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Reviewed by Awesome Indies
May 24, 2012
5 Stars
Spirits of Glory is a highly imaginative story set on another planet after the population of half the planet has been whisked away by the Southern Gods, never to be seen again. The author placed the novel in the dystopian genre but since it doesn’t have the repressive society of a dystopian world, it is more correctly post-apocalyptic and since it is about another planet it is also science fiction, yet it is mystery that drives the book. Many of the new breed of Indie books are excitingly cross genre and unique in style, this is one of them.
Spirits of Glory is written in a haunting style about a dreamlike world where spirits and gods are a reality and time fractures at unexpected moments. The imagery of abandoned cities set amongst tracts of barren land is stark and beautiful, and the characters and their relationships are fascinating, leaving the reader with a distinctive flavour that is hard to describe, perhaps something like fine wine.
The Neighbours appeared on the planet Jigsaw soon after the people of the South disappeared. Hawkeye thinks there might be some relationship between the two events, but no one knows where the neighbours live or where they came from and they clearly aren’t human because though human in form their skin comes in a multitude of hues and they have their own language.
For some reason, unknown until the clever ending, a group of Neighbours come to take Hawkeye to the far south where they plan to consult with the Southern Gods. Accompanying them is a group of scavengers, evil minded men whose only desire is to steal the mysterious artefacts left behind after the Disappearance. Their nature contrasts starkly with the purity and tenderness of the Neighbours, and Hawkeye, pretty but a cripple, finds herself dependant on the Neighbours for protection. The tension between the two groups pervades the book and comes to a head at the end.
Throw conversations with strange gods and beautifully described fractures in time into this mix and you have something totally original. If you like something different, read this. I give it 5 stars and a place on the Awesome Indies listing.
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