Flesh and Spirit

Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg is the first of two books in her Lighthouse Duology, and it is not your typical fantasy novel. The book follows a rebellious, drug-addicted sorcerer who comes from a long line of magical cartographers. Though the world may be slowly ending, all he really cares about is himself.

Berg does a marvelous job of slowly revealing more about the world. She slips in important details that you might not notice at first glance, and the fantastical elements subtly build throughout the story.

Magic comes in two varieties: sorcery and bents. The Pureblood Registry strictly controls the breeding of those with magical talent, to the point where each pureblood family has developed magical bents particular to their bloodline. These sorcerers can still do generic magic, as well, but they each have specialties.

There's also a unique fantasy race in the mythology of the world, though it isn't clear whether they exist in reality or merely in legend. These beings, the Danae, live in a parallel world to humanity (think Faerie) and are essentially immortal. They are intimate with nature—sometimes spending years of their lives as a tree or rock or bird—and shun many things associated with humans, like clothes, writing, and buildings.

Berg does an excellent job of crafting complex, believable characters. The cast grows throughout the book, but some of the most important are:

Valen: A rebellious, drug-addicted, womanizer with the ability to read the world like a map. We experience the story through his eyes, and he's refreshingly different from many characters in fantasy.

Perryn: The most noble of three princes that are causing a civil war over the right to claim the throne after the king died.

Bayard: A ruthless, war-crazy prince who will stop at nothing to gain the throne, including allying himself with the doomsday cult known as The Harrowers.

Osriel: Known as Osriel the Bastard, he's shrouded in mystery and magic. Reports say that he gained his magic by partnering with the devil, and he steals the eyes of the men he kills.

Abbot Luviar: The wise ruler of Gillarine abbey, he offers sanctuary to weary travelers. There are hidden layers to this character, and all might not be as it seems.

Valen is injured fighting as a soldier in Perryn's army and manages to escape with his life, eventually collapsing near an abbey of monks. He's taken in by the abbey under the direction of Luviar and nursed back to health, though the monks are unusually interested in Valen's stolen book of maps.

Valen mostly cares about himself, but he finds himself sucked into a world of secret societies, civil war, monks, magic, and destruction. This is a story where you think you've figured things out, only to have the author reveal another layer and keep you guessing.

This was a carefully crafted book, where every scene was important. Even though much of the book takes place in the same location, it never feels stale and the plot is constantly progressing. It's not the fastest-paced of books, but I never found it slow.

Berg is a wordsmith without resorting to purple prose. I often find myself shying away from books touted as being masterworks of prose, but this has a little something for everyone.

If you enjoy good prose, complex characters, and a mysterious atmosphere, this might be the book for you. The magic is unique, if not visually flashy.

If you prefer high magic and lots of action, this might not be for you. Also, this book deals heavily with the theme of consent. Characters are often compelled to act against their will through magical or nonmagical means, which may or may not affect your enjoyment.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and refreshing read. It's rather different than what I've read before, but if you think you might enjoy this book I encourage you to give it a shot!