The Golden Sword

There are two distinctive elements to Fiona Patton's literary country of Branion that set it off from ordinary fantasy. One is the asexual society, where a woman can do as much as a man without comment, and bisexuality is common and accepted. While the bisexuality inspires comment from readers, that it stays in the background (save in the first book, 'The Stone Prince,') adds some verisimilitude to the extensive background Patton has created for her stories.The other important element is her portrayal of religion. Because the historical side of fantasy tends to be ignored in favor of hobbits and dragons, it's often overlooked by enthusiasts that Catholicism was an integral part of medieval Europe. No sovereign moved without consulting the Pope, and kings claimed authority by Divine Right. Yet few sci-fi and fantasy writers even mention religion; authors David Feintuch and Christopher Stasheff are notable exceptions.The Plantagenets and Stewarts of Britain only thought they had divine right. Their counterparts in Patton's very British country of Branion, the DeMarians, have divine right and can prove it. While the other major faith in this quasi-European world, Essusiatism, is a Catholic analogue, its gods are just as real. At one point in the story, a priest dedicates a child to the wrong religion, and the angry gods manifest to violently rearrange the scenery, vividly proving their existence and power.The result is a compelling satire on Christianity. By combining Christian ritual and Celtic mysticism, Patton has created a unique religion with its own fascinating ideals. One reason I enjoyed this novel so much was that it went deeper than ever before into the history and mythos of Patton's world, expanding on what we've already seen. Little touches like place names and historical tidbits add to the sense that this is a fully developed universe. As a historian, I love the feel of an alternate Europe ' how we might have turned out if gods really acted like they're supposed to.The previous three books in this series concentrated on the royal family of Branion, royal successions and the attending civil wars. In contrast, 'The Golden Sword,' set during a peaceful period of Branion's history, is in a sense quieter and more thoughtful. The family this time is the DeKathrines, the senior noble line, and the conflict entirely religious, rather than a mix of sacred and secular as in Patton's earlier stories.The fictional Triarctic faith is based on the Greek elements of earth, air, water and fire. The first three form the Holy Triarchy, a quasi-Trinity with no real power, in the guise of Oaks, Wind and Sea. The Flame is predominant because it is the only one of the four god-elements to be directly controlled by a human, the Aristok. The Aristok is both a hereditary monarch and Christ-figure in one, complete with the ability to perform miracles which leave absolutely no doubt who's in charge. The Living Flame is essentially a symbiotic parasite, with the r

Camden DeKatherine never questioned his role in his family's empire as everyone served the Flame including him. That belief ended on his twelfth birthday when his father died. His older brother, Alec, now the Duke, shut him out and Cam felt like a stranger in his own home. He found comfort in the Wind who called to him and realized he was that Aspect's Chosen. Cam's Uncle Celestus saw that his nephew was born to serve the Wind not the fire. He realized he found the fourth and last person he needed to form a circle consisting of all the Aspects. He persuaded Cam's family to let the boy stay with him while they mourned the loss of their patriarch. At Tavencroft, Cam was accepted for the first time for who he truly was but he knew that he was involved in a heretical conspiracy that would either kill him or set him free. Fiona Patton has created an imaginary world where the religious, metaphysical and political aspects of life are intertwined to form the bases of a person's identity. Branion is an island nation that has been led by the same ruling family for the five hundred years of its existence, but what Cam and his cohorts plan to do is change the existing order or die trying. Cam is not an easy person to understand, but when the true nature of his character becomes apparent the reader will be with him heart and soul. The antagonist has many redeeming qualities but his obsessive need to prove his theory right turns him into the villain of the piece. THE GOLDEN SWORD is a fantasy novel that will appeal to many readers on several levels.Harriet Klausner