The Reliquary Ring (Paperback)

by Cherith Baldry (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
An outstanding new adult fantasy from an author acclaimed for her fiction aimed at younger readers. The setting is a fabulously wealthy maritime city where created humans (genics) are despised and exploited by the genuine human citizens. But then the sinister Count Dracone plots to seize ultimate power with the aid of infernal beings and the emissaries and technology of the sinister northern Empire. Set in a parallel Venice, this is a beautifully written fantasy of good versus evil, tolerance and charity versus fanaticism and self-interest. It draws us into not only the rich beauty and opulence of a wealthy city, undersea inhabitants and the eccentric inventiveness of the northern neighbours, but is also an excursion to hell itself.

About the Author
Cerith Baldry is well known for her writing for a juvenile readership, and lives in Surrey.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Tor (February 21, 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0333989449
• ISBN-13: 978-0333989449
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,930,972 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 Venetian fantasy, July 2, 2003

By	john wilson (UK) - See all my reviews

Cherith Baldry has turned from King Arthur and his round table to Venice. At last she has written a book for the adults to follow her successful books for younger readers.

The story works on different levels.

It vividly describes an alternative society in Venice. It works as a straight forward adventure story building to an exciting climax.

It works as a mannered romance in a Jane Austen manner.

It works as a description of how societies work.

But there is also a hidden sub-text in the story where wry parallels and comments are made with wit and insight about our modern society. Points are gently made about exploitation, inequality, the nature of romantic love and religion without any intrusion of the writer's own opinions.

Read it once as a story then reread it again for the subtler points.

3.0 out of 5 stars Pseudo Da Vinci, July 3, 2006

By	Mercurious (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reliquary Ring (Paperback)

The first thing I have to say about this book is that one of the major revelations, and key storylines is revealed on the inside of the front cover. When I buy a book I read every inch of the back and front pages before delving into the novel itself, I did so with this book, but was fortunate enough to miss (or forget) this important detail--fortunately. The people who write these snippets should be more careful.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was an unexpected surprise. It was very easy to get into, and has a storyline that simply kept you interested, even if it was a bit weak. There was a good story here just waiting to get out. As the author matures, this would have been better written at a later date.

I won't go into the premise of the book, except to say that (apart from good versus evil), there are 'genics' - genetically engineered people 'coveted' by the wealthy yet shunned by society at the same time. The story revolves around everyday discrimination that seemingly goes unnoticed, as a city is in the brink of turmoil. Is the person that packs your groceries any less than the person who sells you the latest BMW?

The two main weaknesses I found were that a lot of the story revolved around the church, and their acceptance of 'genics'. On the word of one priest, a miracle is announced and all of a sudden 'genics' are kosher. And the bad guy, he has all this fancy hi-tech gadgetry, is about to take over the city when at the turn of a dime he ends up looking like Dick Dastardly trying to `stop the pigeon'. You could almost picture him in your mind dancing a little tantrum when things go awry.