Sky Knife (Hardcover)

by Marella Sands (Author)

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 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
From brutal human sacrifice to the daily concerns of a people for whom magic is as common as the air that they breathe, this novel offers the compelling and evocative portrait of a young Mayan priest cursed with an unlucky name--Sky Knife."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (September 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312861265
• ISBN-13: 978-0312861261
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,557,664 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

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 "I'm the madwoman in my own attic" (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Sires (It's a Toss Up Right Now) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

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.

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 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.