In Lamentation, the first entry in the Psalm of Isaak series, an ancient weapon has completely destroyed the city of Windwir. From many miles away, Rudolfo, Lord of the Nine Forest Houses, sees the horrifying column of smoke rising. He knows that war is coming to the Named Lands.
Nearer to the Devastation, a young apprentice is the only survivor of the city – he sat waiting for his father outside the walls, and was transformed as he watched everyone he knew die in an instant.
Soon all the Kingdoms of the Named Lands will be at each others' throats, as alliances are challenged and hidden plots are uncovered.
This remarkable first novel from award-winning short fiction writer Ken Scholes will take readers away to a new world – an Earth so far in the distant future that our time is not even a memory; a world where magick is commonplace and great areas of the planet are impassable wastes. But human nature hasn't changed through the ages: War and faith and love still move princes and nations.
The Psalms of Isaak
#1 Lamentation
#2 Canticle
#3 Antiphon
#4 Requiem
#5 Hymn
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
June 16, 2009 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781427206268
- File size: 425903 KB
- Duration: 14:47:17
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Publisher's Weekly
Starred review from December 1, 2008
Scholes's mesmerizing debut novel, the first installment of the five-volume Psalms of Isaak saga, launches him into the stratosphere of contemporary epic fantasy. Fueled by an impressively serpentine story line that explores deep philosophical issues of knowledge and power, the novel begins with a literal bang: Windwir, “the world's greatest city” and home of 200,000 people as well as the famed Androfrancine Order and its enormous library, is completely destroyed by a mysterious weapon unleashed by an unknown foe. Left oddly untouched are the Androfrancines' mechoservitors, one of whom, Isaak, may be the only one who knows what happened and why. Readers will be intrigued by the subtle, adept world building and ensemble cast of brilliantly complex characters, but it's Scholes's pure storytelling prowess that makes this tale of devastation and retribution so unforgettable. -
AudioFile Magazine
Reading an epic fantasy is like getting dumped into a foreign country with no knowledge of its language, culture, and history. Listening to one is even harder, because you can't turn the pages back or consult the glossary. But it's well worth the shock of acculturation to take in this first of a five-volume series, an intricately political tale of what follows the deliberate destruction of Windwir, a city that stockpiled what magical and scientific knowledge remained of a vanished civilization. Four voice actors help the listener keep track of the many overlapping third-person perspectives narrating the story; they also introduce some confusion, as each reader has a different take on what pitch, accent, and pacing are appropriate for a particular character. A.B.G. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
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