Into the thinking kingdoms : Journeys of the catechist. Vol. 2

From Publishers Weekly The fantastical Journey of the Catechist series Foster began with Carnivores of Light and Darkness continues, as the plucky herdsman Etjole Ehomba carries on his search for a mysterious woman who has been kidnapped by the necromancer Hymneth the Possessed. In this installment, Ehomba and his two companionsAthe great black half-lion/half cheetah Ahlitah and the itinerant swordsman and treasure-hunter Simna ibn SindAseek a boat that will take them across the infamous Semordria Ocean. In Lybondai, a shifty, cigar-smoking merchant tells them the only place they can find such a ship is in the legendary port city of Hamacassar, far to the north. To get there the trio must cross many strange lands, including a dangerous marsh overrun by wild horses and a place where flowers fight for superiority. In Tethspraih they are arrested for having improper thoughts. In Phan City they barely escape with their lives when attacked by otherworldly spirits after the "witching hour," and in Netherbrae they free an intelligent beast named Hunkapa Aub from his human torturers. Though every obstacle falls a bit too neatly to Ehomba's native wit and his grab bag of enchanted items, the story's swift pace and Foster's boundless imagination deliver something very different from the usual fantasy quest saga. In these magical lands, Foster shows that character and common sense can be as important, and as powerful, as any magic. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Having passed through the kaleidoscopic landscapes of the Changing Lands, the herdsman Etjole Ehomba and his two companions embark upon the second phase of their quest to fulfill the mission of a dying stranger. Entering the Thinking Lands, Ehomba encounters exotic cultures offering subtle dangers and strange new experiences. Foster's latest series combines elements of epic fantasy with folkloric motifs in an engaging picaresque tale of a simple man's honor-bound journey into adventure. Libraries owning Carnivores of Light and Darkness (LJ 5/15/98) will wish to purchase this sequel. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. Fiction,Fantasy,General,Science Fiction,Epic,Fantasy fiction,Fantastic fiction A humble herdsman from an isolated tribe, Etjole Ehomba has a simple sense of honor that requires him to fu1fill a stranger's dying wish - even if it means Ehomba must cross a world and battle an unstoppable evil to rescue a woman he has never met... Ehomba and his companions, the swordsman Simna ibn Sind and the giant cat Ahlitah, have conquered all the magical perils of the Unstable Land - only to discover they must still reach the distant, fabled port of Hamacassar if they hope to find a ship that would dare to sail the impassable Semordria Ocean. And the travelers must cross kingdoms unlike any the tribesman has ever seen: "civilized" lands that are worldly, prosperous, clean...and lethal. Where honest questions are answered with lies, where treachery prevails, where citizens destroy anything they cannot control, where birds are spies, and even flowers are at war. And throughout the journey, the herdsman must keep one secret from his companions. For two seers, separated by continents, have each told Ehomba that his quest can end only in defeat...and death. Bound by honor, Ehomba has traveled through many exotic and perilous lands on a quest to save a beautiful princess he has never met from the hands of the evil Hymneth the Possessed. Through all their travels Ehomba has ignored the warnings he has heard from seers and psychics, foretelling of disaster and death if the quest was completed. Now that Ehomba and his traveling party have finally reached the destination of their epic journey, the kingdom ruled by Hymneth, will they be able to defend themselves against Hymneth's powerful and evil magic? Will they be able to rescue the princess and bring her safely home with their lives intact? An adventure of epic proportions continues as Ehomba, a man bound by honor, travels through exotic and perilous lands on a quest to find and protect a beautiful princess he has never met. Drawn into his journey are Simna the swordsman and the great feline Ahlitah, and both are as much fascinated as they are confused by Ehomba's commitment to the imprisoned royal. Together, they travel great distances and encounter fantastic beings, but to save the princess, they must confront the greatest evil that lies ahead: her captor, Hymneth the Possessed. A fantasy on the continuing travels of a herdsman in an effort to fulfill a dying warrior wish to save a beautiful woman in a faraway land. On this leg he crosses a kingdom where he is arrested for thinking wrong thoughts