Overview
SINNER Book Four of The Wayfarer Redemption
The land of Tencendor has been united for more than forty years, thanks to Axis, who is the legendary Starman. He defeated Gorgrael and brought peace to the three races—and upon fulfilling his destiny, Axis and his consort Azhure retired to the ethereal sphere in the heavens, and ceded his authority to their son Caelum.
But the path of the son is not necessarily that of the father. Caelum is untried and has known nothing but peace during his lifetime. And while the three races seem to be at peace, there are undercurrents of jealousy and bitter memories buried just beneath the surface.
So when strange powers begin to manifest in their world, and threaten the destruction of all he holds dear, Caelum will have to find the strength to fight this threat—and to fight his mortal brother Drago, who is not as powerless as he appears to be. Something killed their sister, and Caelum knows Drago is the culprit—but the Supreme Ruler of the land must have proof, and Caelum has none.
Caelum desperately tries to juggle saving the world with proving his brother killed their sister, but time grows short and the demons are drawing near...
Synopsis
SINNER Book Four of The Wayfarer Redemption
The land of Tencendor has been united for more than forty years, thanks to Axis, who is the legendary Starman. He defeated Gorgrael and brought peace to the three racesand upon fulfilling his destiny, Axis and his consort Azhure retired to the ethereal sphere in the heavens, and ceded his authority to their son Caelum.
But the path of the son is not necessarily that of the father. Caelum is untried and has known nothing but peace during his lifetime. And while the three races seem to be at peace, there are undercurrents of jealousy and bitter memories buried just beneath the surface.
So when strange powers begin to manifest in their world, and threaten the destruction of all he holds dear, Caelum will have to find the strength to fight this threatand to fight his mortal brother Drago, who is not as powerless as he appears to be. Something killed their sister, and Caelum knows Drago is the culpritbut the Supreme Ruler of the land must have proof, and Caelum has none.
Caelum desperately tries to juggle saving the world with proving his brother killed their sister, but time grows short and the demons are drawing near...
Publishers Weekly
In Australian author Douglass's solid fourth installment in her Wayfarer Redemption series (after 2002's Starman), control of the land of Tencendor has passed from Axis SunStar to his son, StarSon Caelum SunSoar. A benevolent ruler, Caelum faces his first great challenge when Zared, Prince of the North, plots treason against him. Surprised by Zared's betrayal, Caelum doesn't take the threat seriously until disaster strikes. Meanwhile, Caelum's unpopular brother, Drago, who has already tried to kill Caelum, stands accused of murdering his twin sister, RiverStar. Drago flees for his life, taking with him the Rainbow Scepter with which Axis destroyed the monster Gorgrael in Starman. Caelum must save Tencendor from a multitude of dangers, any one of which is likely to tear the country to pieces. While Douglass smoothly fills in some backstory about the SunSoar dynasty, even those who've read the three earlier volumes will welcome the extensive glossary. The bouts of narcissism that some characters suffer tend to slow the plot, but fans of this ambitious epic fantasy should be eager to find out what happens in book five after the muted cliffhanger of an ending. Agent, James Frenkel. (Sept. 14) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewSinner, the fourth volume of Sara Douglass's Wayfarer Redemption saga, begins a new cycle in the bestselling fantasy series. Forty years have passed since the events in the first three novels (The Wayfarer Redemption, Enchanter, and Starman), and Axis and Azhure's son rules over a seemingly peaceful land about to erupt in total chaos.
Although the sentient races of Tencendor have been united for decades, open rebellion is just one diplomatic misstep away. Caelum SunSoar, the son of Axis and Azhure (heroes from the previous three novels), has done his best to keep the peace between humans; the Icarii, a race of winged people; and the Avar, an ancient race of horned forest dwellers. But when a faction of highly irate humans demand political and cultural equality among races, a bloody civil war breaks out that puts all of Axis' accomplishments in jeopardy. To complicate matters, one of Caelum's sisters is allegedly murdered by her disgraced twin brother, whose improbable disappearance unleashes mayhem amongst the royal family. And pandemonium strikes -- just as the mysterious WolfStar had foreseen, some sentient beings are coming through the Star Gate intent on locating an ancient relic. Are these celestial beings harbingers of doom or saviors?
Fans of epic fantasy who have enjoyed archetypal sagas like J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Terry Brooks's Shannara sequence, and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time should definitely check out these novels. If anything is guaranteed in this world, it is the quality of a Sara Douglass story. Paul Goat Allen
From the Publisher
"Storytelling at its best, with fast-paced action, gritty realism, powerful characters, magic and romance."-Romantic Times on The Wayfarer Redemption"Epic storytelling on a par with Terry Goodkind and Robert Jordan."—Library Journal on The Wayfarer Redemption
"With three races, licit and illicit loves, prophecy, fraternal hatred, and enough battles for several campaigns, Douglass has whipped up enough raw material to avoid shortchanging readers throughout her vast undertaking."-Booklist on Enchanter
"Sara Douglass is a powerful voice in high fantasy that readers can equate to the likes of Robert Jordan, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey."-Romantic Times, 4 ½ stars on Enchanter
"A superior adventure fantasy right to the last."-Booklist on Starman
"Should satisfy a fantasy readership hungry for strong female characters."-Publishers Weekly on Starman
"Exciting writing with emotional highs and lows! Ms. Douglass has created a mystical world populated with many vividly portrayed races."-Romantic Times, 4 ½ stars on Starman