Jericho Moon [Paperback]

Matthew Woodring Stover (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1998

This is a time of opportunity for a resourceful mercenary, and Barra the Pict, together with her two trusted companions, heads for the deserts of Canaan, where the prince of Jebusai is being held captive. If they can free him and return the prince to his King-Father, they will be richly rewarded. But the great city itself is under siege, and jealous gods have now drawn battle lines. Plunged into a titanic clash of blood and fire, the three fortune-hunting warriors begin a struggle that could lead to an unimaginable fortune or the unholiest kind of death!.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A band of Bronze Age mercenaries face the supreme enemy--Yahweh, the Lord of the nation of Israel--in Jericho Moon, the sequel to Iron Dawn. The barbarian princess Barra and her compatriots take on the job of rescuing the prince of Jebusi (Jerusalem) from the tribes of the Habiru. But rescuing him is the easy part--compared to the challenge of saving the entire city of Jebusi from the righteous slaughter that the Habiru war-leader Joshua and his thousands of warriors have planned. Barra can't turn down the role of savior; not only is the prince of Jebusi an attractive guy, but the city's goddess has made it clear that Barra is her chosen champion, and the city hasn't a chance without her. Jericho Moon is filled with thoroughly scary magical battles--think thunderbolts, hail of stones, and other demonstrations of godly wrath. While there is still some humorous by-play, as when Barra meets some barbarians from her homeland at a fancy party, this book is darker than Iron Dawn and the subject matter more risky. (Yet Yahweh does shine as a vengeful and merciless villain.) Jericho Moon is first-class fantasy entertainment, stuffed with likable characters, brawling adventures, and heroic struggles. --Blaise Selby

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Roc Trade (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451456785
• ISBN-13: 978-0451456786
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,536,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strikingly Different, January 27, 2000

By 

Rodney Meek (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jericho Moon (Paperback)

I have grown exceedingly weary of most contemporary fantasy novels. Seemingly all of them come prepackaged as five-volumes sets, telling the "epic saga" of the stable boy/orphaned princess who is a forgotten heir/prophesied one who must become a great warrior/mighty enchanter to overcome Ultimate Evil (and for some reason, this increasingly seems to involve the aid of telepathically linked horses/unicorns/cats/hawks).

It was a real delight, then, to read "Jericho Moon". The setting abided for the most part of the constraints of the known history of the time period in that region, and there was an exciting mix of cultures. The use of the "fighting mad" Old Testament God o' Wrath was rather daring and provocative, and the bad guys (the Hebrews) were depicted fairly sympathetically.

The alleged heroes, as well, were presented in an unbiased fashion, with all their quirks and flaws and drawbacks. Without clobbering the reader over the head, the author manages to establish intriguing backstories and plausible motivations for the characters, bringing them to life and making them real, warts and all.

I would agree that there's something of an RPG feel to them, but to me, that's not really a drawback, and I don't think it detracts from the story.

A strong effort, great characters, a unique twist on the historical period--a refreshing work indeed!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bible-based sword and sorcery, June 23, 2002

By 

Terrell T. Gibbs (Jamaica Plain, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jericho Moon (Paperback)

I've often thought that a literal reading of the Old Testament would make great fodder for a sword and sorcery story, because the OT Yahweh is as much a nasty customer as any Lovecraftian Elder God--slaughering children, plagues, mass murder, etc. This is the first time I've ever seen it done. Barra, the hero, is a wonderful character, reminiscent of Xena but far more believable. The author has done his research and clearly has extensive knowledge of combat and warfare. The characters are engaging, the story is fast moving, and the final battle between Barra and Yahweh is intense.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh, thrilling -- and not for fundamentalists, January 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jericho Moon (Paperback)

A daring look at the Hebrew invasion of Palestine from the losing side -- the characters are well-drawn and engaging (especially Barra, chosen hero of the Canaanite mother-goddess), and the image of the God of the Old Testament as the ultimate fantasy villain is surprisingly appropriate. A must-read for anyone tired of the endless Arthurian crap crowding the bookshelves.