Emissary [Import] [Paperback]

Fiona McIntosh (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; paperback / softback edition (2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841494615
• ISBN-13: 978-1841494616
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,151,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile and fascinating, December 4, 2007

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Emissary: Book Two of The Percheron Saga (Paperback)

EMISSARY marks the second installment of The Percheron Saga, Fiona McIntosh's daring shift from the standard fantasy that the majority of readers tackle, into the shifting sands of a more Middle Eastern-flavored world. Daring in the sense that she had proven tremendously capable with the classic formula and had found success. To take on a world so vastly different is brave, and to her credit it must be said that her abilities are not wasted in the endeavor. Percheron is a marvel to behold.

Young Boaz, the Zar of Percheron, is at a crossroads. The one person you'd think he could trust, his mother Herezah, is the one person he mistrusts. And with good reason. Herezah has her own plans for Percheron, and one of the first things she needs to do is eliminate Ana, the virginal odalisque of Boaz's harem. Herezah sees her as a serious threat to her objectives and teams with the eunuch Salmeo to bring about Ana's demise. Yet having caught the eye of Boaz, Ana is protected.

All the while, the gods pull the strings on their puppets as they mount their own battles against each other, and Percheron faces a new threat. Lazar, the Spur of Percheron and the friend and protector of Boaz, is secretly recovering from wounds everyone thought had killed him. He is key to the continued existence of Percheron but needs to recover quickly if he is to act in time.

The characters who populate EMISSARY are all intriguing. Pez continues to be the most impressive of the bunch, but Ana takes center stage for this one, in all ways. Every man wants her for his own animalistic desires, Herezah wants her humiliated and ultimately dead, others seek to use her to gain power, and the gods manipulate her for their own needs. All the while, Ana grieves for the death of Lazar, weighed down by the guilt of his loss. Boaz also shows signs of blossoming from immaturity to leader and beginning to understand on a more personal level the deceptions and machinations of those around him who seek only to further their own agendas.

EMISSARY is not filled with daring feats or blood-pumping action, but to say it is wholly devoid of action would be misleading. In the overall arc of the story, EMISSARY is the chess game; it is the manipulation of the pieces with careful precision that sets up an endgame attack of fury that your opponent never saw coming.

With all of the positioning, posturing and planning laid out here, Fiona McIntosh will no doubt have one explosive finale stamped onto the pages of the final volume of this worthwhile and fascinating series.

--- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fabulous fantasy, October 12, 2007

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Emissary: Book Two of The Percheron Saga (Paperback)

A year has passed since the warrior city Protector Spur Lazar was killed, Kett was turned into a eunuch, and Ana became an Odalisque although not performing sexual deeds as part of the harem of Boaz, the juvenile Zar of Percheron,. Odalisque Ana blames herself for the misfortune that occurred to her and her protectors. Males have always wanted to cherish Ana so as Kett points out the Lazar needed to become her Protector.

In the harem, the virginal Ana tries to behave and fit in although men still desire her even Boaz. However, the Zar's mother Herezah sees the first crush her son has had and fears the influence of this newcomer to her role as the queen mother ruling over the harem. She arranges a scheme to humiliate Ana before assassinating her. The eunuch Grand Master Salmeo, who detests the popularity of this newcomer amongst his emaciated subordinates and the women he oversees, abets Herezah with her plan to include sexual torture as only he knows how to use. However, on one of those isles that Odalisque Ana stares at from her window, Lazar slowly heals from his severe wounds planning to fulfill his vow as Ana's Protector.

EMISSARY, Book Two of the Percheron Saga (see ODALISQUE) is a fascinating fantasy that provides a deep look into the realm although that keen glimpse makes for little action for most of the tale. Instead the story line has started several subplots that look like they will be action-packed fun. Odalisque Ana is the focus of everyone's wants. The Zar wants her; his mother wants her dead but not martyred;, the Grand Master wants her humiliated; Lazar wants to rescue her;, the Vizier wants to use her to gain power; and the Gods want to manipulate her. This is an entertaining tale, but lacks the punch of ODALISQUE as it sets the stage for the final tale in which hopefully all the players will clash.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Author for the Ages, October 30, 2007

By 

Brendan L. Johnson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Emissary: Book Two of The Percheron Saga (Paperback)

Fiona Mcintosh is one of the premiere authors to grace the pages with her thoughts. I am a long time fantasy reader and have been for a very long time. The genre has amazing authors such as George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan (God rest his soul) but there has not been such a fresh voice until now. Fiona broke out with an amazing series The Quickening in the US. However I do recommend you head over to Amazon UK and pick up her Trinity Trilogy which was incredible. We are all very lucky to have this second installment of her second American release. So prepare yourself for some serious pleasure. Also, take some time to check out her website and online forums. She regularly takes the time to answer each and every person on her boards with personalized answers. A+ 4 Stars 10 out of 10 however you want to put it, buy the book and enjoy.