Greg Park, Cleansing Hunt

Cleansing Hunt

Greg Park

Bladestar, May 2007, $24.95

ISBN: 0978793196

It has been twenty years since the Dread Lord Throy Shadon was defeated by the combined armies of the Nine Nations, but now he has returned refleshed with his soul in a dead man's body. His cult in Melek, mostly followers of Maeon the Evil One, plan to invade another Kelsa. The Agla' Con steal the Ta'Shaen from the Earthsoul so they can defeat the followers of Elderon the Creator of All Things while those who worship Elderon are given to those that are worthy freely. The Malek King saves Gideon Dymas, a warrior prophet who was imprisoned in a dungeon but his two son's were killed. Gideon is one of Kelsa's last hopes to defeat Maeon.

The Earthsoul, the spirit of the planet, is dying and a firstborn son of Elsa must use a Talisman of Elsa to rejuvenate it, otherwise their world will end and Maeon will rule. Jase Farimor, a nephew of the king of Kelsa o can wield the Talisman of Elsa when one can be found in its original resting place. Word arrives that just such a Talisman has been found so Jase and his cousin Eldin journey to get it along with Gideon and a large army. They split up when they learn the Talisman is stolen by an Agla' Con and Jase's mother has been kidnapped. Gideon vows to recover the Talisman while Jase goes to rescue his mother, but both fear that events seemingly out of control will force Jase to turn Agla' Con if he can't learn to control his darker emotions..

AS the Nine Kingdoms awaken to the danger facing it, brave warriors surface to try to save their world but wonder if the means is as critical as the end. CLEANSING HUNT is a brilliantly written epic fantasy in the tradition of Tolkien and Brooks, but also contains realistic characters who struggle in an environs filled with gray choices, not black and white ones. The heroes especially fear they may have to employ fire to fight fire, which means they must kill without turning to the dark side. There is plenty of political intrigue as battle preparation occurs, but the backbone of this fine saga is Jase, who fears he can not pay the price to save the Earthsoul. Readers will be parked for hours enjoying this entertaining epic.

Harriet Klausner