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Godslayer (The Sundering volume 2) by Jacqueline Carey
01/10/2005 . Source: Sana Master 
pub: TOR/Forge. 349 page hardback. Price: $25.95 (US), $35.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-31239-5. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.tor.com
Volume 1 of 'The Sundering', entitled 'Banewreaker', saw the creation of the myth of the 'Shapers', Carey's pantheon in this series. She presented the characters of Sartoris, the third Shaper, and his general, Tanaros Blacksword. Both had suffered extreme betrayal and had to pay the ultimate price for it: exile and a complete and utter lack of understanding for their situations. They are both reviled and feared throughout the known lands by the 'civilised' people, the men and the 'ellylon', Carey's equivalents to Tolkien's elves. These two races, spurred on by the first Shaper, Haomane, Lord of Thought, do all in their power to harm Sartoris and the 'fjel', who are troll-like creatures, that make up his army. Their cause is aided by a prophecy that Haomane spoke after the initial breaking of the world and Sartoris' escape. The prophecy clearly draws the line between what is to be considered good and evil among the most powerful races and Sartoris and his army are quite clearly 'evil' in this prophecy. However, what Carey does in this series is question the very nature of evil. Who decides what is evil? It is like history being re-written by the victors: evil is a relative term, dependent on whose side you view from. 'Godslayer' is written from Sartoris' camp and so the insight thus afforded is wholly different to the common nightmarish tales told of Sartoris and his army of fjel. It is an intriguing read that evokes in the reader an enormous sense that the world might just possibly be off-kilter.
Carey deals with the universal themes of betrayal and loyalty with intricacy and intelligence, but it is her writing that truly captures the reader. In this particular series, she infuses it with such a sense of pathos and poignancy throughout that the reader is hard put to remain detached and objective. She presents a host of characters that are sympathetically and realistically etched, bringing to life human characters that suffer in as real a manner as we do. Alongside these characters, she presents the tortured character of the exiled Shaper, Sartoris, whose suffering Carey magnifies in keeping with his deified status. The despair or rage of a god must be a horrendous thing to witness and Carey handles this with skill, presenting his 'otherness' by setting him apart and above. Sartoris is an enigmatic deity who demands our awe but also, ultimately, our deepest sympathy.
Carey does not fashion simple narratives and this is portrayed explicitly through the character of Cerelinde, the ellylon princess who imprisoned in Sartoris' stronghold comes to doubt her cause. Her wavering will, at the close of the novel, reinforce the author's repeated message throughout the two novels: good and evil are both relative terms and few humans existing within the tangled web of their own lives are objective enough to judge which is which.
'Godslayer' follows the army of men as they discover they were duped by Tanaros into believing that Cerelinde, the ellylon princess abducted in the first part, was taken to the distant stronghold of Beshtanag by the sorceress Lilias. This was to be a trap that would close in a death-lock around the army of Haomane. This trap however fails, as the prophecy begins to work against Sartoris' allies. It culminates with a ferocious battle outside Sartoris' stronghold and results in many tragic deaths. According to the book jacket, 'Godslayer' concludes the events begun in 'Banewreaker' however it is clearly not ended as the prophecy is not wholly fulfilled. A way is left open for Carey to take up the pen again to continue spinning her tale of betrayal and trust in a land that is preparing at the end of Godslayer for everlasting peace.
Since reading Carey's first 'Kushiel' trilogy where she takes the familiar history of the world since Christ's death and creates a whole new mythology, I have been a firm fan. Her plots are tightly woven and intriguing throughout, but as I stated earlier it is her dexterity with the written word that truly captivates her audience. It is rare for a second or third volume in a trilogy to surpass the original, yet she succeeds in this with ease. The same can be said for this new series, 'The Sundering', with its unique pantheon and their capricious warring. Carey never lets her reader down, either through the stories she weaves or her technique in doing so. A fabulous read and highly recommended.
Sana Master
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