The Golden Hills of Westria

Diana Paxson's "Westria" stories are classic postapocalyptic fantasies. In a world transformed by the Cataclysm that ended our global civilization centuries before, Westria -- our California -- is a feudal kingdom which has embraced an earth-centered pagan religion to restore harmony with the land and its spirits. The original series was always among my favorites. Paxson has a gift for describing landscape in a way that makes it a living presence in the story, rather than merely a backdrop, and her love of the country and its plants and animals shines through. You can feel the dust of a summer, smell the sweat of the horses, see the lights of a lonely farmhouse at night or the chill mist coming off the sea. Her characters are also well-done; not just stuffed surcoats or jerkins, but people -- people whose beliefs and backgrounds are very different from ours, but human beings nonetheless. Their actions have consequences with which they have to live, and both villains and heroes have real motivations and real lives that you can -feel- extend before and after the story, and in the parts where they're not on stage. The action sequences are crisp as well, and the plot is lively; not just bash-and-smash, but with the texture of real politics and lives. THE GOLDEN HILLS OF WESTRIA is a worthy successor to the original stories; Paxson's technique has if anything improved, and it started out at a high level. The story deals mainly with the children of the original protagonists, but with them on-stage as well. And how rare and excellent it is to have that sense of generations coming and passing away in fantasy! Far too often fantasy heroes stride across a world that seems to begin and end with them; Paxson's people have families. In THE GOLDEN HILLS we see for the first time a good deal of the world outside Westria, and a varied and colorful one it is, from the decadent city of Arena to the tribes of Aztlan and the Grass Sea. A new cult has arisen there -- and its prophetess sees Westria as her people's promised land. I heartily recommend this book. The Westria series were among my original inspirations as a writer, and I hope this addition to the canon is just the beginning. S.M. Stirling"

In Westria Prince Phoenix has doubts that he is a worthy successor to his father especially since King Julian never praises him only criticizes his efforts to be regal. On the other hand his best friend Sombra thinks Phoenix is more than worthy as she feels he will run the country with compassion and strength. However, his misgivings rise when she informs him that she will attend the College of the Wise to improve her adept abilities. Slavers abduct Phoenix, who uses the name Johan. While his father desperately searches for him, to survive Johan becomes a gladiator fighting to the death in a traveling circus. As the Red Dragon he enables his berserker rage to turn him into a lethal killing machine. At the same time Mother Mahaliel and an army of fanatics are conquering everyone in their path as they head for Westria. The only hope for the kingdom resides in Phoenix to rise from the ashes to lead the counterattack, but he is nowhere in sight. Sombra senses where he is and begins a quest to rescue the man she loves. One generation has past since the epic fantasy THE JEWEL OF FIRE, but the action and deep characterizations, a trademark of Diana L. Paxson remains solid. The story line is a coming of age thriller as Johan must adapt to circumstances in a mature manner or suffer the consequences, perhaps even die. Readers will wonder whether Sombra will be able to rescue him in time so that he can in turn save his people from the invaders. The return to Westria is purely golden. Every book Diana L. Paxson writes is a winner. Harriet Klausner