D'Shai

Rosenberg's books are so good I wonder why they don't have a wider audience? The worlds he creates are consistent and believable. His characters have depth. Plots in his books are always interesting, endings are satisfactory without being tied up too neatly. I have never ever regretted the time and money spent on his books. I wish I could say that for half of all the fantasy books I have ever bought and read. This book and the follow up to it, Hour of the Octopus, are very different from his Guardian novels. The writing is more spare, but there is no lack in plot or character. Again the world is believable and the magic system consistent and also believable. Highly recommend.

I liked Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series but not his others, so stumbling on D'shai a while back was a welcome surprise. This book is simply superb, as is the sequel, Hour of the Octopus. Kami, the protagonist, is likable though flawed and weaves a fascinating mystery. The setting, an eastern mythos that was a great deal of fun, was richly painted and a nice departure from the watered-down-ren-fair stuff we are too often fed. D'shai is packed full of neat little cultural commentaries and has its share of twists. I would dearly love to see Mr. Rosenberg write another in this series... and another... and another.

being and acrobat performing with Cirque du Soleil, as well as a big fan of science fiction, I've found this book to be one of the most accurate interpretations of the life of an acrobat. some authors seem to have no clue, but Rosenberg does a very convincing job...

My favorite Rosenberg book! The book is set in D'Shai, a land ruled by the Lord Toshtai, where the people have magical talents - kazuh. Some have the kazuh for running, others for acrobatics, swordsmanship, cooking, etc. Kami Khuzud, eldest son of a kazuh acrobat, seems to have none, but finds his talent - an undiscovered kazuh - during his investigation of his sister's death. The kazuh skills and the interaction of Kami - a peasant acrobat - with the upper classes (who can kill peasants at whim) and his acrobat troop make this tale one well worth reading.