The Scourge of God

In the second three book ark of the Change series, we're dealing primarily with a second generation of characters. The children of the rulers/leaders of the various groups and factions from the initial trilogy, plus new characters introduced throughout the arc that are children of rulers/leaders of other groups around the continent. There's a pretty clear thematic focus on heredity and feudalism, as well a more supernatural good v. evil theme. I think there's a bit of the hero's journey combined with the long journey of LotR as the ever expanding party journeys across the continent gathering allies and facing challenges before reaching the goal of their quest. The story also skews a lot harder into Fantasy territory, with magic becoming show more a real thing...though by the end of this three book ark I think there's an attempt to reign it back around to pseudo-science. The magic elements give us some nice material teasing the edge of horror, but honestly I think I would have preferred the story stay grounded primarily in the low-fantasy/no magic space with the function and cause of the Change left entirely unexplained. There's also a little bit of the weirdly specific and unsettling anti-lesbian commentary from the prequel trilogy rearing its head here, though in a much more subdued way. Its strange that its so specific given that no other part of the lgbtqia community gets that treatment in the books. By the second book there are some of the pacing issues and repetitive plot element problems that I think the final book of the initial trilogy suffered from, though nothing that flat out made me quit reading. There's an effort made to acknowledge that the characters themselves feel a bit frustrated with the pacing of their own adventures around the time it gets burdensome here as well, so Stirling was undoubtedly aware of it. That begs the question, why not alter the pacing instead though? I'll probably read through at least one more arc, which should bring me to the conclusion of this particular generation's story and the 'return of the king' and vanquishing of the supernatural foes arc, as they were in the pile I was given, but unless a few of the factors that lead me to feel indifferent to the story overall change that's probably where I'll stop. show less

The Scourge of God by S. M. Stiriling

The gods have tasked Rudi Mackenzie with a task. He must claim a sword across the country in Nantucket and return home. He and his companions set out across a hostile countryside, facing wasteland lands and the fanatic cutters.

Stirling stirs the soul. I find his writing captivating and enthralling. His hero’s embody both realism and astounding strength of character. The modesty and self depreciation of Rudi is contrasted with the self centeredness of Odard. Even Odard appears to be coming less odious. Ingolf is battling his personal demons and still manages to maintain his self respect and personal restraint when faced with the tantalizing Mary. Heroism does not escape unscathed. Stirling does show more not hesitate to kill off characters or maim them to further the story line. Considering I am generally reading at least three books simultaneously, Stirling is able to enthrall me to the point of charging through his work. Not many authors do that to me. This is the second of an excellent saga of the Change a post-apocalypse society. (or 5 of a continuing story) This book gives some incite as to what caused the fall of society as we know it.

I highly recommend the book. show less

Where the first 3 books are alternate-history, and the 4th hints at something more, this one definitely introduces science fiction…the bad guys have powers beyond that of mere humans. As Rudi travels east life gets harder and more deadly as he encounters the fanatic Cutters, and "real" Native Americans. But the final battle against the Church Universal and Triumphant does not take place in this book. What I'm seeing, though, is that Stirling manages to incorporate at least one emotionally intense scene in each book. In this chapter of the saga we have one "no, this can't have happened" and one "wow...that was so fantastic I have to laugh with joy". I think I'm voting these books 5-stars because of my complete insertion into the saga show more by reading them in sequential order. Let's see if I can resist checking out the Nantucket series at the beginning of the entire saga--after I've finished all of these. show less

I haven't read the original series but picked this up with Dies The Fire and on through Meeting at Corvallis and the last book, The Sunrise Lands. I'm mainly a science fiction reader but also like a good fantasy novel. This series, started out as post apocalyptic (science fiction's little brother) but has been devolving into fantasy. The Scourge of God is apparently the Prophet, a religious madman working out of Wyoming and the upper midwest. Ok, I can deal with that. But why do his minions, the Seekers, talk in bold type and are almost impossible to kill? Why is Rudi getting visions? For that matter, this whole quest they are on to the East coast is taking on more and more the trappings of The Lord of the Rings. And as another reviewer show more noted, it's probably going to take them at least two more books to get to Nantucket. And then 4 more to get back? We could have another Time of Wheels (I mean Wheels of Time) on our hands, a story which the author doesn't know how to end. Like I said, I don't know how much more of this I can take. show less

This one only just misses getting 2 stars by virtue of the fact that Stirling is a good writer. The individual sentences and descriptions and scenes are fun to read. But all together? Well it deserves 2 stars because he has absolutely no idea when to STOP writing. There is *at least* one more book in this series, and I'm hoping I'll be able to get through it. And that getting through it doesn't prove to be a test of will power.

The fifth installment weighs in at just over 500 pages, and with an editor willing to say "Stop! Enough!" probably could have been at most 1/2 that. When the last book left off Rudi, Matti, Ingolf and their merry band had just escaped from the Cutters in Idaho. By the end of Scourge Of God they've mad it to Des show more Moines by way of South Dakota. At a guess, that works out to about 3 miles per page, so there are probably another 500 pages to go just for Rudi to get to Nantucket and the sword, and who know how many to get back.

**spoilers ahead**

All of this might not be so bad if such an incredibly large amount of time weren't spent on elaborate descriptions of daring do, followed by or as part of, a battle with the CUT and its allies in which Rudi's band picks up another cast-away child-heir to the thrown of the part of the country they are in at the moment who will join them on their quest to find the holy grail. I mean sword. Only to get to Des Moines where all of them are taken hostage by the local bossman to send Rudi on alone to find the sword.

Ok - that wasn't all that happened. For the first 1/3 of the book the adventures of the savior of the world are alternated with the members of the Compact gearing up to defend against the united might of the US of Idaho and the CUT just in time for it to turn into an actual battle or war or something, the purpose of which is to show that major supporting characters can actually be killed and everyone will be proud of how they died. Or something.

Really? Five hundred pages of this? We couldn't have skipped the long winter with the Buddhist monks where Rudi learns the ancient eastern wisdom of the middle way and armed and unarmed combat from a cardboard stereotype? Or meeting the ancient and noble Sioux warriors and getting adopted into their clan while getting a discourse on how to hunt the noble buffalo and use every part of it except the grunt? Or rescue a bunch of Mormon women so they can suicide-charge a bunch of CUT militia and slaver-cowboys? Or the repeated skirmish and escape from the terminator-like pursuit of the CUT mixed with detailed horse descriptions? Or the extended battle where Rudi and Mary (or was it Ritva) are injured to prove they aren't invulnerable and Rudi has a vision where he learns he will die in battle? (There might have been something there about him not being allowed to enter the promised land with everyone else, too.) I think pretty much every major religion except Hindi and Islam has been trotted out and shown to be just and good and equal representations of the magical pagan spirits. And of course the CUT are essentially worshiping the Devil. Maybe what this universe needs is some atheists for everyone else to gang up on. Maybe that's what we'll get in the next book instead of more set-piece battles and characters that don't really further the development of the main characters or add any depth to the world of the Change.

I'll read the next one in the hopes that it will be the last, but good grief. SM Stirling now holds my personal award for author most in need of an editor with an red pen and the guts to use it. show less

The Scourge of God by S. M. Stiriling The gods have tasked Rudi Mackenzie with a task. He must claim a sword across the country in Nantucket and return home. He and his companions set out across a hostile countryside, facing wasteland lands and the fanatic cutters. Stirling stirs the soul. I find his writing captivating and enthralling. His hero’s embody both realism and astounding strength of character. The modesty and self depreciation of Rudi is contrasted with the self centeredness of Odard. Even Odard appears to be coming less odious. Ingolf is battling his personal demons and still manages to maintain his self respect and personal restraint when faced with the tantalizing Mary. Heroism does not escape unscathed. Stirling does show more not hesitate to kill off characters or maim them to further the story line. Considering I am generally reading at least three books simultaneously, Stirling is able to enthrall me to the point of charging through his work. Not many authors do that to me. This is the second of an excellent saga of the Change a post-apocalypse society. (or 5 of a continuing story) This book gives some incite as to what caused the fall of society as we know it. I highly recommend the book. show less

12/11 I'm bumping this up to four stars. The second reading left me less concerned with plot progression, and more willing to luxuriate in the world that Stirling's made. Yes, there's no doubt that Rudi is going to triumph in every situation, but it's because he's Hero Incarnate. It's a lovely escape, and a wonderfully convincing dystopia.

12/10 Another solid entry in the Emberverse saga, this book takes Rudi Makenzie and his cohorts deep into the middle of what used to be the United States. Their adventures are grueling and (need I say it?) gruesome.

3.5 stars, really. A lot of interior monologues keep this from being quite as gripping as its predecessors. Also, there begins to be a sameness, a muchness to the plotlines. This does not show more hinder my desire to finish the series, however. The characters are strong, likable and most important of all, interesting. I care what happens to them, and I'm interested in seeing what will happen in Nantucket- I so hope we get to Nantucket in the next book. show less