Ilario: The Stone Golem: A Story of the First History, Book Two (Paperback)

by Mary Gentle (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Medieval alternate historians rarely conceive such wondrously convincing intrigue as Gentle has in this second installment of the First History series (after The Lion's Eye). The action sweeps Ilario, a young hermaphrodite artist, from giving Caesarian birth to a daughter in Venice to befriending Pharaoh-Queen Ty-ameny in Alexandria-in-exile at Constantinople. A turn of fate sees a Chinese war junk taking Ilario first home to Iberia to negotiate with King Rodrigo and then to mighty Carthage, gloomy under the mysterious sunless Penitence but still capable of menacing the civilized world. Gentle's fascinating protagonist, as clever with words as with line and color, plays off a colorful host of fine-tuned characters like the noble Captain-General Honorius, the Alexandrine castrato-by-choice spy Rekhmire'; and the handsome Ramiro Carrasco, Ilario's would-be assassin and later slave. Historical figures like Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, add depth to this rousing adventure, and the intricate plots allow plenty of room for Gentle's subtle, ironic commentary on politics and gender. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"[an] impressive first in a new series from British author Gentle..." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"winderfully convincing...the intricate plots allow plenty of room for Gentle’s subtle, ironic commentary on politics and gender. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Eos (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061344982
• ISBN-13: 978-0061344985
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #878,108 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #10 in

  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( G ) > Gentle, Mary

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars bogged down in the end, April 27, 2008

By	D. Bonar "reader" (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The last 60 pages or so dragged for me. It seemed like the story switched for amusing political plotting with a bit of action to just a bunch of posturing talk. The characters just became mouth pieces for the author to use in making points.

As a side note, I was rather disappointed that the stone golem had only a very minor role in the book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Starts strong and keeps going strong., March 6, 2008

By	A. Lee (L.A., CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book opens with Ilario being suffocated by the assassin Carrasco, sent by the Chancellor of Iberia, Lord Videric. Ilario is a true hermaphrodite, formerly the Iberian "King's Freak," freed, sold into slavery in Carthage to Rekhmire' the New Alexandrian, where assassination attempts and political intrigue began with the first book. Ilario only wishes to study the New Art (using the new technique of perspective over idealism and stylization), but plots and greater issues spin out of control, keeping him/her involved in matters great and small.

All of that happened in the first book, ending with the major cliff-hanger, which I found rather annoying. I also didn't care for Ilario's rashness, single-mindedness and attitude, nor for Ilario's improbable good fortune in his/her father Honorius and her master Rekhmire'--and in becoming pregnant after an ill-advised one-night stand AND surviving a cesarian in giving birth.

Given all that, this continuation is a LOT more fun than the first book. The plots and political maneuvering between New Alexandria, Iberia and Carthage... and other powers, become more involved and complex, and Ilario and crew become more central to it all. Ilario's relationship with the no-nonsense Honorius, the reliably wise and clever Rekhmire' and others falls into a smooth-working comraderie that is amusing to watch.

While Ilario is still unique, in that his/her motivations are sometimes difficult to understand, he/she is at least consistent in that--and so much less annoying to read about. Ilario has grown--and in a very good way. I truly enjoyed the many memorable characters, the drama, the political machinations and the emotional relationships in this conclusion to Ilario's tale.