Customer Reviews

Jagutai and Lilitu (Zancharthus, Book 2)

5 star:		(11)
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3 star:		(1)
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If you have made it to this book then hopefully you have read Blood & Pearls which is the book before this one. This book continues right where that one left off. Our characters are all embroiled in the steaming cesspool that is Khymir. Mark E. Rogers portrays and evil society better than anyone I have ever read. His evil society and the people in it and the depraved things they do make the evil people in contemporary fantasy look tame in comparison. Mr. Rogers will shock you with his style of Dark Fantasy which melds Fantasy, Horror, and Erotica all into a hot and steaming series of books. This book is fantastic and will be difficult to put down without reading it from cover to cover in a single sitting.

So, if you have read Blood & Pearls then you definately want to read this. The story is not finished. You still MUST read the rest of the story. The evil of Khymir still has mysteries which you have yet to have heard.

This book as with the others is intended for mature audiences only. I would rate it an NC-17 rating in terms of who should read it. Aside from that word of caution it is a great read!

The author hits the mark again in this second book of the Pre-Zorachus trilogy. This book focuses on Jagutai and Lilitu, and how Jagutai is sent back to Khymir by his father, the great Khan.

Mark Rogers takes on "forbidden" themes with such gusto, that the reader cannot help being swept along with the prose. My one caveat is that this is not for the under 18 crowd.

I especially enjoyed the author's explanations for how magic works in his world.

It was a striking blow for women's equality when the pregnant woman in labor protects her husband, defeats the maurauding demons, and delivers a happy, bouncing baby boy.

Buy this book today!

"Jagutai and Lilitu" is the second book of the best fantasy series you're never read. The first book of the series is "Blood and Pearls", and the second volume relies heavily on the first; I would recommending reading them in order.

If you think fantasy is strictly for kids, this series will change your mind. In Rogers's books, you won't read about the magical elf and his dwarf buddies who go into the enchanted forest to find the dragon's gold. Rogers isn't afraid to get graphic with sex and violence, and the villians are spine-chilling and unsettling. There is some cheeky humor, and some of the circumstances are so demented you can't help laughing at them in retrospect (an orgy of demonically possessed pigs? how does he come up with this stuff?), but the tone is kept morbid and dark. Think of it as light on the Terry Brooks, and heavy on the David Lynch.

As a sequel, this book works brilliantly. The characters are great and Rogers defines them more thoroughly, especially the two who inspire the title. The plot is a thick, twisting rope of theology, politics, and finance. It's smart, it doesn't slow down, and you can feel the stark fatalism closing in for the kill in part three.

I can't wait to read the third volume, and I'm equally excited to see what Rogers does in the future. Mark E. Rogers is an independent author, and his work is so far outside the mainstream, it is really quite refreshing. If you're looking to try something new, definately check out the first volume of the series, "Blood and Pearls". From there, it only gets better.

Tons of sex and violence, wit, very well fleshed out characters, and a completely engaging story, this is my personal favorite of the Zancharthus trilogy. The scene at Froct's mansion alone is worth the price of the book!

Chances are, if you are reading this review than you have already read Blood and pearls. Jaguti and Lilitu continues the furiously intense action and sex which made the first book so great. New characters are introduced and old familiar characters are further developed. This story while full of conflict on its own sets the stage for larger things to come. The book is also full of new illistrations which alone are worth the price of the book. If you read the fist book I'm sure you will read Jaguti and Lilitu no matter what the review says. But if you have yet to read Blood and Pearls do so and get ready for a fun ride.

As I turned the final page of "Jagutai and Lilitu" by Mark E. Rogers, I had to sit for a while to sort out my reactions. As always with Mr. Roger's novels, the writing is outstanding. His images are colorful and compelling; the narrative witty and imaginative. I guarantee there's not a dull moment in the book. My chief reaction, however, is delighted astonishment. Mr. Rogers writes about the nature of evil. The novel moves forward through scenes of violence, bloodshed, and decadence - mitigated, of course, by an ever-present sense of humor. But who would have thought that through this crucible of darkness and death, that tenderness, compassion, love, and redemption could emerge? Or that the most effective force in a story about sorcery, swordplay, and political intrigue would be friendship?

I greatly enjoyed this intelligent and entertaining sequel to Zancharthus. It is a rare experience to read a novel that engages on so many levels. The tongue-in-cheek humor and broadly drawn characters evoke questions about good and evil, vengeance and forgiveness, and the nature of love. Do we become good because we make a conscious decision to do so? Because it makes sense? Does faith compel us to right actions, or do right actions lead us to faith?

Get yourself a copy of this book. The ready humor and spectacle of the tale are like a sumptuous array of hors d'oeuvres at an elegant dinner, while the underlying themes provide a full course meal, from soup to the after-dinner brandy that calls for a moment of quiet reflection. Do not miss this feast of a book!

Where to start? Maybe we should try to find out what drugs this guy's on...this sequel to Blood and Pearls is a very trippy book. The monsters alone are worth the cover price, but then there's the action, the philosophy, and all the sex. Not to mention well-defined characters and very black humor. The city of Khymir is definitely the worst place ever, and Mr.Rogers (no, not the kiddy host) conducts the tour with awesome gusto. Can't wait for part three, The Night of the Long Knives!

The second novel in the Zancharthus trilogy is even better than the first. Having deposed the mad Dessicatorius, Mancdaman Zanchartus has become the High Priest of Tchernabog, who he despises. Zanchartus wants to reform the order & Khymir itself. To combat Tchernabog and the forces he commands, Zancharthus begins to teach his consort Torrisanna sorcery and waits for the return of Jagutai whose help he needs. Jagutai is more than a little bothered by Lilitu, Torrisanna's former lover, who has returned to the Temple of Tsa Terrathu. There, with Jagutai's help, she works to defeat Gudrid, the new high priestess. Lilitu is a fascinating character and much of the story is told from her viewpoint. The book is filled with interesting and revolting characters, including one who really loves pigs. As the love story between Jagutai & Lilitu develops, we grow to care about them as well as Zancharthus & Torrisanna. While those of us who have read Roger's earlier book, Zorachus, know how some of the story turns out, there are parts we don't know. This book left me anxiously waiting the conclusion of the series. I can't wait to see what Rogers will do next.

It's illustrated! Romantic! Morally uplifting! And just a bit sickening!^_^ JAGUTAI AND LILITU is, if anything, even crazier than ZANCHARTHUS, with loads of gore, perversion, philosophically idiosyncratic villains, and a not-to-be-forgotten porcine orgy scene. Somehow, in the midst of it all, Rogers slips in serious and well-thought-out theological discourse and truly involving characters. If you're tired of poseur writers who try, and fail, to violate every standard of good taste, check this out.

Finally this book came out...and I absolutely LOVED IT! Well worth the wait. It has everything you could ask for: sex, violence, philosophy, intrique, gods and devils...a full plate, no doubt. But,(and this is important), the story is delivered with perfect clarity. I dare you to not enjoy this powerhouse! Incredible as it may seem, Rogers has somehow managed to get better. Buy it now! You won't be sorry!