The Ordinary

This is the story of Jedda Martele, the contact between two peoples, and the division between two copies of the same man. Irion, a world that has developed magic, has opened a portal to Senal, a world populated by the Hormling, descendents of Earth who use science. Irion has watched Senal secretly for a while, then opened the gate. Senal, once it discovers the gate, studies Irion for a few decades, then decides to conquer it. Jedda Martele is a linguist sent to the Hormling embassy on Irion at the start of the war. Although she is Hormling, she has spent many years on Irion as a trader, and now learns more of their language and history and even some of their magic. At the end of her experience, she is given the decision about whether the two worlds will continue to be in contact. Meanwhile, the greatest mage of Irion (whose name is Jessex, but who is also called Yron and Irion), has split himself into copies, one of which has decided it wishes to be primary. The Irion-copy battles with Jessex, which takes place offstage for a lot of the book; you figure out the battle is going on as you learn more about the culture of Irion. At one point the Irion-copy kidnaps Jedda, before he is defeated (by God herself, or by some combination of God and Jessex's powers). This book seems to have frustrated a lot of reviewers by opening with a short war (Senal invading Irion) and ending with what is probably the beginnings of another war, or at least some serious diplomatic negotiations. However, both war and the decisions in the peace between wars are important in the history of how Irion and Senal treat with one another. Those who want to know how their societies eventually combine will want to read The Last Green Tree, which takes place several hundred years later. One note: Jedda is a linguist, and thus obsessed with language and names, and similarily culture, the history of Irion, and the language of magic. She is also an aesthete and a trader, and notices the carvings, art, and textiles around her wherever she goes. So be prepared for a lot of description.

I love everything Jim Grimsley has written and this is no exception. It does not approach the complexity and feeling that I received from reading his Kirith Kirin and like that book, I did not want The Ordinary to end. It did however--and much too quickly--as if the publisher was on his back to meet a deadline. The story is complex and perhaps too filled with invented words, but I soon learned to read over and around them like a stream trickling over stones--and to enjoy the ride--slipping and sliding like an otter. Grimsley never disappoints, but Kirtith Kirin is his opus to beat.

This is a fascinating sci-fi novel about two very different worlds that have mysterious connections to each other. I love Grimsley's style, as usual, but can't help feeling that the ending was too abrupt. There is much more to discover about how this tale continues, and I can only hope the author plans a sequel. Quite well done, however.

The ocean contains the Twil Gate that connects the two diverse planets. Whereas the Hormling of Senal depends heavily on technology, engineering and science, the agrarian Erejhen of Irion believes in magic. Even how the two races understand the Twil Gate varies. The Hormling know that the gate had to have been developed by an unknown technologically advanced culture; the Erejhn believe the gate is a magical portal created by some wizard in a distant past.The two planets have thrived on a brisk trade between them, as the Hormling sell manufactured goods in exchange for Erejhen farm products. However, the Hormling believe that the Erejhen are a backward race and decide that they can increase profitability and solve their over-population problem by colonizing Irion. A diplomatic team is sent to Erejhen, but instead of working on a pact, they are the advanced mission of a Hormling invasion. War is now the product moving through the gate.Two things about this tale are that it is not ORDINARY and that fans of science fiction and fantasy will appreciate this smooth combo mindful of Piers Anthony?s Adept tales. The story line is action-packed with key cast members form both planets seeming genuine in their concerns for the future. However, the reason Jim Grimsley?s book is superb is that the two diverse cultures appear genuine so that readers will believe in the technological wizardry of Hormling and the magical wizardry of Erejhen.Harriet Klausner