The Serpent Bride
Sara Douglass
Eos, May 2007, $26.95
ISBN: 0060882131

The land is being torn apart by men and their penchant for war; that need is further fostered by evil Kanubai or Chaos as he was called in an earlier epoch. Imprisoned deep within the Earth, Kanubai begins his way to the surface abetted by the Dark Glass Mountain, who may be more malevolent than Chaos ever was. His enemies, Light and Water have taken the form of mortal men; Light of Lister sometimes appears as a frog while Water prefers the mortal form of Isaiah, but also appears as as a serpent to his followers. In their way, they prepare for the upcoming war.

Lady Ishbel Brunelle, the archpriestess of the Coil, is visited by the Serpent God and told she must marry King Maximilian Persimius of Escator. Although she detests the order, she acquiesces to his decree, unlike Maximillan, who is euphoric that Ishbel is his bride. However, someone influenced by Kanubai's thoughts kidnaps Ishbel because Chaos needs her and her unborn child to return to Earth. Maximillan vows to find her, but begins to understand that though he is a monarch and she a high priestess, they are pawns in the upcoming war of the gods.

This is book one of the Darkglass Mountain saga, but takes place five years after the sinking of the Tencender and the near extinction of the Icaii race. The SunSoar, Axis and his father StarDrifter, are alive and destined to play major roles in world events. As always in a Sara Douglass fantasy, there is a cast of hundreds with multiple simultaneous plotlines that inter-weave; however, the star is the courageous victim Ishbel, plaything of the gods. THE SERPENT BRIDE is high epic fantasy that will fascinate fans of Ms. Douglass' Wayfarer Redemption Tales as new escapades have begun.

Harriet Klausner