The sequel to The Sacred Pool [BKL D 15 00] continues Douglas' saga
of a mythic Provence, focusing largely on the young sorceress
Pierrette. Learning that the Eater of Gods is threatening to bring
on the Dark Time, when in an otherwise grim world all work will be
done by the captive souls of murdered children, Pierrette must
travel back in time and also across time to a key turning point in
history. She finds it in the late second century B.C.E., during the
initial Roman conquest of southern Gaul. There she has to defeat a
literally demonic Gaulish king, Teutomalas, and his sorcerous ally,
the mage Cunotar. Coincidentally, she experiences her own sexual
awakening (without, however, losing her virginity, technically) and
encounters several well-drawn characters, including the Roman
general Calvinus and the historian Polybius. Douglas' use of
historical and folkloric material, his expertise in Roman warfare,
and the deft characterizations outweigh occasional lapses in
narrative technique. For the serious reader of historical fantasy,
highly recommended. Roland Green
American Library Association. All rights reserved
Library Journal
When the young mage Pierette notices that the events in her history
books are changing before her eyes, she realizes that powerful
magics have surfaced in her world. In order to restore the truth,
she must travel in time to a period in which her native Provence lay
in the hands of the empire of Rome. Douglas's sequel to The Sacred
Pool continues the story of a resourceful young woman whose
knowledge of history, magic, and the old religion provides the key
to fighting the emergence of the Black Time. The author's meticulous
historical research and his grasp of the relationship between early
Christianity and ancient paganism should attract fans of historical
fantasy. A good choice for most libraries.