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ISLE OF THE DEAD Sayer is a Seeker whose task it is to look for stones that formed part of the ruined Temple of Qara that was destroyed in an earthquake. The temple must be rebuilt exactly as it was with all the original fragments in place or the gods will be angry. But after a particularly challenging job he receives the news that his twin sister Aphra has the plague and has been taken to Jazireh, the terrible Isle of the Dead to die. The waters around the island are infested with dangerous tentacle-waving monsters and so nobody ever escapes – but is everybody who goes there actually sick? Sayer is to discover secrets that challenge everything he knows – and what about his mysterious new wife Kailas? This is Julia Gray’s third fantasy novel and like the others it is an entertaining tale. It loses pace slightly in the middle when we know as much as we are going to until the end and no new plot strands are added but the characters are well-drawn enough for the reader to care about them and the background is delineated with skill. As with most sword and sorcery fantasy “it ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it” and although there is nothing new or remarkable here since when did that have anything to do with a good story? I’ll certainly be reading her next novel when it comes out and fantasy fans should find plenty to keep them happy in Isle of the Dead. |