Amazon Kevin Radthorne Kevin Radthorne Orchard House Press Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Orchard House Press ISBN-10:  1590920961 Type: Fiction Pages: 374 Copyright: March, 2005 In the water's reflection, where does the truth lie? In the cold mountains of the north the Kotaishi has been found. Yet the struggle is only just beginning, for strife and hatred, envy and arrogance, still blanket the land. The Kotaishi, crossing the length and breadth of Tonogato, eluding enemies while trying to keep a small band of supporters together, wrestles with both the realities of power and the frailties of human feelings while combating the seeping influence of the Darkness. Even as the Kotaishi attempts to undo what the Darkness has wrought, an even more insidious conflict erupts within the palace of the Zaitan in Tejinashi. A new Kotanjin, leader of the magicians, must be chosen, and the maneuvering factions hurtle toward self-destruction as they each seek dominance over the other. The fate of both Kotaishi and Kotanjin are inextricably linked, their joint destiny buried far below the sands of the Sabakushi desert in a city long since lost and forgotten. There lies the key that could lock away the Darkness forever…   Excerpt The surface of the dark pool, normally glassy-smooth, began to ripple in an agitated frenzy. Something slowly rose out of the circle of blackness like a thick snake, a murky tendril of darkness straight out of a moonless night. Tor’yan eyed it with fascination, and not a little fear; he had never seen anything come up out of the pool before. It extended upwards until it was twice the length of a man’s arm; then, before he could react, the tendril leapt out toward him and wrapped itself around his head and neck. He staggered backwards from his kneeling position, trying to grab at the dark writhing form, but found there was nothing solid to lay his hands upon. He could not see, and he began choking on the cloud-like darkness. Just before consciousness left him, he could feel his body falling sideways onto the carpets of the tent.

The Sands of Sabakushi
"This is the second of the tales of Tonogato intended to conclude the business begun in The Road to Kotaishi. After applauding the first tale, it will come as no surprise that I found this tale equally satisfying for many of the same reasons and for two unique to this tale. Radthorne continues as a master story teller briskly pacing his story’s action as well as the revelations necessary to support the action, carrying the reader along at breakneck pace while managing to insert the necessary explanatory detail wherever it is needed...

Radthorne draws these characters with skill and caring. The reader is never caught short wondering how something happened or why this person reacted that way... I have rarely read a better examination of character than the battle Shiko conducts within himself. Each of the criticisms he must endure and then refute resonates with me. I could see his misery, understand it, and admire how he sustained himself throughout. Consider the power of “Do you think evil is some ‘thing’ that can be perceived? That it can be picked up, held in one’s hand, and then discarded at will. No, evil comes from within.….You cannot banish that, Shiko. Not until you banish humanity itself.” Evil is a process, not a thing.

Part and parcel of his story is Radthorne’s thought, his sensibilities. He writes of the human condition with sympathy and admiration, giving the reader something to be concerned with as well as something to cheer for. As I have said before, read this story. Be prepared to be engrossed, to be puzzled at turns and delighted at others. Be prepared to submit yourself into the hands of a story teller and know that you are going to lose hours and hours basking in his magic." - Dan Bieger, www.SFFWorld.com