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Journeys of the Catechist #1
Carnivores of Light and Darkness
The three-volume Journeys of the Catechist is the quest of a hero who questions every person and animal he meets, in a world where the impossible is normal and virtue is the greatest weapon a champion can possess.Etjole Ehomba is a herdsman whose simple sense of honor demands that he fulfill the dying wish of a shipwrecked stranger. His promise means that Ehomba must walk the length of a world armed only with a bone knife and a sky-metal sword, crossing lands of unceasing peril, sailing an impassable ocean, vanquishing an unstoppable evil, and rescuing a woman he has never met for the sake of a dead man he did not know.No wizard or warrior would attempt such a mad quest. But a man who poses questions to everything he meets may find answers that no wizard could imagine. . . .
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1998
25 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
About the author
Alan Dean Foster
498 books2,033 followersBestselling science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster was born in New York City in 1946, but raised mainly in California. He received a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1968, and a M.F.A. in 1969. Foster lives in Arizona with his wife, but he enjoys traveling because it gives him opportunities to meet new people and explore new places and cultures. This interest is carried over to his writing, but with a twist: the new places encountered in his books are likely to be on another planet, and the people may belong to an alien race.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
August 21, 2009
This book is an archetype of the Bad Fantasy Novel. It involves:
1. A clear quest in the first chapter.
2. A dull hero who will fulfill that quest without actually thinking about it or having a good reason. They will do it because they’re just so full of virtue. They will have no real background or character besides this unwavering virtue. And this will be virtue, not pigheadedness. And it will never bite them in the butt. Butt-biting would add too much interest to the story.
3. A long journey filled with miscellaneous randomness where the hero doesn’t actually get much closer to the quest. The quest never changes. It never gets more interesting. It never shifts. It never gains layers. It’s just there like a lump of sodden lettuce in the back of the fridge that will be tossed sometime in the future.
4. No resolution because it’s a series. Of course it’s a series! That’s the classic fantasy writer’s excuse for their dull books.
You know, if you write a trilogy, you don’t have to save the one interesting part for the very end. It’s OK to put other interesting parts in. You want to save the most interesting part for the very last part of the very last book, yes. Besides, if you’re Robert Jordan you might die before you write anything interesting. (OK, so I only read the first two. But everyone I know who is in mourning for that man bewails the fact that they missed all the interesting parts.)
In addition you get the "noble, untouched savage" archetype. Someday I’m going to die, see Rousseau in the afterlife, and I’m going to kick his butt.
1. A clear quest in the first chapter.
2. A dull hero who will fulfill that quest without actually thinking about it or having a good reason. They will do it because they’re just so full of virtue. They will have no real background or character besides this unwavering virtue. And this will be virtue, not pigheadedness. And it will never bite them in the butt. Butt-biting would add too much interest to the story.
3. A long journey filled with miscellaneous randomness where the hero doesn’t actually get much closer to the quest. The quest never changes. It never gets more interesting. It never shifts. It never gains layers. It’s just there like a lump of sodden lettuce in the back of the fridge that will be tossed sometime in the future.
4. No resolution because it’s a series. Of course it’s a series! That’s the classic fantasy writer’s excuse for their dull books.
You know, if you write a trilogy, you don’t have to save the one interesting part for the very end. It’s OK to put other interesting parts in. You want to save the most interesting part for the very last part of the very last book, yes. Besides, if you’re Robert Jordan you might die before you write anything interesting. (OK, so I only read the first two. But everyone I know who is in mourning for that man bewails the fact that they missed all the interesting parts.)
In addition you get the "noble, untouched savage" archetype. Someday I’m going to die, see Rousseau in the afterlife, and I’m going to kick his butt.
August 13, 2014
I picked up this book from the library in early August because I remembered reading it when I was eleven or twelve (around the age I was devouring the Dragonlance books as if they would disappear) and loving it to pieces. Now, over ten years later, I find myself rather...disappointed.
The first thing that annoyed me about this book was the language Foster uses. I kept getting thrown out of the store when I came across these large and/or obscure words that I didn't know the definition to. I guess it didn't bother me back then because it's fairly easy to figure out what those words mean using context, but now I like to know the exact definition of things. Which means that I was constantly bringing up my Dictionary.com app on my phone looking things up. The last thing I want to do while reading a novel is have to look up words that I will likely never encounter again.
I also find Etjole's and Simna's friendship kind of annoying. How can you claim to be friends with someone if you're constantly insisting that said someone is lying about who they are and why they're doing what they're doing? Really, Simna is probably one of the most annoying characters I've ever known in a fantasy novel, and that's saying something. Etjole is a bit of a saint to put up with him, and half the time that's just what it feels like he's doing. They don't feel like friends. They feel like a couple of people the author threw together for no other reason than because he felt like it.
Then there's the fact that absolutely none of the adventures the trio encounters have anything to do with each other or their main quest. No, not everything has to lead up to the final thing, but it's really just a bunch of random events that coincidentally happen to the same people, and that on the one time Etjole ever undertakes any sort of adventure. This doesn't seem to happen to anybody else: at least, from what I can tell of Simna, his near-death episodes have likely been few and far between. Nothing like the way Etjole constantly seems to fall into danger again and again for no other apparent reason than because he's the main character in a novel. The only thing that links the events together is the existence of the eromakadi (I am almost positive that's the right word) that has been following Etjole, but obviously the creature isn't causing the events itself. It's just sort of along for the ride until the end of the novel (and probably beyond).
And, of course, all of the little things. Simna never seems to run out of deities to use in his swears, but we never learn a single thing about any one of them. Why mention all of them if you're never going to do anything with them? Then he'll mention creatures not because they have anything to do with the novel but because he wants to show off that he thought them up. I don't mind a few red herrings, but everything is a throw-away comment. We don't need to know every strange creature Etjole happens to notice as he walks by them: the ones he interacts with that actually do something are, frankly, more than enough. We like to have an idea of the world, but we don't need a beastiary. On top of that, there are just so many random things that go completely unexplained. Where did that wall Etjole jumped over come from? Why did going over it take him where it did? Why were the slelves randomly attacking the monkeys? For a character that is described as wanting an answer to everything, Etjole certainly leaves a whole lot of mysteries unsolved.
So how did this story get three stars? Well, because I was interested. The events may not have been linked to anything else, but I liked to know what was going to happen (since I couldn't really remember). The animals and creatures they encountered weren't always necessary, but it was neat to see what they could do. Despite my frustration with Simna, I don't hate him: I just sort of want him to finally get it through his skull that Etjole is what he says he is. I want to find out how Etjole's quest ends, and I want to know how Ahlitah fulfills his debt. I'll definitely continue to read this trilogy because it isn't over yet and because I didn't find myself completely hating its existence like I did the last book I complained this much about.
And, besides, there are a few events that I do vaguely remember, and I want to see how correct my memory is and how those events came about.
Now to gather up the will to drive the half hour away to the other library that has the second book in it. They do this on purpose, don't they?
The first thing that annoyed me about this book was the language Foster uses. I kept getting thrown out of the store when I came across these large and/or obscure words that I didn't know the definition to. I guess it didn't bother me back then because it's fairly easy to figure out what those words mean using context, but now I like to know the exact definition of things. Which means that I was constantly bringing up my Dictionary.com app on my phone looking things up. The last thing I want to do while reading a novel is have to look up words that I will likely never encounter again.
I also find Etjole's and Simna's friendship kind of annoying. How can you claim to be friends with someone if you're constantly insisting that said someone is lying about who they are and why they're doing what they're doing? Really, Simna is probably one of the most annoying characters I've ever known in a fantasy novel, and that's saying something. Etjole is a bit of a saint to put up with him, and half the time that's just what it feels like he's doing. They don't feel like friends. They feel like a couple of people the author threw together for no other reason than because he felt like it.
Then there's the fact that absolutely none of the adventures the trio encounters have anything to do with each other or their main quest. No, not everything has to lead up to the final thing, but it's really just a bunch of random events that coincidentally happen to the same people, and that on the one time Etjole ever undertakes any sort of adventure. This doesn't seem to happen to anybody else: at least, from what I can tell of Simna, his near-death episodes have likely been few and far between. Nothing like the way Etjole constantly seems to fall into danger again and again for no other apparent reason than because he's the main character in a novel. The only thing that links the events together is the existence of the eromakadi (I am almost positive that's the right word) that has been following Etjole, but obviously the creature isn't causing the events itself. It's just sort of along for the ride until the end of the novel (and probably beyond).
And, of course, all of the little things. Simna never seems to run out of deities to use in his swears, but we never learn a single thing about any one of them. Why mention all of them if you're never going to do anything with them? Then he'll mention creatures not because they have anything to do with the novel but because he wants to show off that he thought them up. I don't mind a few red herrings, but everything is a throw-away comment. We don't need to know every strange creature Etjole happens to notice as he walks by them: the ones he interacts with that actually do something are, frankly, more than enough. We like to have an idea of the world, but we don't need a beastiary. On top of that, there are just so many random things that go completely unexplained. Where did that wall Etjole jumped over come from? Why did going over it take him where it did? Why were the slelves randomly attacking the monkeys? For a character that is described as wanting an answer to everything, Etjole certainly leaves a whole lot of mysteries unsolved.
So how did this story get three stars? Well, because I was interested. The events may not have been linked to anything else, but I liked to know what was going to happen (since I couldn't really remember). The animals and creatures they encountered weren't always necessary, but it was neat to see what they could do. Despite my frustration with Simna, I don't hate him: I just sort of want him to finally get it through his skull that Etjole is what he says he is. I want to find out how Etjole's quest ends, and I want to know how Ahlitah fulfills his debt. I'll definitely continue to read this trilogy because it isn't over yet and because I didn't find myself completely hating its existence like I did the last book I complained this much about.
And, besides, there are a few events that I do vaguely remember, and I want to see how correct my memory is and how those events came about.
Now to gather up the will to drive the half hour away to the other library that has the second book in it. They do this on purpose, don't they?
December 31, 2014
Etjole Ehomba was a herder of sheep, until the day a man from another land died in his arms with the charge to continue his mission. Bound by honor to fulfill the man's last request, Etjole sets off for a land he doesn't know to rescue a woman he's never met. But in the midst of lands wild and strange, a simple herdsman can go surprisingly far...
This is a story in the best tradition of the heroic, with nods to fantasy and folklore and overall drenched in strangeness. Etjole is a humble man, a simple man, and always full of surprises, right up to the last pages. His affable, easygoing manner cloaks a warrior who is well-acquainted with hardship and enemies, a mystic who deeply ponders life and its mysteries, and a childlike soul who approaches everything with an open mind and a lot of questions. Most of the fun is watching Etjole navigate increasingly strange landscapes.
His companions also bring a lot to the table. Simna ibn Sind is less honorable than he pretends to be, and a constant irritant to Etjole (which brings out some of the best humor in the book). Ahlitah compounds the humor, as the cat's vocabulary frequently picks jokes at Simna's expense. Although Etjole would have preferred to be alone, they do prove useful at times for the quest.
I think what I appreciated most is Etjole's character---his stance for honor, his commitment to his wife, his love of simple things and distaste for using power or money or prestige for its own sake. He's certainly not perfect, but his nobility is illuminated further next to the likes of Simna, or even the animal values of Ahlitah.
One thing that did detract was a short segment where the narrative suddenly switched into first person. There were a couple of places where someone outside the main party tells a story within the story, but the only one that bothered me was where the point of view shifted so abruptly. It felt shoved into the book, although it would have stood alone quite nicely as an extra or a separate short story.
This is a trilogy, so although the book ties up reasonably well, Etjole is still a long ways from his eventual destination. It is, however, a most enjoyable start. I rate this book Recommended.
This is a story in the best tradition of the heroic, with nods to fantasy and folklore and overall drenched in strangeness. Etjole is a humble man, a simple man, and always full of surprises, right up to the last pages. His affable, easygoing manner cloaks a warrior who is well-acquainted with hardship and enemies, a mystic who deeply ponders life and its mysteries, and a childlike soul who approaches everything with an open mind and a lot of questions. Most of the fun is watching Etjole navigate increasingly strange landscapes.
His companions also bring a lot to the table. Simna ibn Sind is less honorable than he pretends to be, and a constant irritant to Etjole (which brings out some of the best humor in the book). Ahlitah compounds the humor, as the cat's vocabulary frequently picks jokes at Simna's expense. Although Etjole would have preferred to be alone, they do prove useful at times for the quest.
I think what I appreciated most is Etjole's character---his stance for honor, his commitment to his wife, his love of simple things and distaste for using power or money or prestige for its own sake. He's certainly not perfect, but his nobility is illuminated further next to the likes of Simna, or even the animal values of Ahlitah.
One thing that did detract was a short segment where the narrative suddenly switched into first person. There were a couple of places where someone outside the main party tells a story within the story, but the only one that bothered me was where the point of view shifted so abruptly. It felt shoved into the book, although it would have stood alone quite nicely as an extra or a separate short story.
This is a trilogy, so although the book ties up reasonably well, Etjole is still a long ways from his eventual destination. It is, however, a most enjoyable start. I rate this book Recommended.
August 11, 2012
This was a strange reading experience. First, the main character was far too perfect -- no one is that altruistic or humble! He has an almost childlike naivete about the world yet accomplishes everything in a manner that should only come to those with many long years of experience. Maybe he is more than he seems? His travelling companion is certainly convinced that there is more than meets the eye about him, believing him to be a powerful sorcerer seeking a secret treasure. Secondly, the encounters and resolutions are practically random with no bearing on the central quest or plot at all -- except maybe to demonstrate the character and morality of the cast. The world itself is vibrant and imaginative. The pacing is good and keeps everything flowing. Hidden meanings abound hidden in the simplest of places. It's almost a great fantasy experience yet there is a certain storybook feel that is hard to escape from which makes me feel that Foster couldn't decide if he was writing for adults or for children.
March 25, 2009
I remember spotting this on the shelf of new books at the library when it came out. I had given up on Foster a few years before, thinking at the time that the quality of his writing had begun to degrade. Still, I thought I'd give his new series a try.
It didn't really impress me. Some of the ideas were interesting, and I'll admit that the book hooked me enough that I wanted to know how the series ended, but it was hard to struggle through parts of it. The most irritating thing for me was that Foster seemed to have come up with a bunch of mediocre ideas for fantasy stories and settings and then dumped them all into a single book as a long list of things the characters encountered on their journey. There wasn't a lot that tied it all together and made it feel like one story. It was just a bunch of stuff that happened to the same people, which isn't the same thing at all.
It didn't really impress me. Some of the ideas were interesting, and I'll admit that the book hooked me enough that I wanted to know how the series ended, but it was hard to struggle through parts of it. The most irritating thing for me was that Foster seemed to have come up with a bunch of mediocre ideas for fantasy stories and settings and then dumped them all into a single book as a long list of things the characters encountered on their journey. There wasn't a lot that tied it all together and made it feel like one story. It was just a bunch of stuff that happened to the same people, which isn't the same thing at all.
October 27, 2021
Mr. Foster's books are always interesting and easily readable. This one is another that intrigues and amazes you. I suspected the twist near the end; but, wasn't quite right about its nature. The characters, the Catechist (with a name that I can't spell or pronounce: Etjole Ehomba) is an unlikely hero; nevertheless, I like him. His companions are Simna and Ahlitah. Simna is a likable rogue who is also just a bit heroic--when he's not thinking about women or money. Ahlitah, a litah (half lion, half cheetah), is a talking cat that has little patience for human nonsense; but, since Etjole has saved his life, will put up with the others until he can repay the life debt. And I forgot the quest! A dying man on the seashore has laid an assignment on Etjole to go to a land impossibly distant to rescue a beautiful woman from an evil man (?). Although at first it seemed like this could be our planet in an earlier or much later time, there are too many fantastic monsters and entities. Still, a great read. Recommended.
August 31, 2021
I don't want to say much about this book, because I feel like the less you know the better. I love Hayao Miyazaki films like Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, etc, and I feel like this book embraces the same type of fantasy as these movies--the characters encounter all sorts of interesting creatures, peoples, natural phenomena and magic. I can't compare it to any other fantasy novel I have read, and I love it! Can't wait to read the next volume!
August 8, 2025
A well-written, witty, and entertaining combination of fairy tale and parable with fascinating twists and imaginative characters and settings. The mystery surrounding the protagonist, Etjole Ehomba, is matched only by his seemingly endless supply of miraculous tricks and inscrutable wisdom, both of which he downplays to his intrigued companions as nothing special. This story is a flawless example of what imagination is truly capable of when it is not bound by only what is possible.
August 3, 2017
I read this book YEARS ago, but I remembered it very fondly. I would like to re-read it with an adult lens.
I remember vividly being initially attracted to the story because it was fantasy with a black main character, and that was SO important to me as a young blerd before there was a word for being a blerd.
I remember vividly being initially attracted to the story because it was fantasy with a black main character, and that was SO important to me as a young blerd before there was a word for being a blerd.
October 27, 2023
Fun Read
A light story that ponders some deep concepts.
Touches on mundane, magical, and sci fi threads throughout the story.
Overall, I think I am a better person for reading this story as it made me think about that which is most important to me.
I look forward to the next book in this series.
A light story that ponders some deep concepts.
Touches on mundane, magical, and sci fi threads throughout the story.
Overall, I think I am a better person for reading this story as it made me think about that which is most important to me.
I look forward to the next book in this series.
October 31, 2022
Wildly imaginative and the main character is really interesting. But the writing isn't spectacular and the book starts to fail once different POVs are introduced about one-third in. Mostly enjoyable and lightly entertaining, but won't be continuing the series.
July 4, 2008
The hero of this adventure fantasy is a simple, humble, african (well African-like)sheepherder. He has incredible magical ability, but a zen-like attitude towards understanding his ability. I love his calm, positive, go-with-the-flow nature.
From the Publishers Weekly Review:
Etjole Ehombe is a warrior of the desert-dwelling Naumkib and a man of honor. When a dying foreigner charges him with saving the Visioness Themaryl, kidnaped by an evil sorcerer called Hymneth the Possessed, Ehombe reluctantly accepts the task, packing up his spear, his sword made of sky-metal and a sack of potions and simpleseven though he knows nothing about these strange people or their fight, only that they dwell far to the distant north. Thus opens Book I of Foster's (author of the popular Flinx and Spellsinger novels) new fantasy series. Foster shows off his fertile imagination as Ehombe, a "simple shepherd," matches wits with the various denizens of each new territory he enters. The land is alive with talking animals, magical creatures and a vivid sense of ancient folklore come to life. Along the way, Ehombe picks up a couple of sidekicks: Simna ibn Sind, skilled swordsman and voracious treasure hunter; and the Ahlitah, half-lion, half-cheetah and curious as any cat could be. Although the book lacks any resolution, it is top-drawer Foster, featuring a fast-paced mix of wry humor, high fantasy and amazing new places and creatures. (June)
From the Publishers Weekly Review:
Etjole Ehombe is a warrior of the desert-dwelling Naumkib and a man of honor. When a dying foreigner charges him with saving the Visioness Themaryl, kidnaped by an evil sorcerer called Hymneth the Possessed, Ehombe reluctantly accepts the task, packing up his spear, his sword made of sky-metal and a sack of potions and simpleseven though he knows nothing about these strange people or their fight, only that they dwell far to the distant north. Thus opens Book I of Foster's (author of the popular Flinx and Spellsinger novels) new fantasy series. Foster shows off his fertile imagination as Ehombe, a "simple shepherd," matches wits with the various denizens of each new territory he enters. The land is alive with talking animals, magical creatures and a vivid sense of ancient folklore come to life. Along the way, Ehombe picks up a couple of sidekicks: Simna ibn Sind, skilled swordsman and voracious treasure hunter; and the Ahlitah, half-lion, half-cheetah and curious as any cat could be. Although the book lacks any resolution, it is top-drawer Foster, featuring a fast-paced mix of wry humor, high fantasy and amazing new places and creatures. (June)
August 5, 2015
Read this book in the summer of 2000 just before beginning high school. I read this book on the internet on the short-lived 'bookface.com'. It was a website with an idea to post books on the internet for the world to read (for free) and had hoped to round out the business model with ads etc. Sadly it didn't last long but at least I found this book on their main page and I'm glad I did.
I've read hundreds of books in my childhood and yet I was intrigued by this series like few others. I grew exceptionally fond of all the characters in this book and still remember snippets from the books time to time.
A plot summary is easy to find elsewhere I'm sure so I'll just leave the review with my impressions.
EDIT: I've gone over some of the reviews on Goodreads and notice all the negatives that everyone is pointing out. I hadn't quite realised that there are a great many adventures that the characters encounter in their journey that have nothing to do with anything. It's just 'fantasy' for the sake of it. I don't think I'd have the patience anymore to appreciate this kind of book. But I read when I had all the time in the world so maybe that's why my impressions are what they are.
I've read hundreds of books in my childhood and yet I was intrigued by this series like few others. I grew exceptionally fond of all the characters in this book and still remember snippets from the books time to time.
A plot summary is easy to find elsewhere I'm sure so I'll just leave the review with my impressions.
EDIT: I've gone over some of the reviews on Goodreads and notice all the negatives that everyone is pointing out. I hadn't quite realised that there are a great many adventures that the characters encounter in their journey that have nothing to do with anything. It's just 'fantasy' for the sake of it. I don't think I'd have the patience anymore to appreciate this kind of book. But I read when I had all the time in the world so maybe that's why my impressions are what they are.
December 8, 2013
Imagine that a man dying washes up on your beach. He has just enough strength left to beg you to continue his quest. A woman has been stolen from his country whose well being is important to all and taken all the way around the world. He begs you to rescue her and return her to her people. You are a simple herder of cattle and sheep and never leave your village. What do you do? In the case of Etjole Ehomba he agrees to travel half way around the world to rescue the girl that is of course after he eats part of the stranger before he leaves.
I read this years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it and it didn't disappoint upon rereading. An original tale that seems made up of smaller stories told from different viewpoints including that of an ant.
I read this years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it and it didn't disappoint upon rereading. An original tale that seems made up of smaller stories told from different viewpoints including that of an ant.
September 17, 2014
It was a struggle for me to decide whether to put this into fantasy or science fiction. I had forgotten over the years how much I really enjoyed Mr. Foster's writing. I've had this book for years and am delighted that I finally picked it up for reading. Thankfully I also have the sequel to this story. Besides his story telling abilities I especially enjoy the new words (for me) that are sprinkled throughout his story. The main character is a fantastic role model and one of integrity. His understated humility makes the events of the story even more striking. I'm anxious to see this story continue!
August 22, 2008
I don't read much of this type of book - sort of science fiction/fantasy. I enjoyed this trilogy, though don't think it'll be particularly memorable. I found the author's universe compelling and interesting and the characters cheesy, but not overly so. There were a few moments where the author's morality picture sort of overwhelmed the story (e.g., a dig at TV and its ability to inculcate too much GroupThink), but mostly the story flowed along nicely. I don't think the second two books would stand alone very well -- better to read the trilogy in order.
August 19, 2008
I love this series. The storyline contains so many basic fantasy archetypes, but every single one of them executed in a new, fresh way. It's difficult to guess what will happen next, how the heroes will get through each of the barriers set in their way. The characters are vibrant, the descriptions keen and detailed. There are also little surprises, tiny plot points from early in the story that are brought back later to great effect. It's The Odyssey turned on its head, twisted into a much different and compelling story. Well worth the read.
December 24, 2015
Excellent entry to the series. I have to read the second volume. Foster has created a superb character in Etjole Ehomba. He is a not-wizard, not-warrior given a task. He is "a simple herder of sheep" who manages to solve problems as they present.
The story is flawed by an undercurrent of deus ex machina, but I still want to see Etjole explore the world.
There is a bit of Candide to the story, but that is hardly a bad thing.
The story is flawed by an undercurrent of deus ex machina, but I still want to see Etjole explore the world.
There is a bit of Candide to the story, but that is hardly a bad thing.
January 18, 2022
Honestly, this book felt like it took forever. I couldn’t ever get interested in the plot or the characters. I also didn’t like any of the characters that much. Simna and Ehomba were both pretty annoying and had no character development. The only things I enjoyed were the setting and the little side-quests the group had to do along the trip, even if it felt like Ehomba just came up with stuff on the spot that we’ve never heard of prior to the event. Overall, it was a boring book.
September 19, 2010
Still re-reading some of my fav series:
Wow what an imagination this author has! Learn about honor and integrity from Etjole Ehomba, the main character in this series. Sometimes cold or odd, often magical... jouney with him and his companions through a world that may sometimes seem familiar... but mostly not.
Wow what an imagination this author has! Learn about honor and integrity from Etjole Ehomba, the main character in this series. Sometimes cold or odd, often magical... jouney with him and his companions through a world that may sometimes seem familiar... but mostly not.
November 27, 2014
I was in the mood for something different and stumbled upon this book. Not very well versed in the genre but found it very enjoyable. Good action and character development - good vs. evil, themes of corruption, integrity and naturally a sword with magical powers. Looks like I will need to read the other two books in the trilogy to find out what happens.
March 12, 2014
This was an unusual book. Etjole Ehomba is a simple, but very wise herdsman. He acquires a duty from a dying man. This is his journey north where he meets many people and animals. Helping those he can, recognizing those he can't. Along the way his humble wisdom is displayed. This is the first book in a a triology.
January 29, 2016
A "simple heardsman" is compelled to go questing to save a damsel in distress. Thus he encounters numerous silly fantasy adventures and catastropies all easily overcome. At midjourny, and books end, I had no desire to read the continuation. I'm sure there is some profound satire or message that I'm missing.
November 3, 2012
An intriguing story of myth and fantasy remiscent of the wonderful, moralistic tales and fables of Rudyard Kipling.The continual string of adventures and consistent high values of the main protagonist were woven together into a remarkable sequence of events.
April 3, 2007
A pretty good escapist fantasy sci-fi novel.
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September 27, 20079 out of 10 : fresh story idea
September 5, 2008
The hero is too perfect but the story is entertaining.
October 5, 2008
Way out for Foster. But absolutely engaging. The eater of darkness is a fascinating story.
January 6, 2010
Love the many unique aspects of this book. The viewpoint of the war of ants, the tiny creatures in the desert, and the ponds that float in the air.
October 1, 2010
Long story with interesting interludes, but in the end, the story is just beginning...
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