The Chosen (1999)

Briefly: Carnelian and his father, a Ruling Lord, live in exile on a remote island with their household of slaves and lower caste relations. The story follows their summons to return home as the elections for new God Emperor are about to take place.

That may not sound very remarkable, yet this is fantasy with a difference. Pinto has created an imaginary and complex world dominated by a strict hierarchy and caste system, from the Chosen and Ruling Lords down through various levels to the lowest sub-human creatures who are nothing more than mere expendable labourers. But what differentiates The Chosen from the norm is that here there is no magic, no supernatural powers, no evil spells. Pinto’s fantasy depends entirely on the creation of an incredible imaginative world, the intrigues of the Lords, and the viciously cruel inhuman treatment of the lower castes, along with a carefully thought out complex history. It is also a world in which marriage is a matter of purity of blood line, and physical love between men raises no eyebrows.

It is in such a cruel world that Carnelian stands out as an individual. Raised in exile away from the Ruling Lords Machiavellian dealings amongst themselves and the ruthless and merciless treatment of their subordinates, Carnelian is untainted by such attitudes and is caring even when dealing with the slaves of his household. As such he is immediately appealing, and one is happy to follow him through this 700 page epic. That the book is intelligently and well written, the description so vivid, the characters so well developed, simply makes it all the more compelling. It does at times require effort on the part of the reader, but it is effort rewarded. ( )

STONE DANCE OF THE CHAMELEON

I attempted to read this book. It looked somewhat promising. I was not able to finish it. Too much brutality without artistry, beginning to become sick indulgence. If I want to spend two days immersed in human cruelty, I'll watch TV. Maybe it is an outstanding book, but I couldn't read it. ( )

If you enjoy long and engrossing descriptions of people, cultures, and architecture, and are not bothered by brutality in your reading, then this book is for you. ( )

I gave up. This book has one of those long, drawn-out background-introductions. At 112 pages into the book, I felt nothing significant had happened.

There are some interesting concepts going on concerning the ruling/nobility class, their cruelty, and rigid structure, but these concepts are not enough to keep me slogging through pages without any sign of action. ( )