The Sleeping God: A Novel of Dhulyn and Parno [Paperback]

Violette Malan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dhulyn and Parno | Publication Date: August 7, 2007

Masters of weapons and martial arts, Mercenaries Dhulyn Wolfshead and Parno Lionsmane have just saved one of the Marked, those gifted with special powers, from a mob that appears to be under the influence of a priest of the Sleeping God. Learning that this is not an isolated incident and realizing that Dhulyn's own unique gift will make them a target, the two take ship for safer climes. Once ashore the partners take on a seemingly simple mission of escorting a young woman to distant relatives. But not even Dhulyn's talent can warn them of the threat that awaits at the far end of their journey.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Combining classic heroic fantasy with a metaphysical twist, Malan (The Mirror Prince) introduces the Mercenary Brotherhood and two of its most fascinating members: Dhulyn Wolfshead, a psychically gifted former slave, and Parno Lionsmane, a rugged exiled nobleman. Their assignment seems simple: deliver Mar-eMar, a young orphan, to her distant relatives of the demi-royal Tenebro House in Imrion's capital, Gotterang. The trip quickly turns complicated and dangerous as they encounter the deadly persecution of the Marked, supernaturally talented people whom the fanatical New Believers think are trying to wake the Sleeping God and destroy the world. Parno must confront his noble past and Dhulyn fight the limitations of her visions as they battle the elusive, terrifying Green Shadow, who's manipulating the New Believers for his own ends. Malan's sometimes wordy, philosophical musings weigh down the action, but she makes up for it with abundant swordplay and the protagonists' strong, entertaining partnership. (Aug.)
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About the Author

Violette Malan lives in a nineteenth-century limestone farmhouse in southeastern Ontario with her husband. Born in Canada, Violette’s cultural background is half Spanish and half Polish, which makes it interesting at meal times. She has worked as a teacher of creative writing, English as a second language, Spanish, beginner’s French, and choreography for strippers. On occasion she’s been an administrative assistant and a carpenter’s helper. Her most unusual job was translating letters between lovers, one of whom spoke only English, the other only Spanish.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: DAW Trade (August 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756404460
• ISBN-13: 978-0756404468
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,030,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A modern rendition of the classic sword-and-sorcery story, August 9, 2007

By 

prolific reader (Arlington, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sleeping God: A Novel of Dhulyn and Parno (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book. On the surface, it is a standard sword-and-sorcery novel with incredible swordsmen, barbarians, snivelly townsfolk, and evil magicians plotting destruction. But it's more than that: each character is solidly portrayed, with development and growth that is believable.

Each character makes a choice/choices, both good and bad, that have consequences. Some of the decisions of the characters are agonizing to read, because you know they will regret them later. Other decisions are so right, fit so perfectly with the character, that you simply agree with the character and continue reading.

The world is mapped out more by caste than by geography, which is unusual. The various castes are not explicitly defined, but instead are shown to the reader by each character's actions and beliefs. Figuring out exactly what each caste's role is adds another layer to the story.

An improvement over The Mirror Prince, which was also enjoyable but more uneven, this book is good escapist fiction that also shows strong characters with distinct personalities acting according to their nature.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dangerously Fun Fantasy, September 22, 2007

By 

Wantz Upon A Time Reviews (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sleeping God: A Novel of Dhulyn and Parno (Paperback)

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
on 09/22/2007

Members of the Mercenary Guild, Partners Dhulyn Wolfshead and Parno Lionsmane are accustomed to danger. Their fighting spirit is summed up in their ritualized parting: "In Battle," to which another Mercenary replies "Or in Death."

When they arrive in the land of Parno's birth, they are shocked to find homicidal hostility toward the Marked--people born an ability to Find, Mend, Heal, or See. Historically, the Marked have been treated as everyday tradespeople, paid for appreciated services. Now, they're being persecuted by priests of the Sleeping God.

Dhulyn has a secret Mark, that of Sight, which is the rarest of the four. Guided by her ability to See, she and Parno take on a commission to deliver a young girl to her family in a city Parno both misses and would rather forget. Their arrival triggers a series of events that could change everything.

In this fully realized fantasy, Violette Malan blends traditional elements with her characters' unique perspectives. Not only are the settings vivid, but the social structure and climes are understandable and believable. Readers will experience this journey as if they were part of it, a sure sign of good fantasy writing.

This novel is a fun read with a great combination of danger, intrigue, humor, and more. The pace only slows long enough for readers to catch a breath before picking up with more action.

Violette Malan's THE SLEEPING GOD is a great choice for good fantasy reading.


4.5-Books

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Ok at best., February 18, 2008

By 

Michael J. Crow (Hutchinson,MN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sleeping God: A Novel of Dhulyn and Parno (Paperback)

My main issues are with Dhulyn & Parno being billed to among the greatest warriors known ,but there are only a few fight scenes. Malan makes it clear in the book and builds the prowess of the Dhulyn and Parno but just doesn't deliver or back it up enough. The few battle scenes in the book are glossed over and end quickly which doesn't seem to be consistent with her two battle loving main characters. The pacing was also off amd again I have to point to the main characters not being involved in as much action as you might expect. At times the story moves slow enough where a reader could very well lose interest, but luckily the plot is good enough to give it time to unravel. A patient reader will be rewarded.

In the end I can recommend The Sleeping God to those who enjoy a good political intrigue fantasy. The characters and plot are strong enough to make you stick around even if the action that the reader is expecting never materializes. I would not recommend this to anyone who is looking for an action packed slug fest. Overall, Malan manages to pull off an intriguing story of politics, love, and the fate of the world without being clichéd and should not disappoint readers in those aspects.