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5.0étoiles sur 5
One of the most impressive fantasy novels I have ever read, Janv. 18 2004
Christopher Rowley's The Ancient Enemy: The First Book of Arna is a work of masterful fantasy at its very best. What begins as a story of one character's personal journey from youth to manhood evolves into an epic tale of warfare, bravery, and survival. The writing is magnificent throughout, thoroughly captivating the reader and drawing him completely in to the world Rowley has created. In the land of Arna, man is a distant legend who has not been seen for thousands of years. In this world, mots and mors (monkey-like beings) live a life of peace and harmony alongside one another, enjoying the benefits of a rich, intelligent, and highly spiritual culture. Awful stories are told of Man the Cruel, who poisoned the land and died out long, long ago in the early mists of time. A mysterious race of ancient scholars called the Assenzi oversees the workings of the politics and economies of the various villages in Arna, working to maintain social and environmental balance in all things. Such things as war and slavery mean nothing to these people, but things change in a hurry when Man the Cruel suddenly returns and immediately sets out to annihilate the lowly "monkeys" they encounter in their effort to colonize this verdant new land. The main protagonist in the story is Thru Gillo, a mot whose dreams of taking a wife and starting a new life on his own farm are shattered when he finds his beloved consorting with another man, one who - unlike Thru - is wealthy . In an effort to get past the heartache this causes him, Thru makes the journey to Highnoth in the northern mountains to study under the wise Assenzi. Here he learns much about the Spirit, history, and life in general. He also begins developing a remarkable talent for mat weaving, a skill he chooses for his livelihood when he later settles in the village of Dronned. It is here that he meets and falls in love with a modern young mor named Nuza, a gymnast with a traveling troupe of performers. Thru faces many setbacks at this particular time in his life, most of them spearheaded by his sworn enemy (the man who stole his first love away from him), but his spiritual training in Highnoth serves him well in overcoming all obstacles. This first half of the book is a very personal story that takes us far into the mind of Thru and paints a vivid picture of the vibrant world in which he lives. Thru's happy new life comes to an abrupt end, though, when he and Nuza are among the first mots and mors to discover a tranquil coastal village in fiery ruins. A mound of decapitated heads by the waterfront reveals the horrible truth that the villagers were not only slaughtered but were eaten by their attackers. One of the few survivors of the carnage delivers the unbelievable news that Man the Cruel still lives and has now returned to the land of Arna. The personal aspects of Thru's story soon fall by the wayside as the final section of the novel concentrates on the preparation and beginning of war between the mots and the destructive forces of man. At the same time, we are presented with the story of Simona, a young lady whose world in the human city of Shasht was suddenly ruined when her family was ordered by the emperor to accompany the colonists sailing out of the resource-drained Shasht to colonize a new land across the seas. The story as told from Simona's viewpoint makes for a very insightful read, for through her we are given personal and meaningful viewpoints of both the human culture she has come to question and grow ashamed of as well as the previously peaceful mot society she comes to respect and care for. Fighting a war for nothing short of survival, the mots quickly learn from their early losses and really take the battle to Man when his forces attempt to establish a landing site. The second half of this novel is incredibly exciting, filled with truly remarkable accounts of fierce fighting and heroism on the field of battle. The Ancient Enemy numbers among the best fantasy books I have ever read, and Rowling's descriptions of the bloody battles between man and mot are so vivid and realistic that I felt like an actual observer of the events. Thru Gillo is a fascinating character, and the emotions and intense conflicts that populate the pages of this novel are truly gripping. Best of all, this novel is only the beginning of a series, one which promises to furnish untold riches and joys to the reader who enters the vivid world borne of Rowland's imagination.
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