Sky Knife [Mass Market Paperback]

Marella Sands (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2000

Sands returns to the strange and haunting world of the ancient Mayan civilization, and to Sky Knife, the young priest who defeated those who would topple his people's city. In his new story, he must go to the distant kingdom of the Teotihuan, to reopen diplomatic ties with these strange people. When their king is killed and bad luck seems to descend upon the kingdom, it is left to Sky Knife to solve the riddle of his death -- or he will be slaughtered in the killer's stead.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"From brutal human sacrifice to the daily concerns of a people for whom magic is as common as the air that they breathe, Sky Knife is a compelling portrait of ancient Mayan culture". -- Mystery News

From the Publisher

"A gripping tale of the mystical forces wielded by ancient Mayan priests in the once-great city of Tikal." --Booklist

"From brutal human sacrifice to the daily concerns of a people for whom magic is as common as the air they breathe, Sky Knife is a compelling portrait of ancient Mayan culture." --Mystery News

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; Reprint edition (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812577647
• ISBN-13: 978-0812577648
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,096,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great View of an Alien Culture, May 7, 2001

By 

Sires "I enjoy mysteries, historical and proc... (Chesapeake, OH, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sky Knife (Hardcover)

I had the opportunity to visit the Yucatan a few years ago and Belize after that and came away with a fascination for the Mayan culture which has not died. This book is one of the best fiction accounts of the time and culture that I have read.

The Mayan culture is very alien to our ways and mores, and yet the author has managed to make it very accessible. While one may cringe at the idea of someone voluntarily going to a bloody and painful death in order to bring good fortune to the city, this book does an excellent job of portraying the necessity and the response of the people involved.

Sky Knife, the hero, takes on the roll of the Detective who must search out the root of the bad luck the city is suddenly plagued with in order to restore order and harmony. A naieve young man at the beginning, he must learn to think outside the cultural box, as the reader must as well to fully appreciate this book.

I haven't read the sequel yet, but I've ordered it and am awaiting it breathlessly.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical aspects only enhance solid historical accuracy, June 20, 2004

By 

seide (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Sky Knife (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is an excellent, enjoyable fantasy that is built on a solid foundation of historical and anthropological research. Ms. Sands' thorough understanding of the Mayan culture is what helps to draw the reader in and allows him or her to go along with the more fantastical aspects of the story. I learned a few things about the Mayan world while at the same time enjoying the magical elements of the plot. The fantasy integrated seamlessly with the framework of cultural information that the author provides.

One of the reasons we read books with a fantasy element is to transcend and escape the everyday world. Since _Sky Knife_ was not proffered as a historical account of the Maya, the magical facet of the book only enhanced it in my mind, reifying the worldview of the characters. The reader lives the protagonist's experiences with him and is drawn into the adventure as he encounters it. Sands pays careful attention to character development and detail so that you see, hear, feel, taste, smell-- and sometimes recoil in horror from-- the world she has created. What more can you ask from a fantasy novel other than to be drawn completely into it for a while? _Sky Knife_ is well-written, well-researched, fun reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brings the Maya to life with vigor, humor, and reverence, September 24, 1997

By 

Mark Sumner "Devilstower" (Imperial, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sky Knife (Hardcover)

This is simply a terrific book. Ms. Sands has a professional anthropologist's knowledge of the historical Maya. She knows the details of their architecture, their government, and their artifacts. But that doesn't begin to describe the range of this novel.

Moving beyond stones and ruins, she reveals a people wholly entangled with their intricate religious system. The result is a land where gods and humans intercourse in a way that seems like fantasy to modern eyes -- and like everyday life to the people of Tikal.

This is one of the most fleshed-out views of an "alien" culture you're likely to find. Highly recommended.