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Kencyrath #1–2
The God Stalker Chronicles
Jame is a Kencyrath, the chosen people of the Three-Faced God, who fight the demonic being called Perimal Darkling. At the same time, she fights an internal battle for their honor because 3,000 years ago the leader of the Kencyrath betrayed his people to the Darkness for his own immortality.
She also must find her ten-year older brother Tori and return to him the sword and ring of their father. If that is not enough she has to stand before the rathorns, wear the cloak of living snakes, kill one god, and resurrect another. All in a day's work for Jame.
Publisher's Note: The God Stalker Chronicles has been previously published as two separate novels, God Stalk and its sequel Dark of the Moon.
She also must find her ten-year older brother Tori and return to him the sword and ring of their father. If that is not enough she has to stand before the rathorns, wear the cloak of living snakes, kill one god, and resurrect another. All in a day's work for Jame.
Publisher's Note: The God Stalker Chronicles has been previously published as two separate novels, God Stalk and its sequel Dark of the Moon.
656 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 24, 2019
A collection of two outstanding fantasy books (God Stalk and Dark of the Moon) that apparently flew under most people's radar (mine included, sadly) when they first came out in the early 1980s. (Fortunately, this story has a happy ending -- after bouncing around various small presses &c. in the 1990s, Hodgell got picked up by Baen, and the series is now up to 8 or 9 books; just please disregard the standard Baen cover art.)
The first book is relatively smaller-scale sword & sorcery -- Jame, a Kencyr (almost but not quite human) stumbles into the god-haunted city of Tai-Tastigon, where she ends up dancing in an inn, joining the thieves' guild and getting caught up in various political machinations. All the while, though, there are hints of something larger going on (including, to be fair, the opening prologue of the book that tells of the Kencyrath's millennia-long, worlds-spanning war against Perimal Darkling, a war which ended ... badly).
The second book starts to raise the stakes into something more like epic fantasy -- we spend a fair portion of the book with Jame's twin brother Tori (from whom she was separated prior to the events of the first book), who's facing political machinations of his own as he tries to unite his people to confront a vast army that may or may not be controlled by Perimal Darkling (if not controlled, it's certainly being nudged). At the same time, Jame, her gigantic friend Marc and her ounce (a sort of bobcat-sized feline?) Jorin have left Tai-Tastigon so that Jame can give her brother their father's sword. And along the way to reunion there are plenty of adventures and perils and weird wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey bits.
Great stuff, and I'm very glad that Hodgell has been able to continue the series because I really want to see what happens next.
The first book is relatively smaller-scale sword & sorcery -- Jame, a Kencyr (almost but not quite human) stumbles into the god-haunted city of Tai-Tastigon, where she ends up dancing in an inn, joining the thieves' guild and getting caught up in various political machinations. All the while, though, there are hints of something larger going on (including, to be fair, the opening prologue of the book that tells of the Kencyrath's millennia-long, worlds-spanning war against Perimal Darkling, a war which ended ... badly).
The second book starts to raise the stakes into something more like epic fantasy -- we spend a fair portion of the book with Jame's twin brother Tori (from whom she was separated prior to the events of the first book), who's facing political machinations of his own as he tries to unite his people to confront a vast army that may or may not be controlled by Perimal Darkling (if not controlled, it's certainly being nudged). At the same time, Jame, her gigantic friend Marc and her ounce (a sort of bobcat-sized feline?) Jorin have left Tai-Tastigon so that Jame can give her brother their father's sword. And along the way to reunion there are plenty of adventures and perils and weird wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey bits.
Great stuff, and I'm very glad that Hodgell has been able to continue the series because I really want to see what happens next.
July 30, 2018
This is another book I remembered very fondly from my teenagehood (I even had a limited-edition hardcover), and recently re-read to see how it withstood the test of time (as well as comparing older and newer young-adult fantasy). I enjoyed it tremendously. Below are my thoughts for prospective readers.
What to Expect
A highly entertaining story, setting up the beginning of an epic fantasy cycle. Hodgell is slowly building the mythology around the people, characters, and places in the world. Hints and back stories are alluded to, giving tantalising tastes of things to come. Structurally, God Stalk is told as important episodes over the span of a year and a bit. We get to know Jame, her companions, and the fantastic city and world as events interweave and grow in tempo to conclusion.
Allow me to go on a tangent: there is the question of the thieves guild. While this is a fantasy trope (and in Hodgell's defence, she published this in 1982), one always wonders about how cities can support this. There is the basic predator/pray populations ratio that every biologist will tell you about. Conversely, large enough populations to support such a large guild would be expected to develop mechanisms to cohabitate in close proximity. Be that as it may, this is handled well in the novel.
Back to the series. The second volume, Dark of the Moon, alternates viewpoints between Jame and Tori. They lead vastly different lives and adventures, and Hodgell uses both to expose us both to the world of Rathilien and to the culture of the Kencyrath. Both characters are highly engaging, and both plots leave you turning page as you (and them) make your way to meeting at the grand battle at the end.
What I liked
Hodgell's story-telling and world-building are top-notch, her story pacing is excellent, and she balances light and dark themes perfectly. I love the tantalising glimpses into Jame's past, and the slowly-building tension around her. One can't help but feel immersed in the story, love Jame's vibrancy, and wish to learn more.
What to be aware of
The story is more or less self-contained, but it's obvious at the end that it is merely the beginning of a larger cycle. This novel was published in 1982, and I imagine some modern readers might find the style a bit dated. The latest installment (book 8) was published last year -- 35 years on. I believe the series is still not complete, though I expect GRRM fans will likely not mind this in the least.
The city of Tai-tastigon is wonderful, but the rest of the series takes place in other locations. Style also changes between novels, although I find the writing consistently excellent.
Summary
A highly recommended series. This is epic fantasy done right, with perfect balance of light and dark, and excellent, slowly-building pacing. I'm off to re-read the rest of the series (and read those newer volumes for the first time). If you love fantasy, I strongly suggest you add God Stalk to your TBR pile.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
A highly entertaining story, setting up the beginning of an epic fantasy cycle. Hodgell is slowly building the mythology around the people, characters, and places in the world. Hints and back stories are alluded to, giving tantalising tastes of things to come. Structurally, God Stalk is told as important episodes over the span of a year and a bit. We get to know Jame, her companions, and the fantastic city and world as events interweave and grow in tempo to conclusion.
Allow me to go on a tangent: there is the question of the thieves guild. While this is a fantasy trope (and in Hodgell's defence, she published this in 1982), one always wonders about how cities can support this. There is the basic predator/pray populations ratio that every biologist will tell you about. Conversely, large enough populations to support such a large guild would be expected to develop mechanisms to cohabitate in close proximity. Be that as it may, this is handled well in the novel.
Back to the series. The second volume, Dark of the Moon, alternates viewpoints between Jame and Tori. They lead vastly different lives and adventures, and Hodgell uses both to expose us both to the world of Rathilien and to the culture of the Kencyrath. Both characters are highly engaging, and both plots leave you turning page as you (and them) make your way to meeting at the grand battle at the end.
What I liked
Hodgell's story-telling and world-building are top-notch, her story pacing is excellent, and she balances light and dark themes perfectly. I love the tantalising glimpses into Jame's past, and the slowly-building tension around her. One can't help but feel immersed in the story, love Jame's vibrancy, and wish to learn more.
What to be aware of
The story is more or less self-contained, but it's obvious at the end that it is merely the beginning of a larger cycle. This novel was published in 1982, and I imagine some modern readers might find the style a bit dated. The latest installment (book 8) was published last year -- 35 years on. I believe the series is still not complete, though I expect GRRM fans will likely not mind this in the least.
The city of Tai-tastigon is wonderful, but the rest of the series takes place in other locations. Style also changes between novels, although I find the writing consistently excellent.
Summary
A highly recommended series. This is epic fantasy done right, with perfect balance of light and dark, and excellent, slowly-building pacing. I'm off to re-read the rest of the series (and read those newer volumes for the first time). If you love fantasy, I strongly suggest you add God Stalk to your TBR pile.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
July 7, 2014
Includes God Stalk and Dark of the Moon:
God Stalk
My first book by this author, who's described as a "cult favorite." Never heard of her before, but I thought this was a quite entertaining fantasy in the classic vein (think Thieves' World) but with a vein of darker elements running through it... (maybe a little Storm Constantine, Tanith Lee, Meredith Ann Pierce...)
From the wilderness, the young woman Jame arrives at the city of Tai-Tastigon... unfortunately during the inauspicious night of the Feast of Dead Gods, when all sorts of formerly-worshipped horrors walk the streets freely.... Luckily, most of the rest of the time, the many gods of the mazelike city are safely "en-templed" (I LOVE the concept of having to keep your god locked up in its temple!)
Although Jame remembers little of where she came from, or what she has been doing for the last few years, she knows that she is one of the possibly-alien Kencyr, that her high-blooded family was killed, and she has a mission to find her brother, and restore the heirlooms that are his birthright to him. However, it seems a hopeless task, and Jame soon finds herself caught up in the complex life of the city - apprenticed to a master thief, and living at a bustling inn that unfortunately is being harassed by the competition next door... not to mention catching the interest of more than one man, and also being fascinated my the riddles of Tai-Tastigon's many gods...
A fun read, with a good mix of the classic and the original...
Dark of the Moon
In this sequel of "God Stalk," Hodgell follows her main character from that book, Jame, but the tone of the story changes drastically. "Dark of the Moon" is a much more 'epic'-feeling fantasy, as Jame returns to her mission to find her brother, whom she suspects is now High Lord of the Kencyr . So she sets forth with the 'giant' man, Marc, and her mind-bonded blind hunting cat, Jorin, and much questing and adventure ensues...
Meanwhile, her brother, Torisen, is indeed High Lord, and as such is dealing with much political maneuvering, as Kencyr society is bound by all kinds of strict traditions and rigid ideas about honor... which can get in the way of dealing with issues that come up, such as shape-changing impostors, assassins, power-hungry rivals, not to mention the rumors of a three-million-strong, half-human cannibal horde about to overrrun civilized lands...
Well-done fantasy but I have to admit that I missed the more intimate tone of the first book, as well as the intriguing setting of the city of Tai-Tastigon.
God Stalk
My first book by this author, who's described as a "cult favorite." Never heard of her before, but I thought this was a quite entertaining fantasy in the classic vein (think Thieves' World) but with a vein of darker elements running through it... (maybe a little Storm Constantine, Tanith Lee, Meredith Ann Pierce...)
From the wilderness, the young woman Jame arrives at the city of Tai-Tastigon... unfortunately during the inauspicious night of the Feast of Dead Gods, when all sorts of formerly-worshipped horrors walk the streets freely.... Luckily, most of the rest of the time, the many gods of the mazelike city are safely "en-templed" (I LOVE the concept of having to keep your god locked up in its temple!)
Although Jame remembers little of where she came from, or what she has been doing for the last few years, she knows that she is one of the possibly-alien Kencyr, that her high-blooded family was killed, and she has a mission to find her brother, and restore the heirlooms that are his birthright to him. However, it seems a hopeless task, and Jame soon finds herself caught up in the complex life of the city - apprenticed to a master thief, and living at a bustling inn that unfortunately is being harassed by the competition next door... not to mention catching the interest of more than one man, and also being fascinated my the riddles of Tai-Tastigon's many gods...
A fun read, with a good mix of the classic and the original...
Dark of the Moon
In this sequel of "God Stalk," Hodgell follows her main character from that book, Jame, but the tone of the story changes drastically. "Dark of the Moon" is a much more 'epic'-feeling fantasy, as Jame returns to her mission to find her brother, whom she suspects is now High Lord of the Kencyr . So she sets forth with the 'giant' man, Marc, and her mind-bonded blind hunting cat, Jorin, and much questing and adventure ensues...
Meanwhile, her brother, Torisen, is indeed High Lord, and as such is dealing with much political maneuvering, as Kencyr society is bound by all kinds of strict traditions and rigid ideas about honor... which can get in the way of dealing with issues that come up, such as shape-changing impostors, assassins, power-hungry rivals, not to mention the rumors of a three-million-strong, half-human cannibal horde about to overrrun civilized lands...
Well-done fantasy but I have to admit that I missed the more intimate tone of the first book, as well as the intriguing setting of the city of Tai-Tastigon.
October 15, 2009
Darkling, Original Fantasy
This is an ombnibus collection of Books 1 & 2 of Hodgell's Kencyrath series, Godstalk and Dark of the Moon.
Patrica Hodgell is my favorite author, one of the most creative, inspired writers of fantasy today. With her tales of the Kencyrath, Hodgell has created a darkly brilliant, sensuously intriguing, heart-poundingly exciting, amazingly original worldscape, with deeply fascinating, utterly human yet definitely NOT human characters who have the most entertaining flaws, as well as the most captivating strengths.
Jame, Hodgell's female protagonist, is THE anti-hero, her people's anticipated (and equally feared) avatar of destruction, and yet one who strives with the rigid honor of her people to undo what havoc her mere presence unfailing creates. A darkling, a thief, a dancer, a Senethar fighter, a Shanir gifted (or cursed) with some of her race's most feared psychic abilities, Jame is everything a Highborn girl should NOT be, and yet she is, amazingly and unrepentantly so. Disarmingly self-deprecating, surprisingly down-to-earth (for someone of the purest blood), and frighteningly capable, Jame is the hub and her people's destiny revolves around her, wheeling all of creation toward a fate that no one, not even Jame or her twin brother Tori, can imagine.
I wait (impatiently) patient for each new installment in Jame's story because it's absolutely worth it. I revisit Hodgell's works every year because they collectively serve as a reminder, year after year, of what criteria I should follow for seeking out the best in literary fantasy. And because I love it so damn much.
You won't go wrong doing to same.
This is an ombnibus collection of Books 1 & 2 of Hodgell's Kencyrath series, Godstalk and Dark of the Moon.
Patrica Hodgell is my favorite author, one of the most creative, inspired writers of fantasy today. With her tales of the Kencyrath, Hodgell has created a darkly brilliant, sensuously intriguing, heart-poundingly exciting, amazingly original worldscape, with deeply fascinating, utterly human yet definitely NOT human characters who have the most entertaining flaws, as well as the most captivating strengths.
Jame, Hodgell's female protagonist, is THE anti-hero, her people's anticipated (and equally feared) avatar of destruction, and yet one who strives with the rigid honor of her people to undo what havoc her mere presence unfailing creates. A darkling, a thief, a dancer, a Senethar fighter, a Shanir gifted (or cursed) with some of her race's most feared psychic abilities, Jame is everything a Highborn girl should NOT be, and yet she is, amazingly and unrepentantly so. Disarmingly self-deprecating, surprisingly down-to-earth (for someone of the purest blood), and frighteningly capable, Jame is the hub and her people's destiny revolves around her, wheeling all of creation toward a fate that no one, not even Jame or her twin brother Tori, can imagine.
I wait (impatiently) patient for each new installment in Jame's story because it's absolutely worth it. I revisit Hodgell's works every year because they collectively serve as a reminder, year after year, of what criteria I should follow for seeking out the best in literary fantasy. And because I love it so damn much.
You won't go wrong doing to same.
January 16, 2010
This is the first two books of P.C. Hodgell's Kencyrath series, "God Stalk" and "Dark of the Moon". The first book introduces Jame, and tells of her time in the city of Tai-Tastigon, where she joins the Thieves' Guild and experiments with the nature of the Gods. The second book deals with Jame's return to her homeland, and her brother (who is the Highlord of the Kencyrath) leading their people against a barbarian horde which is being manipulated by the evil Master who betrayed the Kencyrath.
The stories are good fantasy romps, but Hodgell does seem to lose her way a bit sometimes, and at other times skips over pieces of action completely. I think it'd probably be more enjoyable on the second read-through.
The stories are good fantasy romps, but Hodgell does seem to lose her way a bit sometimes, and at other times skips over pieces of action completely. I think it'd probably be more enjoyable on the second read-through.
April 27, 2021
The God Stalker Chronicles ist die Sammelausgabe der beiden ersten Bücher der Kencyrath-Reihe, God Stalk und Dark of the Moon. Daher ist das folgende Review in zwei Teile aufgeteilt.
God Stalk
God Stalk wirft den Leser direkt ins Geschehen. Jame flieht vor den Haunts, einer Art Zombies, und kommt so nach Tai-Tastigon, die Stadt, in der alle lebenden Götter einen Tempel haben und die toten Götter durch die Straßen irren. Dort wird sie zum Lehrling eines Diebes und erlebt verschiedene Abenteuer.
Außergewöhnlich ist dabei die Struktur des Buchs. Die Geschichte hat kaum einen roten Faden und schweift weit von der „Hauptstory“ ab. Sie wird durch die verschiedenen „Subgeschichten“, die nur wenig Zusammenhänge untereinander besitzen, erzählt, und wirkt so etwas episodenhaft wie eine Fernsehserie (z.B. Avatar – Der Herr der Elemente). Durch diese einzelnen „Episoden“ blieb das Buch für mich stets spannend und die Geschichte(n) fesselte(n) mich.
Die Protagonistin, Jame, wirkt real. Sie hat ihre eigenen Sorgen – unter anderem die Tatsache ihrer vergessenen Erinnerungen –, lässt sich aber doch nie unterkriegen. Bisweilen wirkt sie etwas naiv, aber nicht übermäßig. Trotz ihrer Probleme bewegt sie sich doch recht elegant und mutig durch eine Welt und eine Geschichte, die ihr alle möglichen Widrigkeiten entgegenwirft. Ein gut gelungener Charakter und eine starke Frau.
Auch das Worldbuilding ist eine Stärke des Buchs. Tai-Tastigon steckt voller interessanter Orte und Charaktere. Mit den Gildenkriegen, den vielen Gottheiten und den verwinkelten Straßen, die einem Labyrinth gleichen, erinnert mich Tai-Tastigon stark an Ankh-Morporkh – eine der besten Städte der Fantasy-Literatur. Im Verlaufe des Buchs lernt der Leser die Stadt zusammen mit Jame immer besser kennen und so entwickelte ich selbst eine Bindung zu der Stadt.
Interessant war für mich außerdem das Volk der Kencyrath, zu dem auch die Protagonistin gehört. Zunächst hielt ich es für eine weitere Variante von Elfen, doch nach mehr Ausführungen wurde mir klar, dass es sich hier viel mehr um einzigartige Kreation handelt. Mit den verschiedenen (Adels-)Häusern und den „Kasten“ klang das Volk der Kencyrath für mich direkt interessant. Offensichtlich ist auch, dass es eine ausführliche Hintergrundgeschichte zu dem Volk gibt. Auf weitere Ausführungen in den Folgebänden bin ich schon sehr gespannt.
Der Anhang war außerdem sehr nützlich, da er einige Informationen zu den Kencyrath und Tai-Tastigon zusammenfasst.
Insgesamt ist God Stalk für mich der perfekte Reihenstart. Die Einführung in die Welt funktioniert enorm gut, Jame ist eine gute Protagonistin und noch dazu wirkt die Welt bereits hier, als hätte sie ordentlich Tiefgang. 5 von 5 Sternen.
Dark of the Moon
Jame verlässt Tai-Tastigon und macht sich gemeinsam mit Marc und Jorin auf die Suche nach ihrem Bruder. Dabei durchstreift sie Rathilien und reist so durch die verschiedensten Orte. Währenddessen muss Torisen, Herrscher der Kencyrath, sein Volk zusammenhalten und die Bedrohung der Horde ausschalten.
Anders als God Stalk ist Dark of the Moon eher ein stereotypisches Fantasy-Buch. Es gibt ein Ziel, das die Charaktere verfolgen, und auf die Erfüllung dieses Ziels wird das ganze Buch über hingearbeitet. Die Episodenstruktur fällt hier weg, was ich persönlich etwas schade fand. Dadurch startet das Buch erst langsam und braucht etwas bis es wirklich in Fahrt kommt. Die letzten 200 Seiten sind dafür Spannung pur.
Zusätzlich zu James POV enthält dieses Buch auch POVs aus der Sicht ihres Bruders Torisen. Dieser ist ein guter Charakter mit seinen eigenen charakterlichen Schwächen und Stärken. Anfangs haben mich seine POVs zwar nicht sonderlich interessiert, doch mit der Zeit wurde ich mit ihm warm und empfand so die Hinzufügung seiner Sicht schlussendlich als Pluspunkt.
Rathillien (die Welt der Reihe) wird hier deutlich weiter ausgebaut. Auf der Suche nach ihrem Bruder durchquert Jame die verschiedensten Gegenden, die sich häufig geradezu märchenhaft und mysteriös anfühlen. Mit jeder neuen Offenbarung ergeben sich dabei neue Fragen und so bleibt die Welt stets geheimnisvoll, ohne aufgrund mangelnder Informationen zu nerven. Auch die Hintergründe der Kencyrath werden immer weiter ausgeführt. Deren Kultur und Vergangenheit fühlen sich somit immer realer an.
Auch hier gibt es wieder einen Anhang mit Informationen zu den Kencyrath. Dieser Anhang ist nicht derselbe wie im ersten Teil, sondern wurde an den zweiten Teil angepasst. Hier werden die Adelshäuser der Kencyrath und ein Stammbaum dargestellt.
Alles in allem konnte mich auch der zweite Teil sehr begeistern. Die einzige Schwäche war für mich der langsame Anfang des Buchs. Hier habe ich nach dem ersten Teil einfach etwas mehr erwartet. Nichts destotrotz waren die Geschichte und die Welt extrem spannend und somit gebe ich dem zweiten Buch 4 von 5 Sternen.
Mit meiner Ausgabe des Buchs habe ich jedoch ein Problem: die Tinte scheint nicht die beste zu sein. Schlechte Tinte fällt mir gerade bei englischsprachigen Büchern immer wieder auf. Die Tinte verwischt bei Berührung manchmal minimal und auf einigen Seiten ist sie auch einfach extrem blass, allerdings ist meine Ausgabe auch bereits gebraucht, weshalb letzteres auch eine Alterserscheinung sein kann. Das Buch ist zwar komplett leserlich, aber das Verwischen der Tinte sieht doch etwas unschön aus.
Da ich die Qualität der Ausgabe allerdings nicht in die Bewertung einfließen lassen möchte – das Cover finde ich übrigens ziemlich lahm und nicht gerade ansprechend – gebe ich insgesamt 4,5 Sterne, die ich mit Freude auf 5 Sterne aufrunde.
June 25, 2015
Abandoned. 250 pages in and still wondering where the story is or why I should care about Jame. I don't often comment on writing styles, but In my opinion, Hodgell is a poor storyteller and her writing style is boring and not engaging. I couldn't care less about the characters or the story, the author utterly failed to pull me into the book.
The story has potential (eg Jame becomes apprentice to legendary thief master) but they are not explored or dead ended. In the end, it is just an endless series of lukewarm anecdotes leading you nowhere, without tension building up, without creating interest in how it all will develop.
There are too many better books waiting for me to continue reading in the hope this ugly duckling will turn into a beautiful swan.
The story has potential (eg Jame becomes apprentice to legendary thief master) but they are not explored or dead ended. In the end, it is just an endless series of lukewarm anecdotes leading you nowhere, without tension building up, without creating interest in how it all will develop.
There are too many better books waiting for me to continue reading in the hope this ugly duckling will turn into a beautiful swan.
February 15, 2013
4/5; 4 stars ; A-
This is a single volume published by Baen ebooks which encompasses both Book 1, God Stalk, and Book 2, Dark of the Moon. I commented on the two separately.
Book 1:
God Stalk
Book 2:
Dark of the Moon
This is a single volume published by Baen ebooks which encompasses both Book 1, God Stalk, and Book 2, Dark of the Moon. I commented on the two separately.
Book 1:
God Stalk
Book 2:
Dark of the Moon
April 23, 2015
Don't waste your time
The book took me longer to read it because it was NOT interesting. I felt I wasted time and money on a book I truly hated! I will Never purchase another book from this author again.
The book took me longer to read it because it was NOT interesting. I felt I wasted time and money on a book I truly hated! I will Never purchase another book from this author again.
November 5, 2016
Hard to follow at time. That said this has potential for real drama and a lengthy life span of storylines. The dark, the shunned, the caged and trapped. What are the real restrictions to Jame's honor ?
April 1, 2023
3.5/5. When these books were first released it would be another 2 years before I was born. However back in 2001 when I was discovering the Dragons of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey Heralds of Valdimar books I somehow missed out on these. In all fairness Booktube, the internet, and stuff we've come to rely on to find authors hadn't really come into proper existence yet. This is comfort old school fantasy with a sort of sci-fi hints along the way. Its the type that I can get into easily and enjoy yet at the same time tones and things have shifted significantly since its first publication. Jame feels a lot more modern then she should yet at the same time she's not as fleshed out as she could be. Granted there are a lot more books with her as the main character so that should help things out but for these first two books its a slight issue for me. While I'm not rating it super high I would definitely recommend it and I wish that I could find the next few books but outside of buying them for $11 ebooks I haven't been able to find physical copies in any libraries in my province nor the three closest so its unlikely I'll continue on with the series right now.
March 23, 2020
The story definitely improved in book 2, so I changed from a 1 star to a 2 star (I'd say 1 star God Stalk, 3 stars Dark of the Moon, so an average of 2). The second book (Dark of the Moon) had much more of an actual plot. I did also like how the types of magic and races in the world are really original, and I look forward to finding out what will happen to Jame now that she's back from her adventures and will be expected to be nothing but a pawn like other Highborn ladies (I found it hilarious how Lyla was so content with just being part of a contract, Jame is definitely not going to like that xD ). On the downside, sometimes the weird magic was hard to follow/picture and was on the border of mystical things happening for the sole purpose of advancing the plot or saving the main characters. I have heard the third book gets better, though, since this book was still early in the author's career.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2024
Abandoned this book at page 155 and wanted to ten pages in. I thought I'd give it more time to get interesting, but it never did--never in those first 155 pages did the tension really ramp up. Hodgell seems to be a highly imaginative writer, and the complex world of the city in which the main character, Jame, finds herself is intriguing. However, it's so complex and with so many guilds, rules, and characters, that if you are like me and can only devote enough time to read for 15-20 minutes of it per day, you will get entirely lost in what's happening, and frankly, what's happening is not much. At my age, I can't afford wasting time on a slow moving book as there are so many other books out there that I can read and enjoy. I will give P.C. Hodgell an A for effort, but a solid D for production. I'm hoping her other books got better, unfortunately, I will not be the one finding out.
December 23, 2017
Like watching a good action film, the new Star Trek movies for example. Didn't even need to keep track of all the High Lords once I knew who mattered and the difference between their personal names and the name of their House. I'll be reading the rest of the series, and I sure hope that Jame does not go the way of the Aes Sedai women in Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series. I was so happy to think that someone had finally broken the female stereotype in fantasy fiction (temptress and/or witch) only to have all of them revert to type as the books continued. Made me mad enough that I didn't finish the series in protest over Jordan's inability to imagine better for the women. I have high hopes for Jame
June 11, 2017
Loved it even more the second time around because I wasn't reading at breakneck speed to find out what happened at the end. Wonderful writing, highly original world-building, and extremely engaging characters, with the added benefit of being completely unpredictable, much like Jame herself :)
November 30, 2018
This omnibus contains God Stalk and Dark of the Moon
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August 11, 20203 and a half stars.
September 19, 2020
A Science Fiction Book Club selection.
Read
December 25, 2020FANTASTIC WHERE IS THE NEXT ONE a bit gory though, the demon thingies creep me out. I just need to read those parts in the morning so I have time to get over it.
February 19, 2025
Excellent
Childhood read returned to after years great memory loved characters personalities and all the world building painted a wonderful picture
Childhood read returned to after years great memory loved characters personalities and all the world building painted a wonderful picture
November 10, 2015
This volume collects the novel God Stalk and its sequel, Dark of the Moon.
In God Stalk, our protagonist Jame has lost her memory and arrives in the city of Tai-Tastigon looking for answers to who she is and seeking her lost twin brother, Torisen. She joins the thieves guild and gets involved in the city’s politics whilst simultaneously trying to prevent the city’s gods escaping from their temples and destroying the city.
In Dark of the Moon, we get to see more of the world outside of Tai-Tastigon and learn of Torisen’s attempt to unite the houses of the Kencyrath people in order to do battle with the Horde, which is attacking their lands for the first time in thousands of years. Jame continues her search for Torisen in order to return their dead father’s ring and sword to their rightful owner, her brother.
If you are looking for an easy to read, average fantasy novel, then this is for you. All the usual fantasy elements are here: teenage protagonist on a quest to return Important Items to their rightful owner/find long-lost relative, pitched battles on horseback with swords against a monstrous horde, magical shape-shifters, medieval walled cities, animal helpers - you name it and these novels have it.
Overall, Dark of the Moon is the better book. We get to see more of the world and are introduced to more characters than in God Stalk, which seemed rather cramped, being restricted as it was to the one city.
Nothing terrible to say about either novel, but nothing particularly outstanding either. You will not have wasted your time if you decide to give either of them a go.
In God Stalk, our protagonist Jame has lost her memory and arrives in the city of Tai-Tastigon looking for answers to who she is and seeking her lost twin brother, Torisen. She joins the thieves guild and gets involved in the city’s politics whilst simultaneously trying to prevent the city’s gods escaping from their temples and destroying the city.
In Dark of the Moon, we get to see more of the world outside of Tai-Tastigon and learn of Torisen’s attempt to unite the houses of the Kencyrath people in order to do battle with the Horde, which is attacking their lands for the first time in thousands of years. Jame continues her search for Torisen in order to return their dead father’s ring and sword to their rightful owner, her brother.
If you are looking for an easy to read, average fantasy novel, then this is for you. All the usual fantasy elements are here: teenage protagonist on a quest to return Important Items to their rightful owner/find long-lost relative, pitched battles on horseback with swords against a monstrous horde, magical shape-shifters, medieval walled cities, animal helpers - you name it and these novels have it.
Overall, Dark of the Moon is the better book. We get to see more of the world and are introduced to more characters than in God Stalk, which seemed rather cramped, being restricted as it was to the one city.
Nothing terrible to say about either novel, but nothing particularly outstanding either. You will not have wasted your time if you decide to give either of them a go.
November 3, 2016
I liked Godstalk, the first book of this combined edition, and LOVED Dark of the Moon, the second book, either because I prefer "high" fantasy (as with the second novel) to "low" fantasy or because Godstalk just had too many leaps in it and no characters other than Jame and to a lesser degree Marc and Baen whom I could differentiate. I kept feeling that there were huge gaps in Jame's relationship with Baen and with Dally, so when they both met their fates, it wasn't as startling to me because I just didn't believe it mattered that much to Jame. (I did love the entire saga with the frog god, though, that was awesome!) Hodgell is a fantastic writer, though and I loved the touches of humor in the story, so I decided to keep reading the second book, and boy am I glad I did, because I LOVED that one (hence a combined four stars for this, three for the first, five for the second.) In part, I loved the second because there was more backstory for Jame and in part because I fell deeply in love with her brother Tori - as haunted as Jame is by the past she doesn't fully remember, Tori is equally haunted by the past he remembers all too well, and the contrast/compare between the two siblings is wonderfully done, so much so that I read a 300+ page book in the course of a long car trip and plunged into book 3 without a pause.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2015
An omnibus of first two books in the Kencyrath series, Godstalk and Dark of the Moon. Decidedly dark fantasy.
It starts off with Jamethiel (Jame for short) stumbling into a city from the Haunted Lands with no memory of where she's been or how she got there, just that she's running from something and needs to get a broken sword and a ring to her twin brother.
In the first book, she's puzzling out parts of her past, and who/what she is. While she does this, she sticks around and becomes an honourable theif and inadvertantly causes a lot of destruction. She meets Bane, a rather psychotic man who she's drawn to for reasons she doesn't know. There's a bit of graphic violence and suggested nastyness. Hodgell is amazingly skilled, she doesn't need to go in depth in detail to make you feel disquieted.
In the second, she's left Tai-tastagon (... in flames... :P) and gone off with her friend Marc, a Kendar, to find her brother. She's figured out by this point that she's Highborn and she has a decided nervousness over what her fate will be when she finds him as highborn ladies live a restricted life-style.
It starts off with Jamethiel (Jame for short) stumbling into a city from the Haunted Lands with no memory of where she's been or how she got there, just that she's running from something and needs to get a broken sword and a ring to her twin brother.
In the first book, she's puzzling out parts of her past, and who/what she is. While she does this, she sticks around and becomes an honourable theif and inadvertantly causes a lot of destruction. She meets Bane, a rather psychotic man who she's drawn to for reasons she doesn't know. There's a bit of graphic violence and suggested nastyness. Hodgell is amazingly skilled, she doesn't need to go in depth in detail to make you feel disquieted.
In the second, she's left Tai-tastagon (... in flames... :P) and gone off with her friend Marc, a Kendar, to find her brother. She's figured out by this point that she's Highborn and she has a decided nervousness over what her fate will be when she finds him as highborn ladies live a restricted life-style.
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June 25, 2009Okay. I was thinking this was a brand new book in the series and was VERY excited about it. Turns out it's just the first two books in one volume. Sigh.
Because of this, I didn't actually read it, and I didn't rate it. If you want to know when I read them and what I rated them you'll have to actually look at the individual books.
God Stalk & Dark Of The Moon
Because of this, I didn't actually read it, and I didn't rate it. If you want to know when I read them and what I rated them you'll have to actually look at the individual books.
God Stalk & Dark Of The Moon
July 7, 2014
Since I first read her back in the late '80s I have always loved PC Hodgell's work. These two books were my first introduction to her and I read them over and over again until about twenty years later when I was delighted to learn of new editions published by Baen, and brand-new installments in the series.
Hodell writes a rich tapestry of descriptions, characters, and dialogue that draw the reader in until they feel a part of the weave. This book and those that follow have never been anything but completely enthralling and I look forward to a future books.
Hodell writes a rich tapestry of descriptions, characters, and dialogue that draw the reader in until they feel a part of the weave. This book and those that follow have never been anything but completely enthralling and I look forward to a future books.
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November 23, 2016WHICH FANTASY SERIES SHOULD I START READING? I'VE BARELY READ ANY.
WHAT HAVE YOU READ AND LIKED?
IT'S BASICALLY ALL BEEN YA FANTASY, THOUGH RIGHT NOW I WANT TO READ ADULT FANTASY. I'VE ENJOYED HP OF COURSE, QUEEN'S THIEF, NARNIA, AND I JUST FINISHED UPROOTED TODAY. I'D LIKE SOMETHING WITH DETAILED WORLD-BUILDING AND A FEMALE PROTAGONIST. I STARTED GOT ONCE BUT HAVEN'T DELVED BACK INTO IT.
PC HODGELL'S SERIES THAT STARTS WITH GOD STALK, MAYBE? IT'S UNFINISHED, BUT FROM WHAT I REMEMBER THE FIRST TWO CAN BE READ ON THEIR OWN.
I READ THE FIRST ONE, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS RLY BOARING.
- TJ
WHAT HAVE YOU READ AND LIKED?
IT'S BASICALLY ALL BEEN YA FANTASY, THOUGH RIGHT NOW I WANT TO READ ADULT FANTASY. I'VE ENJOYED HP OF COURSE, QUEEN'S THIEF, NARNIA, AND I JUST FINISHED UPROOTED TODAY. I'D LIKE SOMETHING WITH DETAILED WORLD-BUILDING AND A FEMALE PROTAGONIST. I STARTED GOT ONCE BUT HAVEN'T DELVED BACK INTO IT.
PC HODGELL'S SERIES THAT STARTS WITH GOD STALK, MAYBE? IT'S UNFINISHED, BUT FROM WHAT I REMEMBER THE FIRST TWO CAN BE READ ON THEIR OWN.
I READ THE FIRST ONE, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS RLY BOARING.
- TJ
August 10, 2012
I originally read this book twenty five years ago and loved it and was terribly disappointed there were no other books in the series. Then on a random search through amazon found a further four had been recently published. So time to reread the chronicles. Could it live up to my teenage memories. Well yes it does. It's remains grippingly written with fascinating characters, a complex world system and genuinely complex ethics. I hope the following books live up to this.
Read
March 14, 2021This is an omnibus edition, consisting of books one and two. I want to start with book three right away, so that means a five star review :-)
The first book is a bit slow in taking off, it lacks a bit in suppleness, but after a while it gets going. Book two is flying, so up to book three!
For a description, it might be best to imagine a mix between Terry Goodkind (Wizard's First Rule) and Terry Brooks (Sword of Shannara), but less grimm and with (sometimes) a bit of humour. Recommended!
The first book is a bit slow in taking off, it lacks a bit in suppleness, but after a while it gets going. Book two is flying, so up to book three!
For a description, it might be best to imagine a mix between Terry Goodkind (Wizard's First Rule) and Terry Brooks (Sword of Shannara), but less grimm and with (sometimes) a bit of humour. Recommended!
January 9, 2015
I read this so long ago now but felt it had to be added. My copy is dog-eared and faded from constant rereads. The story is set is a world like no other where gods live and die depending on their number of followers, honour is everything and the legendary Kencyr are fighting a losing battle against the darkness and chaos of Perimal Darkling and are being driven back through creation, world by world.
Find it. Read it. Now available as The God Stalker Chronicles (ISBN 143913295X)
Find it. Read it. Now available as The God Stalker Chronicles (ISBN 143913295X)
September 11, 2021
Retroactive Review (11 Sep 2021): An omnibus of the first two Kencyrath books. The first half follows a woman in a semi-typical fantasy city that had a lot of fun bits, though I nearly dropped it at first since the first chapter or two were confusingly written (something of a dream sequence, I think). The sequel (the second half) leaves the city, and I just didn't find nearly as interesting.
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