Product Description

Her husband and beloved son assassinated, Tathea, once Queen of Shinabar, is alone and in exile. Numbed by grief, she takes refuge in the Lost Lands, where she tries desperately to find meaning in a life that has robbed her of her family, her home and her country. But in her quest for the truth, which takes her far beyond the physical world she knows, she discovers that it does not come without cost - terrible cost.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #844406 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Review
'Nothing short of amazing. This is an innovative, well-written, intriguing novel, far removed and far above the norm' (SFX magazine )

Ambitious, engrossing novel from the author of the acclaimed Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Victorian mysteries... A powerful meditation on the possibilities that lie in and beyond the origin of religion' (Publishers Weekly )

About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry lives in Portmahomack, Scotland, and her well-loved series featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt has recently been adapted for television. THE CATER STREET HANGMAN was watched by millions of viewers when it was broadcast by ITV. Also available from Headline are the critically acclaimed William and Hester Monk mysteries.

Customer Reviews

Epic Portrait of a Crusade
Author Anne Perry has made her name writing Victorian mystery novels, from which 'Tathea' could be no further, but my personal opinion is that this work is her tour de force. One of the best qualities of the book seems to be Perry's personal involvement and absorption in her writing and the subject of it, the familiar affection with which she treats her characters and landscapes.

To summarise the story here would be impossible. To describe it as a narrative of a quest or a crusade would be trite - the plot is complex and winding, though with each section self-contained enough to be a story standing alone, a chapter within context. It is truly an epic, which some readers may find wearing, though I have never felt that in the countless times that I have re-read this book.

The work's strongest point is the elegant, warm descriptive passages which Perry uses to evoke images of the landscapes that the heroine, Tathea, moves through. Her towns and cities have a life and character beyond that of their residents and the events that occur there.

The characters are the story are also portrayed in loving detail, with all the emotion - virtue, desire and evil - of humanity. A strong empathy with Tathea is inevitable by the end of the book, felt strongly in her relationships with other characters - especially Alexis. Her strength and pride, coupled with her deep mourning and sense of obligation, is overwhelmingly beautiful in itself.

This epic is one that you will remember as a journey that you have completed yourself, and although the obvious parallels to Christianity which become stronger towards the end can be difficult to stomach, the heart of the book is far from propaganda for organised religion. To read it is to have the experience of someone else's life, an extraordinary and fantastic life.

Nice writing style bad content.
Tathea ended up lending itself too much to vague philosophical arguments, which I could not find reasoning behind them and then towards the end became a slightly veiled diatribe against organised religion.

The main character (Tathea) often acted in a ways that seemed unfathomable at times and the creation of some of the societies she visits is equally obscure. Tathea starts to represent the ultimate truth of existence and is set against an establishing religion which only vaguely reflected this truth.

I did however finish the book and occasionally warming to the main character even though towards the end I found myself more and more frustrated with the religious undertones. I imagine this is a book that could create an interesting discussion and I'm trying to convince my flatmates to read it so I can discuss it with them but after they way they saw me swear at it they are all avoiding it on the shelf.

A remarkable, clever and poignant book.
A rare foray into fantasy for a writer whose works are essentially crime fiction. This book brings the skills of a seasoned storyteller to a world unique in its similarity to our own. Tathea bears little resemblance to to classic fantasy, the fans of Eddings, Jordan and Feist would recognise and yet it is as gripping and intelligent as the best of the genre. In short a remarkable, clever and poignant book that defies the norms of modern fantasy and demands to be read.