Jericho Moon

Rating:
Summary: Fresh, thrilling -- and not for fundamentalists
Review: A daring look at the Hebrew invasion of Palestine from the losing side -- the characters are well-drawn and engaging (especially Barra, chosen hero of the Canaanite mother-goddess), and the image of the God of the Old Testament as the ultimate fantasy villain is surprisingly appropriate. A must-read for anyone tired of the endless Arthurian crap crowding the bookshelves.

Rating:
Summary: A breath of fresh air!
Review: After reading fantasy a la DragonLance for years, it's a relief to read a book like "Jericho Moon". It has the war and magic that keep you intrigued, but is firmly grounded in realism. Barra, Leucas and Kheperu might be warriors and strategists, but they get hungry, need medical attention and feel just as afraid, lonely and angry as the next person. And yet they're larger than life - if you don't believe me, read the edge-of-your-seat scene where Leucas takes on an invincible creature because he's given his word to protect a dying woman. Plus, the book has a very healthy attitude to the Israelite tribes and their customs; it will have you cracking up. A perfect addition to any library. Congratulations, Mr. Stover.

Rating:
Summary: Strikingly Different
Review: I have grown exceedingly weary of most contemporary fantasy novels. Seemingly all of them come prepackaged as five-volumes sets, telling the "epic saga" of the stable boy/orphaned princess who is a forgotten heir/prophesied one who must become a great warrior/mighty enchanter to overcome Ultimate Evil (and for some reason, this increasingly seems to involve the aid of telepathically linked horses/unicorns/cats/hawks).

It was a real delight, then, to read "Jericho Moon". The setting abided for the most part of the constraints of the known history of the time period in that region, and there was an exciting mix of cultures. The use of the "fighting mad" Old Testament God o' Wrath was rather daring and provocative, and the bad guys (the Hebrews) were depicted fairly sympathetically.

The alleged heroes, as well, were presented in an unbiased fashion, with all their quirks and flaws and drawbacks. Without clobbering the reader over the head, the author manages to establish intriguing backstories and plausible motivations for the characters, bringing them to life and making them real, warts and all.

I would agree that there's something of an RPG feel to them, but to me, that's not really a drawback, and I don't think it detracts from the story.

A strong effort, great characters, a unique twist on the historical period--a refreshing work indeed!

Rating:
Summary: Strikingly Different
Review: I have grown exceedingly weary of most contemporary fantasy novels. Seemingly all of them come prepackaged as five-volumes sets, telling the "epic saga" of the stable boy/orphaned princess who is a forgotten heir/prophesied one who must become a great warrior/mighty enchanter to overcome Ultimate Evil (and for some reason, this increasingly seems to involve the aid of telepathically linked horses/unicorns/cats/hawks).

It was a real delight, then, to read "Jericho Moon". The setting abided for the most part of the constraints of the known history of the time period in that region, and there was an exciting mix of cultures. The use of the "fighting mad" Old Testament God o' Wrath was rather daring and provocative, and the bad guys (the Hebrews) were depicted fairly sympathetically.

The alleged heroes, as well, were presented in an unbiased fashion, with all their quirks and flaws and drawbacks. Without clobbering the reader over the head, the author manages to establish intriguing backstories and plausible motivations for the characters, bringing them to life and making them real, warts and all.

I would agree that there's something of an RPG feel to them, but to me, that's not really a drawback, and I don't think it detracts from the story.

A strong effort, great characters, a unique twist on the historical period--a refreshing work indeed!

Rating:
Summary: Bible-based sword and sorcery
Review: I've often thought that a literal reading of the Old Testament would make great fodder for a sword and sorcery story, because the OT Yahweh is as much a nasty customer as any Lovecraftian Elder God--slaughering children, plagues, mass murder, etc. This is the first time I've ever seen it done. Barra, the hero, is a wonderful character, reminiscent of Xena but far more believable. The author has done his research and clearly has extensive knowledge of combat and warfare. The characters are engaging, the story is fast moving, and the final battle between Barra and Yahweh is intense.

Rating:
Summary: Unusual and lots of fun!
Review: JERICHO MOON takes advantage of an underused time and place to tell a story of swashbuckling theological adventure. The book is full of amusing touches such as the sudden surplus of mercenaries flooding the Ancient Near East after the Trojan War, and the author has plainly done his research in the vexed matter of the domestication of the camel. I was loaned JERICHO MOON, and enjoyed it so much I went out and bought the first book in this series, IRON DAWN. Fans of the Xena and Hercules shows should really enjoy this!

Rating:
Summary: An author with his own axe to grind
Review: The book is enjoyable enough, in a cheesy, Xena-esque sort of way, but I wasn't too keen on the way it portrayed so very negatively an obviously "unfashionable" religion such as Old Testament Judaism. I imagine I am a fundamentalist for feeling this way... or that I'm being politically correct if I say that I wish that all authors being published today could bring it upon themselves to respect the faiths of everyone, regardless of their own personal beliefs. Oh well, I guess this particular author had his own axe to grind.

Rating:
Summary: An author with his own axe to grind
Review: The book is enjoyable enough, in a cheesy, Xena-esque sort of way, but I wasn't too keen on the way it portrayed so very negatively an obviously "unfashionable" religion such as Old Testament Judaism. I imagine I am a fundamentalist for feeling this way... or that I'm being politically correct if I say that I wish that all authors being published today could bring it upon themselves to respect the faiths of everyone, regardless of their own personal beliefs. Oh well, I guess this particular author had his own axe to grind.

Rating:
Summary: Original setting indeed!
Review: The original historical setting of this book is really interesting. A must!