortures him from afar for indecisiveness and respect for others--Cathan's reaction is to worry about whether his family resemblance to Orosius indicates some moral corruption yet to surface in him. Even Cathan's female allies, Palatine and Ravenna, get irritated with his reasonableness from time to time. Audley's sequence works some interesting spins on stock sf and fantasy tropes; what makes it interesting, though, is the worried sceptical tone of its narrator. Not only the plot here, but the style, are effectively character-driven. --Roz Kaveney
From Publishers Weekly
ublicists aren't doing Audley a favor by stressing how young he is (19) and comparing him to Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin. Expectant readers will find a competent, appealing but rather standard sword-and-super-science tale. On Aquasilva, a water-planet with physical laws that vary somewhat from Earth's, society is split into rival cities and clans. A fanatical priesthood tries to keep control by murdering all who don't worship its elemental god, but the heretics organize devious counterplots and train young people in "magic" mind powers that use natural elements. The narrator, Cathan, is a young nobleman who just happens to be a phenomenally gifted natural mage, able to manipulate several elements at once. Audley successfully suggests a complex society through a bewildering mass of historical and political details, but he's less adept at showing how the society actually functions. In particular, it's hard to imagine how hand weapons have developed only as far as swords and crossbows while high-tech submarines launch "flame lances" and torpedoes at each other. He's also better, so far, at presenting characters frozen in uncertain pondering than he is at describing direct action. Still, the size and scope of this novel demonstrate Audley's energy and ambition. It will be interesting to see how his characters explore Aquasilva in subsequent books. At the very least, a 20-something's second novel won't be burdened with the extravagant hype of a teenager's first. Agent, James Hale.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good read,
By A Customer
This review is from: Heresy Book One (Mass Market Paperback)
While its not on par with Lord of the Rings or the Deed of Paksanarion this book is honestly a decent read. After having read Gene Wolfe's novels for a bit this book has kept me wanting to turn page after page. While, I would agree with a lot of the reviews on here (basically the plot is a bit wishy washy) if you are looking for a decent series to read this one is well worth the money and your time. I am looking forward to reading the rest of it!
1.0 out of 5 stars
Oog. Well, I probably didn't write any better at 19 either.,
By
This review is from: Heresy Book One (Hardcover)
I really like the cover. It's pretty. That's the most elegant part of the book. Several other reviewers have more eloquently expressed their distress over the plot and the writing style, so I'll narrow down on just one bit - the major love plot.The characters meet each other. They fight. Later, they have to pretend to be in love. They don't actually ever do that on screen, but maybe they're doing it between chapters or something. Then they have to fight some more. Then their companions remark that they must really be interested in each other. The main character decides that he must be, because other people noticed it. Of course, we the viewers have seen none of it. We've hardly even seen the fighting, it just gets mentioned constantly. Then they have a big fight. Oh, the romance. I can hardly stand it.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Audley is Excellent!,
By "chrismage" (Ottawa,ON CANADA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Heresy Book One (Mass Market Paperback)
This is an excellent book,with believabl and likeable characters and a thrilling and intriugung plot.
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