The Lion of Senet
Jennifer Fallon
Bantam, Apr 2004, $6.99, 576 pp.
ISBN: 0553586688

As the sun never stop shining on Ranadon most people believe the propaganda that the High Priestess of the Church of the Sun, Belagren and her Shadowdancers cult followers have spouted. Belagren claims that the Goddess told her how to banish the Age of Shadows. Now Belagren is the most powerful force in the Kingdom of Senet and probably the planet though the Lion of Senet, the deeply religious Antonev, might think otherwise if he knew the truth.

A volcano erupts ripping asunder the Kingdom of Dhevyn from the mainland Kingdom of Senet. At about the same time, a once exiled and now badly injured sailor floats ashore on the island of Elcast. His arrival reveals carefully hidden secrets that lead to Antonev journeying to Elcast to learn more of the truth. Civil war seems imminent as Belagren's contentions begin to prove false.

This world seems real due to the genuine feel of the characters that make the action-packed fantasy so much fun to follow. Especially interesting is the pious Antonev, a firm believer in the Goddess to the point that he will kill indiscriminately while he viciously imposes his beliefs on others if that supports his religious zeal. Belagren is an interesting High Priestess who uses fabrications to gain followers, but readers will have to decide if that is for her to achieve and hold power or to convert zealots to the Goddess. Other players are as dichotomously intriguing as Jennifer Fallon provides a cerebral fantasy thriller whose theme of "what a web we weave when we first deceive" (modern politics?) will be followed in the next two months with the rest of "The Second Sons" trilogy.

Harriet Klausner