The Lions of Al-Rassan

Frequently amazing, powerfully written, and constrained from brilliance.

This is a fictional work with a (very small) amount of magic, and is not formally set on Earth, but it is essentially the Spanish reconquista recast. The cast is large, but it is centrally concerned with two strong – but not ruling – figures from the Asharite and Jaddite faiths and civilizations, their shifting loyalties, the rulers they serve, their friendships. Both of those religions, and a third, the Kindath, are pretty clearly representative of real-world religions.

I enjoyed the book very much and I loved most of the characters, but it suffers from some common writing complaints, mostly to do with the plot being too “pat.” The warriors are too good; some of the characters too noble; certain death too frequently averted; everything works out a little too perfectly most of the time. It feels like an airbrushed history.

As a top-flight, grade-A novel, it leaves a bit too much to be desired. As a B-rate one, it blows most of the competition out of the water.