Richard Monaco- "Runes"

Last book I read cover to cover. Runes by Richard Monaco. A Fantasy novel set against the backdrop of ancient Rome and Britian. [Ace Fantasy, 1984, 278 pages] This isn't Historical Fiction, yet figures such as Caesar, Brutus, Marc Antony make their appearances. 

There's a lot going on in this novel, even though it's not that long. There are several intertwining storylines going on involving many scheming characters. In addition to that, our Earthly world is but one of three planes of existence. The others are the Underworld and another golden, Heavenly realm. 

The protagonists are Leitus and Bita. Bita is a British girl, and the subject of a prophecy that says she will bear the children of the Gods. Kidnapped from her home as a young girl, in the first chapter of the book, she grows up as a farm slave in Rome. She is the face of innocence, naïve, ignorant. Yet she has the power of sight into the other realms. Leitus is a young aristocrat studying to become a doctor. Early on, Leitus' lover Claudia is found murdered. Leitus discovers the shocking scene, is seen there and accused of the murder.

Subius is a freed Gladiator oath-bound to protect Leitus. As fugitives, the two flee with some of Subius' companions. They stay shortly with Leitus' uncle, where Leitus meets Bita. She joins their group and makes love to Leitus once. The two don't exactly share a sunny picnic together, it's a very awkward relationship. They are soon separated, as the Roman army 'enlists' Subius, Leitus, and their companions. In this way Leitus learns the ways of war. 

Bita is captured by the sorcerer Iro, and is put through many tortures. Marc Antony ends up stealing her away, after hearing that she is a 'witch' and a significant part of events to follow. He doesn't keep her with royal hospitality. He at one point attempts to rape her, but she casts him off with a strong, irresistible command, proving to him that she indeed has powers he cannot see. Throughout Runes, Bita is often seen as a damsel, being captured and rescued multiple times. But there is no mistaking her power of sight into the other realms, and the role destiny has chosen for her. There are scenes of the three spirits that inhabit the Heavenly realm, discussing Earthly events; they even merge together into one being at points to assist the mortals. 

Leitus and Subius are eventually promoted to Commanders of their own Roman forces through their deeds. Subius indeed fought with Spartacus, Leitus' real father, years before Leitus birth. Leitus learns this and it seems to hearten him, thinking himself a hero. He attempts to take the capital with a small army he acquired, loyal to him merely because of his parentage. As Roman armies return to the city from abroad, his force is overcome, and Leitus ends up nailed on a cross high above the city. Subius rescues him from death, but not without virtually crippling his hands. 

Through the inner sights of Bita, the British wizard Namolin, Claudius' brother Iro, and even Leitus at certain points, the demon king Aataatana is revealed in the Underworld. He wishes to merge the two realms and rule over them, using Bita's divine child-to-be as his regent in the world above. This plot makes the scheming of the various Roman senators and generals seem much less important. Aataatana plots to steal the child of the Gods, so captures and keeps Bita during her pregnancy. The demon king uses three orbs that serve as gateways to the Underworld, giving the owner vast knowledge, and sight into the Underworld itself. He uses these connections to the Earthly world to manipulate humans gifted with this sight, even making promises he intends not to fulfill. 

The final chapter is epic! All of the storylines converge on a ritual set up by three wizards (Namolin included) and Iro. During a rare lunar eclipse, Iro means to bring forth Aataatana. In a bloody combat sequence, a few subplots are resolved. This involves Leitus rescuing Bita from the Underworld. He is aided in this by three entities from the Heavenly realm, who grant him a sword of light, which destroys many winged demons in the realm below. After the struggle with the divinely inspired Leitus, Aataatana is held back from his Earthly incarnation. 

To cap off the story, the sword guides Leitus and Bita back to the Earthly realm. After travelling through mystic realms, the sword pulling them along their way, Leitus and Bita finally reach a peaceful place, a great field near the farmlands where they can share intimate moments. After they met, only briefly did they have anything like this kind of peace. Their first encounter was followed by months on end of war, kidnap, and torture. Throughout these struggles the two would constantly think about one another, so memorable was their short (and prophesied) meeting. At last they reach this satisfying resolution. Bita decides to name their son Arturo. This caps off a violent story in a tender way, lover to lover. 

Good Fantasy title. It has little to do with actual Roman mythology, it is a world of magic all its own. According to the Afterword Runes has sequels, but I don't know how many there are or their titles. If I come across them I'll pick them up. Pretty obscure find though, from the title page it appears Runes went straight to paperback without a hardcover printing. Richard Monaco must be better known for his other works, such as Arthurian tales in Parsival: Or a Knight's Tale. 

Till next book!

Harry Harrison- "West of Eden"

Finished this one recently. Damn, really cool book. I bought this for a few reasons. Firstly I'm a huge fan of Harry Harrison's Hammer and the Cross series, an alternate history of ancient Scandanavia, Britain, and Rome. West of Eden precedes Hammer and the Cross by about 10 years though. Secondly West of Eden is also compared often to the majesty of Clan of the Cave Bear and Dune, two of my favorite book series. That's a tall order, but enough to peak my interest! 

[Bantam Spectra Science Fiction, 1984. 474 pages plus appendixes.]

This is a Science Fiction novel, that takes place in the ancient past. An alternate world where the Dinosaurs didn't die out, and an intelligent species of reptilian-people, known as Yilane, develops and spreads across the continents. Many new creatures have evolved and many Dinosaurs still exist. There are early humans here as well, basically at stone age technology; they are known as Tanu. Already I'm not seeing much similarity to Clan of the Cave Bear; too many fantasy elements. Anyhow, people and Yilane begin to make war on each other after the Tanu are forced to migrate south due to weather and hunting conditions. 

The protagonist is Kerrick, a human who lives much of his young life among the Yilane. He was taken as a specimen, after most of his Sammad (clan) was killed by the Yilane. To be fair, the Tanu threw the first stone by slaughtering some Yilane males and young early in the book. The first part of the novel covers this period. Kerrick is a prisoner, a pet, or even a tool of the Eistaa (Queen) of the city of Alpeasak: Viante. Now, Yilane cities are not built, they are grown. The walls and ceilings of their cities consist of living plants and vines. The Yilane are masters at breeding and gene manipulation. All Yilane technology is biological. They have living but non-sentient cloak creatures for warmth; they use hesotan, a species which serves as a dart shooter; they use different organisms for uses such as thermometers, compasses, rope, magnifying glasses, and such. There is a great Zoology section in one of the appendixes, detailing a lot of these creatures. One of my favorite are the Uruketo, which are mosasaur type beasts, with a massive hollow on its spine to carry Yilane and their cargo. In such ways, I can see why people compared this book to Dune; the alien society is very detailed and fleshed out, much like the Fremen or Bene Gesserit. Global climate change and millions of years of evolution supply the Grand, epic, long-term scope that Dune is known for. 

Kerrick learns to converse with the Yilane, using sounds and body movements. There are many scenes of Yilane scientists trying to figure out the behavior of human beings. Seeing a portrait of humanity from the eyes of a society that has little in common with humans. Kerrick lies about his bonds choking him, in order to attempt escape. This confuses the Yilane scientists; lying is impossible for a Yilane to do, due to their body language and changing skin color. Viante uses his ability to lie in a plot to kill another Yilane. Just another biological tool in her eyes. Soon enough, the Yilane move on the Tanu, bringing their boats north and assaulting another Sammad. One survivor is kept as a prisoner, Viante tells Kerrick to talk to him. Here, Kerrick begins to feel conflicted about his true origins and identity. For he is Tanu in body, yet Yilante in mind, having grown to manhood in a reptilian society. To end off Part One, the prisoner, who escaped the last Yilante slaughter, recognizes Kerrick and the Skymetal knife end he carries around his neck. He begs Kerrick to return to the Tanu, and help them kill the Yilane, who have slaughtered many Tanu; in the end, Kerrick chooses this course of action.

Part Two begins with Kerrick joining a Sammad of the Tanu. After some communication barriers are overcome, he finds his place within the tribe, advising the Chief about the ways of the Murgu (Their word for reptiles including the Yilane). The Yilane wish all of the Tanu dead; the Sammadar orders their flight before they are attacked. Travois are loaded with their gear and attached to Mastondons. A war is waged, the Yilane pursuing the tribe through the jungles and hills. The Yilane, unable to travel at night due to being cold-blooded, are ambushed in the darkness by the Tanu. Stealing Death-sticks (hesotsan) from the Murgu, the Tanu then set up several ambushes along the cliffs, and slaughter many Yilane as they follow, using their own poisoned biological weapons against them. But the Yilane are as numerous as insects and the Tanu cannot hold them off forever. At last, the procession of Tanu reaches northern snowlands, and the savage reptiles are forced to retreat. 

In search of hunting grounds the Tanu cross the mountains farther than they have ever travelled before. They reach the city of the Sasku, another tribe of people, previously unknown to them. The Sasku use agriculture, and create pottery and fabric; to the hunter-gatherer Tanu, these things are most foreign. Kerrick has a basic understanding of such things as a city due to his life spent in Alpeasak. The Sasku welcome the Tanu with open arms, once they take notice of their Mastodons. The Sasku society deifies Mastodons. This is tied to their creation myth, in which Kadair, their creator god, took the form of a Mastodon as he created the world. The Sasku see the Tanu's arrival as a sign.

One of the Mastodons gives birth as the Sammad stay near the Sasku. The same day, Kerrick's son is born, by his mate from the Tanu tribe. The Sasku ask to keep the Mastodon calf, and give it the same name as Kerrick's son: Arnwheet. The Sasku believe that the Mastodon calf is the reincarnation of Kadair.

The Murgu threat was not gone, however. The Yilane develop biological eyes that attach themselves to birds and survey surrounding terrain. They breed new biological 'technology' to deal with the Tanu they hunt. Kerrick is Viante's particular target, who she hates with a passion. The Yilane have managed to follow the Tanu over the hills and mountains. A new battle is waged, and the Yilane are driven off. Kerrick begins to plot the extermination of the Yilane. He plans to bring fire to Alpeasak, the great living city. A group of Tanu and Sasku hunters, guided by Kerrick, do just that. Knowing that the city is a living being, Kerrick almost feels some sort of remorse; yet the preservation of the Tanu is foremost in his mind. He sees it not as bringing death to the Yilane, but bringing life to the Tanu. One Uruketo survives, containing Viante, Enge, and some other Yilane. The rest are exterminated and the Tanu plan to build their own city on the site.

This was a great, interesting, well researched Science Fiction novel. The extensive appendixes, combined with many illustrations, shed a lot of light on the world that Harry Harrison imagines. In the Yilane, he has created a culture that has greater technological capabilities than humanity at the time. Yet they are more animal than human, and rely completely on biology. They are completely ignorant of fire, which is why it worked so well to root them out; this gives fire an even more significant meaning to the people of this world, as a life-giving, prosperity-bringing substance.

I particularly liked the Zoology appendix. Many species are illustrated and explained here, including Greatdeer, Longtooths, several Dinosaurs, and biological Yilane tools and creatures.

West of Eden is the first in a trilogy, I already own the follow ups. Harry Harrison has become one of my favorite authors, I will definitely be reading the rest of the Eden series, and checking out some of his other works.

Till next book!

Legends of Spirit Cave by Dennis Cassinelli

I started reading this book years ago, finally picked it back up and finished it. It was an interesting read. This is a self-published work of Speculative Fiction by Dennis Casinelli. 212 pages, printed by Western Book/Journal Press 2003. 

This novel, while still fiction, speculates about the lives of the ancient Nevadans. It is inspired by archaeological sites dating to over 9000 years ago. Dennis Cassinelli says within the book that he is not an Archaeologist; still, it is obvious he has done a lot of research on various ancient sites found around Nevada. One such site is the Spirit Cave, where the remains of an old man was found in the Nevada desert in 1940. All of the addresses listed in the book are from Nevada; Legends of Spirit Cave seems like the type of book you would find in the gift shop of some historical site or museum. It somehow made its way to a used book store near me, but good luck trying to find it outside of Nevada. 

The writing is very plain and flat. There's no complex prose to sift through, everything is told in a very literal way. It also includes 4 Appendixes explaining origins of some of the story elements. This author is a researcher before he is a writer. 

On to the story though. It follows two tribes, the Marsh People and the Pyramid Lake people. The main character is a young man named Turtle-Who-Fights belonging to the Marsh people. It shows the growth of this man from boyhood to adulthood. The Marsh people migrate to Pyramid Lake to meet with the other tribe. Early on, Turtle helps in the hunting of a Mammoth, in fact the last Mammoth ever seen. The Marsh people herd this mammoth into a mud pit to immobilize it and only then go for the kill. 

The Marsh people finally arrive at Pyramid Lake, which gets its name from the 400 foot tall rock structure that is only visible when the lake water is low. This marks the great gathering of the two tribes. The book goes into differences in culture between the two tribes, such as language barriers and different taboos. Cassinelli's research really shines through the Shamans and medicine women. Medicinal herbs, plants and roots are explained in detail. Much detail is given about the making of stone and flint tools, blankets, garments, and such. Tracking and weather watching are huge factors as well. He portrays a people who can only use what nature has to offer.

Turtle is taken with a small group of Shamans to visit what they call Spirit Cave, and he begins his training as a Shaman. Mauwee, one of the elder Shamans of the Marsh people, realizes he is about to die. He tells the other Shamans that the Great Spirit has called him for a great task, and that he must be buried in Spirit Cave. They oblige and soon the two tribes prepare to part again, having shared a lot of time together. Some people were chosen as mates and switched tribes. 

Before the Marsh people depart again, the group is attacked by cannibals. These white skinned, red haired people are barbaric, violent and unforgiving. Several people including two children, and two adult women, Lida and Tani, are kidnapped in a surprise attack that night.  The next day, Turtle makes a plan to rescue them. Turtle by this time is known to be one of the Marsh People's wisest and bravest, though young he was. 

Turtle and the hunters track the Redheads to a place called Lovelock Cave. When skulls of the children are found in a carrion pile outside the cave, they plan to retaliate. They watch the Redheads for days, studying their habits. They detestably don't cook their food, and will even eat the flesh of their own kind. Turtles plan is to literally smoke out the Redheads. Hunters from both the Marsh People and the Pyramid Lake People unite to make a huge fire outside the entrance of Lovelock Cave, use poles to push the burning piles further inside, and destroy everything they could of the Redheads existence. Only a few Redheads survived who fled back to the north.

As the book closes, the Marsh people finally plan to return home as the season calls, morbid with the loss of Lida, Tani, and the two children. Soon, however, Lida and Tani are found hiding in a cave, one nearby Spirit Cave. Though the prose isn't anything flashy, the ending here is surprisingly poignant. During a lunar eclipse, Turtle visits Spirit Cave and has a vision that the dead Mauwee speaking to him. Mauwee says that the Great Spirit's calling for him, is to pass on the story of his people to the truly distant future. He speaks of people thousands of years from then discovering his remains and gaining ancient knowledge of the past. It added a profound touch, implying that the Spirit Cave Man had indeed fulfilled his spiritual calling.

The Appendixes go further into Cassinelli's research and speculation. The locations in the book are all real sites. Lovelock Cave, which has been excavated to reveal thick layers of ash beneath the surface. Spirit Cave, where "Mauwee"'s remains were excavated. Here Cassinelli has woven together what we know of these archaeological sites and created a very human story out of them.

Great book in my opinion, but in truth, nothing fancy here; Legends of Spirit Cave is a simple and easy read, what I daresay some may find boring. If Speculative Fiction is your thing, you'll enjoy it. If you like wordy and literary writers then look elsewhere. 

Till next book!