12,20 & 5: Doct Year

I was in my local bookstore the other day, holding a coupon in my hot little hand, looking for something new to read, when I came across a copy of "Fires of the Faithful." It didn't look *too* exciting -- fairly standard fantasy material, I thought -- but I decided to buy it anyway because, hey, I had a coupon. What a lucky purchase! This novel is an utterly engaging, unputdownable read. Although this plot has been done before (evil religious zealots oppressing the masses until Our Heroine overthrows them and saves the day) and the worldbuilding is fairly standard, the novel itself manages to be original and thought-provoking. It's an interesting meditation on the nature of religion -- what it is, the purpose it serves, how it can be corrupted to serve political aims. [Side note: In most fantasy novels dealing with religion, the "bad" religion is pseudo-Christian and the "good" religion (if there is one) is pseudo-pagan. In Fires of the Faithful, it's exactly the opposite. At least one reviewer was turned off by that. Please, keep an open mind. It's not the religion itself that the author demonizes; it's its corruption into a political tool. And bear in mind that the heroine is young and sheltered; everything is black and white to her at first. The second books complicates the simplistic view of religion of the first book.] But, most of all, this book was just fun to read. Music and magic combine with adventure and an understated romance to produce a fine and highly enjoyable fantasy. Highly recommended!

A brilliant first novel, "Fires of the Faithful" expertly blends a strong, uncomplicated prose with a complex yet precise and easily fathomable storyline.The setting is an enigma; at first, it seems to be a trite imaginary Renaissance fantasy setting, complete with sorcery and an emerging scholarly class. Later on, however, one begins to realize the error as the novel begins to suggest a post-apocalyptic future in which the religious tides are turned. Gone is the patriachal religion and political regime; in its place is a goddess-centric pagan theocracy. The empire is in the midst of a war and famine, although, as one imagines was the case from the feudal peasant perspective, it is not altogether certain who is being fought or why.The main character, Eliana, a young conservatory student, practices the violin in a relative haven from the turmoil, far from her family's village. All is going well until she gains a new friend...a mysterious girl of great talent and a penchant for playing forbidden tunes. Music which carries a simple magic of its own, and comes from the old religious rituals. The Fedeli, an Inquisition-like organization, storms the conservatory in search of anyone who practices the Old Ways. Soon Eliana is fleeing her school and the Lady's Guards even as she escapes her old shackles of religious thought.Our protagonist has embarked on a thrilling journey through rubble and wartime tragedy, struggling to find her family and her own identity as a heretic. She emerges, finally, as a reluctant but very sympathetic (from our perspective) heroine...leader of the bedraggled practitioners of the Old Ways.The book is remarkable for its contrasts in depiction: the pleasant, cloistered conservatory versus the war-torn and magical energy-depleted countryside outside its walls; the sophisticated Lady's faithful against the comparatively illiterate, peasant heretical ascetics; Eliana's sheltered girlishness and the fierce, sanguine commander of the soldiers in the Old Way.Kritzer's religious studies are fairly well showcased in this spiritual and political fantasy. Particularly noteworthy is her juxtaposition between the religious groups and the unique twist she brings to the story by her choice of real-world influence for the Old Ways. An excellent choice for fans of C.S. Lewis, Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series, and Clive Barker's "Imagica."

I had the pleasure of listening to Naomi read the beginning of _Fires of the Faithful_ at a convention a few months prior to the book's publication. At the time, I was quite impressed with the reading, and I was disappointed that I'd have to wait six months to hear the rest of the tale.This book does not disappoint. The prose is elegant, and the story is compelling. Naomi Kritzer has a bright future as a fantasy writer, and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Naomi Kritzer's first novel is a skillfully written story bringing together elements of paganism, christianity, magic, and a mystical ritual involoving music, dancing, and healing energy. This captivating tale of a sixteen-year-old violinist begins with scenes from her life at a rural conservatory. After several unforgivable intrusions into her personal life by the cruel enforcers of religious law, Eliana decides she can no longer live in the isolated music school.The tale follows her transformation from an innocent, blind sighted girl whose greatest dream is to someday play for the emperor to a reluctant and finally adept leader. Captivating from the first page, this book will inspire you, and keep the pages turning late into the night.

(Disclaimer: I knew Naomi in college)The one thing about this book is that the world of the book will surprise you; assuming that any religion in the book is like any other that you know in the real world will inevitably lead you to some of the wrong conclusions. (Naomi was a religion major, and it shows) The booklist review calling one of the religions featured in the book "Catholic-like" is a bit misleading.The characters are indeed well-developed, and the plot line proceeds as it should, but what really got me was the world that the book is set in - I don't know the author's plans for later books, (well, there is going to at the very least be a sequel to "Fires", but beyond that?) but I do hope she is able to reuse this fantasy world in other books. It's just incredible. (Or she could go invent another world just as detailed with as much care put into the religions and magic system as she put into this one; I'm not picky)One word of caution: this is not a book for the overly squeamish. Characters die, sometimes with much violence and gore. (There's one scene near the end with the protagonist and lots of blood that I found especially pulse-quickening) Also, the main plotline is built on a huge governmental/societal conspiracy carried out by people who will kill to keep certain things secret.