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Necropolis
Eretria. Crossroad of Civilization, Home to a Hundred Gods, Jewel of the Desert . . . City of the Dead. Necropolis Will four people brought together by circumstance survive her deadly secrets? Conyr, a prison guard haunted by the betrayals and destruction of a past war. He finds himself embroiled in a conflict that threatens not only the city he fought for, but also his very soul. Dru, a young holy warrior sent to Eretria on a mission that has been wiped from his mind after a brutal assassination attempt. Now, hurt and confused in an enemy land, he must search for his past amid continual danger. Gilas, an ex-councilman and priestly initiate, he schemes to restore his power and punish the man who caused his imprisonment. Val. Desperate for a better life, this young mischief maker finds herself surrounded by awakening legends and the fulfillment of prophecies.
- GenresFantasy
260 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2000
5 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
Xina Marie Uhl
66 books46 followersAuthor Xina Marie Uhl lives in sunny Southern California with her husband and assorted furry and scaly pets. She holds both a BA and an MA in history, and has written more than thirty nonfiction books for young people.
Her fiction includes fantasy and humorous historical romance.
Check out her fiction and nonfiction at her website.
Her fiction includes fantasy and humorous historical romance.
Check out her fiction and nonfiction at her website.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 1, 2014
I downloaded a free release of this self-published ebook a while ago, and while it didn't quite hook me enough to keep reading, it passed my one-chapter test. I actually got to chapter two before deciding that for the time being, I'm not engaged enough to finish it.
Set in a place called Eretrea, which appears to be vaguely Mediterranean with possible Aztec or Mayan shades (I'm not sure if it's actually supposed to be based on the North African country of Eritrea), it's got gods and a corrupt city government and references to magic, though no actual magic has appeared in the first two chapters.
Cornyr, a military veteran now working as a prison guard, is blackmailed by an influential political prisoner into helping a beaten young man escape and quartering him in his own apartment. This brings the freed man to the attention of a 14-year-old named Val, who makes a little money cleaning Cornyr's quarters, and discovers his guest.
There is political intrigue hinted at, and the beginnings of world-building, and the writing was professional-quality. So, a fair start to what might be a decent epic fantasy. However, after two chapters I know too little about the world and not enough to really be interested. Is this "Kar" they keep invoking every other sentence an actual deity? Are the magicians referred to real? I can't see where the plot is going, and I'm not hooked.
Of the self-pubbed books I've read recently, this came the closest to keeping me reading, and I might revisit it someday. If the blurb sounds interesting to you, I'd recommend giving it a try, as the writing is good enough that it might appeal to someone else.
Set in a place called Eretrea, which appears to be vaguely Mediterranean with possible Aztec or Mayan shades (I'm not sure if it's actually supposed to be based on the North African country of Eritrea), it's got gods and a corrupt city government and references to magic, though no actual magic has appeared in the first two chapters.
Cornyr, a military veteran now working as a prison guard, is blackmailed by an influential political prisoner into helping a beaten young man escape and quartering him in his own apartment. This brings the freed man to the attention of a 14-year-old named Val, who makes a little money cleaning Cornyr's quarters, and discovers his guest.
There is political intrigue hinted at, and the beginnings of world-building, and the writing was professional-quality. So, a fair start to what might be a decent epic fantasy. However, after two chapters I know too little about the world and not enough to really be interested. Is this "Kar" they keep invoking every other sentence an actual deity? Are the magicians referred to real? I can't see where the plot is going, and I'm not hooked.
Of the self-pubbed books I've read recently, this came the closest to keeping me reading, and I might revisit it someday. If the blurb sounds interesting to you, I'd recommend giving it a try, as the writing is good enough that it might appeal to someone else.
December 4, 2010
Since I wrote it I think it's wonderful, lol!
September 9, 2013
Yeay! I get to write the first review after the author herself. Ok, I’m not long winded like the rest of you on Goodreads so first thing: Just look at the book cover art. The story inside is just as good. Necropolis is a fantastic epic adventure where the magic is balanced and not mind numbingly explained to death. I loved the characters and the dog in this book. I will read more by Xina Marie Uhl with pleasure.
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October 3, 2013Not exactly bad... just didn't hold my attention enough to continue. Not sure what age this is aimed at but it read like YA. From what I read the world building was decent but the dialogue let it down.
November 16, 2013
I really enjoyed this book!
August 12, 2016
Something Different
So I needed a break from my usual reading genre and went with this and I can say that it really was a change for me. I gave it a rating of four stars because I enjoyed the writing and the storyline really kept me interested throughout. This story centers around the young priest/hostage, Dru but through him we get to know his friends Conyr and Val, his upbringing with his family, the history of the gods of the cities, and the sorcery of power-hungry politicians. Sometimes I did feel a little overwhelmed because there was so much going on and so many "new" things/terms but I did appreciate the tidbits the author left before each chapter. I probably would not recommend this book just because it's not something I normally read and it not being very memorable for me.
So I needed a break from my usual reading genre and went with this and I can say that it really was a change for me. I gave it a rating of four stars because I enjoyed the writing and the storyline really kept me interested throughout. This story centers around the young priest/hostage, Dru but through him we get to know his friends Conyr and Val, his upbringing with his family, the history of the gods of the cities, and the sorcery of power-hungry politicians. Sometimes I did feel a little overwhelmed because there was so much going on and so many "new" things/terms but I did appreciate the tidbits the author left before each chapter. I probably would not recommend this book just because it's not something I normally read and it not being very memorable for me.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews