Sky Knife

Sky Knife #1

by Marella Sands

Sky Knife is a young man cursed with an unlucky name - a name his mother saw in a vision and pledged that her son would bear, to honor whatever destiny the gods had decreed. He hasn't the luck to take one of the usual paths charted for his farmer, soldier, merchant - all these roads are closed to him. The only hope for him lies in service at the King's Temple, where - he hopes - the gods will make clear his purpose in the world. But as a novice priest he has little hope of fulfilling his destiny. That is, until a human sacrifice goes horribly wrong, priests begin to die, and the skies fill with dangerous portents and visions. Magic of all sorts seems to cling to Sky Knife like a shroud, but if he is daring and lucky enough, he may just find out the answer - and, in doing so, win a place among his people. Sky Knife is a compelling and evocative portrait of ancient Mayan culture.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 1997

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to quickly shift my perceived idea of the novel being a historical record to that of a fantasy. It took some work to visualize Sky Knife's world as one of "real magic". I expected a historical novel in which magic is a part of their lives but based in everyday science.

With that out of the way, I can say the author has done an excellent job in recreating daily Mayan life, with magic somewhat eschewed from reality. Once you wrap yourself around the premise, the story can grab a hold of you and give you a glimpse into ancient traditions (and a good read).

The sacrifices and other ceremonies are quite graphic (maybe not the best for pre-teens).

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sky Knife was not born lucky but this Mayan manages to escape death and win the love of his life. He is an unlikely hero but he uses his wits and other's weaknesses in strategic ways. Set in Mesoamerica, this dramatic mystery works on many levels.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historical fantasy novel. Historical because set in a Mayan city. Fantasy because Mayan priests engage in actual magic. It was ok, but just never grabbed me.