![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jaceyAnother outing for Acatl, High Priest of the Dead in Tenochtitlan, the capital if the Mexica/Aztec world. This takes up the story begun in Servant of the Underworld, approximately one year later. Acatl is a little more secure in his job, though he still tries to avoid the politicking which the high priests of the other gods seem to revel in. Teomitl, the younger brother of the current Revered Speaker (emperor in all but name) has now taken up with Acatl's sister, much to the disgust of the heir presumptive, Tizoc, another of the Revered Speaker's brothers and names by him as his successor.
When the Revered Speaker dies - of natural causes as it was mentioned that he was ill in the previous book - the palace is thrown into an uproar. It should be simple, Tizoc has already been named heir, but the council has to ratify this and in the meantime with the deceased Speaker still not buried and Tizoc's place not confirmed Tenochtitlan is vulnerable to star demons and all manner of other supernatural threats. Only the confirmation of a new Revered Speaker can save them because the Speaker channels the power of the god Huitzilpochtli (the sun god) to protect the fifth world (this one).
If it were only political wranglings it wouldn't be so bad but someone is summoning star demons from inside the palace's protected precincts to kill council members - messily - and Acatl is trying to unravel the mystery, find the culprit and stop him (or her) without the help of the high priests of the other major gods - since they seem to be too busy sticking their oars into the political pool.
As with all good mysteries there are a number of suspects, all with motive and means, but when these are eliminated one by one, all that remains is the unthinkable.
Tizoc has no love for either Acatl or his sister and he's acting as though he's already wearing the turquoise, so even his brother Teomitl has to watch his step - not Teomitl's strong suit.
It's all change in Tenochtitlan. Acatl is involved whether he likes it or not and it may be that he has to solicit the help of a god to sort things out. Unfortunately not his own god.
This is that difficult middle novel of a trilogy but Ms de Bodard doesn't let the pace drop. Characterisation is excellent, but it's the setting that makes this trilogy stand out. The world is perfectly painted and as historically accurate as it can be - given that the magic is depicted as real and physical. The setting encompasses details both large and small, from the descriptions of Tenochtitlan - a world without metal technology (hence the fragile but obscenely sharp obsidian knives) - to the tiny details of eating newts. Sacrifices, animal and human, are a fact of everyday life and are all that keep the gods and Mother Earth appeased.
I've more or less overcome the strangeness of the Aztec names which provided speedbumps to a smooth story in the first book and I've started to recognise them as visual words – but I'd hate to have to pronounce them. I take my hat off to Ms de Bodard if she does readings from these books.
When the Revered Speaker dies - of natural causes as it was mentioned that he was ill in the previous book - the palace is thrown into an uproar. It should be simple, Tizoc has already been named heir, but the council has to ratify this and in the meantime with the deceased Speaker still not buried and Tizoc's place not confirmed Tenochtitlan is vulnerable to star demons and all manner of other supernatural threats. Only the confirmation of a new Revered Speaker can save them because the Speaker channels the power of the god Huitzilpochtli (the sun god) to protect the fifth world (this one).
If it were only political wranglings it wouldn't be so bad but someone is summoning star demons from inside the palace's protected precincts to kill council members - messily - and Acatl is trying to unravel the mystery, find the culprit and stop him (or her) without the help of the high priests of the other major gods - since they seem to be too busy sticking their oars into the political pool.
As with all good mysteries there are a number of suspects, all with motive and means, but when these are eliminated one by one, all that remains is the unthinkable.
Tizoc has no love for either Acatl or his sister and he's acting as though he's already wearing the turquoise, so even his brother Teomitl has to watch his step - not Teomitl's strong suit.
It's all change in Tenochtitlan. Acatl is involved whether he likes it or not and it may be that he has to solicit the help of a god to sort things out. Unfortunately not his own god.
This is that difficult middle novel of a trilogy but Ms de Bodard doesn't let the pace drop. Characterisation is excellent, but it's the setting that makes this trilogy stand out. The world is perfectly painted and as historically accurate as it can be - given that the magic is depicted as real and physical. The setting encompasses details both large and small, from the descriptions of Tenochtitlan - a world without metal technology (hence the fragile but obscenely sharp obsidian knives) - to the tiny details of eating newts. Sacrifices, animal and human, are a fact of everyday life and are all that keep the gods and Mother Earth appeased.
I've more or less overcome the strangeness of the Aztec names which provided speedbumps to a smooth story in the first book and I've started to recognise them as visual words – but I'd hate to have to pronounce them. I take my hat off to Ms de Bodard if she does readings from these books.
