“Canticle” by Ken Scholes (Tor, 2009)

In his debut novel, Lamentation, Ken Scholes set the stage for his five-book epic, bringing his complex cast of characters together to the catastrophic ruins of the once great city and library of Windwir.  Now, in the second book of the Psalms of Isaak, Scholes sends his characters off in opposite directions, on their own quests and journeys, each with different goals.  Along the way, some will meet as friends, some as enemies, some as lovers.  Readers will also learn more about the incredible world of the Named Lands and the Outlying Regions, as the characters travel deep into them, uncovering the ancient history of this realm that has been hidden, kept secret, misunderstood, and barely hinted at in Lamentation.  Scholes continues his genre-blending of fantasy with science fiction (or is it the other way round?) with a new form of  invisible assassin able to move faster and more deadly than Rudolfo’s trained spies and warriors, as well as his memorable mechoservitors .  Readers will be hooked from beginning to end, and then left waiting for the third book due out fall 2010; however there is a free story available at the TOR site for those impatient set within the same world.

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Originally written on November 24th, 2009 ©Alex C. Telander.

For an interview with Ken Scholes check out BookBanter Episode 21.