Bridge of the Separator

Videssos #12

by Harry Turtledove

Rhavas was a good, holy, and pious man-and the cousin of the Avtokrator. He would probably have become ecumenical patriarch of the Empire in the capital, Videssos the city . . . if his world had not suddenly and tragically fallen apart when the Empire of Videssos erupted into civil war and the Khamorth barbarians swarm over the borders. As the home he loved was brutally sacked, Rhavas had to flee for his life, then make his way through lands swarming with fierce nomads and with soldiers loyal both to his cousin and to the rebel. He may never see Videssos the city again, let alone preside in its High Temple. He has always followed Phos, the god of light and goodness, Videssos' god, and despised evil rival Skotos. Those who fall off the Bridge of the Separator during judgment in the afterlife tumble down to Skotes' ice forevermore. But when evil seems to have swallowed the whole world, what is a cleric who reverences logic as well as goodness supposed to believe? It's a harder question than Rhavas wishes it were . . . particularly when he discovers that his wishes-or curses-now can kill. Has evil Skotos chosen Rhavas as his agent? And can Rhavas resist the temptation to strike anyone down who gets in his way?

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Dr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.

Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.

Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.

Reviews

[D.w. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unless you are so engrossed in Videssos that you have to know all the thoughts rumbling in Turtledove's mind as to why things are what they are in the books he wrote previously. Don't read this book.

As said in other reviews, it is backstory.

Grim backstory.

For the dark side. But who cares? Are we not supposed to be connected to our stories. Don't we want some conclusion that leaves us with peace. Here we have something that fills in a gap that did not need it.

Turtledove is a historian first and maybe something nagged at him to write it, but it makes Videssos seem less than it was before this book.

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, finally an anally retentive character got the main billing in a book, instead of being a supporting character in someone else's story. This is the character study of a protagonist who is not likable, does not have charisma, etc. This character is literal, logical, sees detail, is highly educated, and is also socially lacking. It is the backstory of one of Turtledoves main supporting characters in a different series. This book also gives more detail to the religious background of the Videssos peoples and how well or not its followers keep to the doctrine. The writing is well done, but at the same time it is not about the type of character it is easy to read about. This book is recommended for Turtledove's Videssos fans only.

[Walter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The descend into hell of an arrogant prelate, who will become the main adversary of the Legion, is the subject of this book. The story is often gripping and more often depressing, but not because of the writing as such - Turtledove knows his craft - but because the change from idealism to terrorism is such a universal story.

Still, there comes a point when you have to drop it and cease to read on.

[Paul Trembling · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good fantasy has a well developed background, making a realistic world that includes politics, economy, religion, etc. - as well as swords and sorcery! A lot of fantasy writers fall down on these sort of background details, and religion especially is often just sketched in if not ignored entirely. But not with Harry Turtledove. The Videssos Empire is richly detailed, and it's religion is central to the story. The main character, Rhavas, is a senior cleric, something of a high-flyer, an accomplished academic and theologian. But everything he believes in is brought into question when the Empire succumbs to civil war and barbarian invasion. His prayers for peace and deliverance go unanswered. And then he discovers that he has the power to kill people with a curse. Turtledove documents Rhavas' descent from a high-minded orthodox cleric to a murderer, rapist and worshiper of dark gods - in parallel to the Empire's descent from peace and prosperity to anarchy and devastation. It's a powerful, absorbing and sometimes thought-provoking story. Unfortunately, it's only one in a series of novels about Videssos, and I haven't been able to track down the next (if it's yet been written) so I don't know how the story ends! Apart from that, though, I have only one minor quibble. There are several points where Turtledove breaks the flow of the story to tell us things about Rhavas' inner motivations that not even Rhavas knows. It's an unfortunate and (to my mind) rather clumsy method of introducing information in a story which is otherwise told with such skill.

[Brentman99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book that builds upon Turtledove's great Videssos world. This is a look into the dark side of the religion and I found it a good read.