Kristine Kathryn Rusch presents a well-realized, highly developed world in The Sacrifice, the first book of her Fey series. The book revolves around the campaign for Blue Isle: Prince Rugar of the Fey and his daughter Jewel have come to conquer the Islanders, led by King Alexander, his son Nicholas, and the Rocaan (the Islanders' religious leader).
Rusch gives an even-handed depiction of both sides of the war; despite the fact that the Fey are the aggressors, the reader can sympathize with their plight: trapped on Blue Isle, with no way to return home and reinforcements unlikely, the Fey fight a war of attrition. The cultures are markedly different. The Fey have long been conquerors in the vein of Alexander the Great; they have absorbed or destroyed every culture they've met, and Blue Isle's turn has come through simple geography. The Islanders eschew most contact with the outside world, preferring the isolation of their home and pursuing peaceful lives. They have no standing army to repel the Fey invasion.
There are many questions left unanswered at the end of The Sacrifice, as is common for the first novel of a fantasy series. This book covers only the campaign for Blue Isle, from the first attack to the resolution. The ending is not a surprise for the reader; in fact, it is a rather foregone conclusion from Jewel's Vision of the invasion in chapter one. The rest of the novel maneuvers the characters into recognizing and accepting what the reader already knows. Thankfully, this knowledge did not detract from my reading of the book. Besides, the subplots provide enough fodder to chew on for quite awhile, and I suspect the issues presented will develop more fully later on, as Rusch explores more of the history of the Fey and the Islanders.
I have only two negative comments to make about this book: one, the opening is a bit scattered, since each chapter introduces us to another viewpoint character whose importance we have yet to see (but this settles down and smooths out fairly quickly); and two, the graphic depictions of gore are a little over the top. The magic of the Fey seems to depend on blood, skin, muscle and bone for its sustenance, and the depictions of the desecration of corpses after battle requires a reader with a strong stomach.
Overall, The Sacrifice is one of the better books I've read recently, although it doesn't quite make the list for books I'd re-read.
Recommended:
