The Breath of God

A Novel of the Opening of the World

By: Harry Turtledove

Narrated by: William Dufris

Once the great Glacier enclosed the Raumsdalian Empire. Now it has broken open, and Count Hamnet Thyssen faces a new world. With the wisecracking Ulric Skakki, the neighboring clan leader Trasamund (politely addressed as "Your Ferocity"), and his lover, the shaman Liv, Hamnet leads an exploration of the new territory in hopes of finding the legendary Golden Shrine.

But dangers abound. A violent and implacable group known as the Rulers has already killed many, and now they attack again. Riding deer and woolly mammoths and using powerful magic, the Rulers triumph and force the Raumsdalians to flee.

In the spring, another battle ends even more badly for Hamnet's side, but the Glacier is also retreating, so they are able to escape. Meeting a tribe whose desperate living conditions have led them to overcome the Raumsdalian taboo against eating fallen foes, they find unexpected allies. Now, returning to the capital city and its intrigues, Hamnet prepares to lead an army against the merciless Rulers. The world, once so bounded and comprehensible, will never be the same.

©2008 Harry Turtledove (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"(Turtledove) demonstrates his versatility and considerable imagination in this fast-paced military fantasy." ( Publishers Weekly)

I found this book dry and tedious. .

I found this book dry and tedious. Harry Turtledove took a fascinating subject and has made me rethink listening to any more of his books. Where excitement should have flavored it, the script it was slow. When he tried to write in a engaging manner it made me bored. this book is filled to much fluff and isn't worth it.

Sequel

This isn't Harry Turtledove's best work. I enjoyed it, but like the first volume, I want to know if the story will ever be finished. I've been burned before, and I wish there were publisher's notes like: 'Mr. Turtledove is currently working on 'Dire wolves and the Golden Snow Shrine,' the third volume in the series.' Or something like that.

Where is context, where is story

After an hour I had to quit. No context, no description of the environment, just narrative that required more development to make a story.