'It will leave you mesmerized and awestruck for more than a week after you've finished it!'
I had come across countless books about teenagers possessing special talents, but none of those talents ever was cold-blooded murder. Until I picked up The Left Hand of God. Having heard about the hype surrounding it, I decided to give it a try. Little did I know this would be the book I'd want to write a review about.
Cutting to the chase, this enthralling epic fantasy novel centers mostly around Thomas Cale and his (only) friends, "Vague" Henri and Kleist. It is set in an alternate universe, and, more specifically, a medieval environment, while still keeping intact a big part of our world's history – something that, at times, can be quite baffling.
As the book begins, Cale and his motley crew are trapped in the Sanctuary - a religious-cum-military training ground facility ran by the brutal Redeemers - among hundreds of other boys who have been there since they can remember, and, subsequently, the only way they have seen a girl is through the murals on the walls of the Sanctuary, and the sexist, obviously anti-Feministic tales of the Redeemers.
After a tiny adventure, compared to the ones that follow, our army-of-one hero is witness to an unspeakable crime: the merciless murder of a (surprise!) girl - before committing one himself, slaying the culprit and thus saving the girl about to be raped and executed in the same perverse way. Shocked by both the fact that girls indeed exist and are no myth, and that Redeemers can be so callous, he orchestrates an escape plan, dragging the two boys along, who, in turn, decide to escort the 'damsel-in-distress' to safety.
The Left Hand of God introduces a vast variety of secondary characters as well, most of them skillfully developed, intriguing and as realistic as an epic fantasy character can afford to be. Examples include the brat Conn Materazzi, Cale's bully; the ridiculous and sarcastic IdrisPukke, whose silly name marks one of the author's efforts for his book to be read by both adults and teenagers (more on that later); the exquisite, yet detested, icy and manipulative Arbell Materazzi, also known as Swan-Neck, a name representative of her inconceivable beauty, Cale's one and true love, who ends up breaking his heart (I for one found myself with a lump up my throat as I was reading the last few pages); Chancellor Vipond, a mysterious, treacherous, and most of all powerful man; and, last, but undoubtedly not least, Redeemer Bosco, Cale's handler whose Machiavellian attitude and perverted idea of love and loyalty distinguishes him from the rest of the Redeemers, as does his knowledge of Cale's being the very Angel of Death.
Hoffman writes those characters colorfully, and with remarkable ease, developing and shaping their personalities until the very end of the story, thus making the characters, though stereotypical, realistic; an example being Cale and Arbell's softening of character towards the end of the book, due to their feelings for each other.
But what is it, that makes this book so unique, you may wonder. A number of factors, actually. The most significant of them, and the key factor, is the author's effective use of clichés and stereotypes, as he blends them together to weave a tale that seems familiar to the readers, yet impossible to predict what happens next – that's thanks to the tremendous momentum Hoffman's exceptional touch grants it.
And, of course, let us not forget the book's aggressive tone towards Catholicism. It is absolutely conspicuous, after all, that Hoffman both directly and indirectly attacks it, as he confirms it in an interview himself, and therefore conveys an eerie message, when citing the stretching of one's soul to breaking point by refraining from any pleasure in the name of religion and faith. Voicing his divergent opinion is definitely a huge risk to take and, most probably, the reason it didn't sell more. Despite the Anti-Catholic angle, however, under no circumstances should it be branded propagandistic, as it still remains an epic fantasy fiction novel.
Another noteworthy characteristic that makes this book unprecedented is its ability to attract teenagers and adults alike (something that is assisted by the complete lack of magic in the alternate universe Hoffman conjures up). The book's dark, mature, gory tone doesn't allow younger and immature readers to get close to it, let alone read it, thus rendering it an adult fiction novel. Nonetheless, mature readers and older teens are more than likely to pick it up and devour it in a matter of days.
If you're looking for a book to get you started with reading, or are under 15, go look elsewhere – The Left Hand of God isn't for you just yet. If, however, you're over 15, or have read countless of books in your so-far life, don't hesitate – go buy this book, and prepare for a thrilling ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat for as long as you're reading it and will leave you mesmerized and awestruck for more than a week after you've finished it!
*Want to tell the world about a book you've read? Join the site and send us your review!* Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.
I had come across countless books about teenagers possessing special talents, but none of those talents ever was cold-blooded murder. Until I picked up The Left Hand of God. Having heard about the hype surrounding it, I decided to give it a try. Little did I know this would be the book I'd want to write a review about.
Cutting to the chase, this enthralling epic fantasy novel centers mostly around Thomas Cale and his (only) friends, "Vague" Henri and Kleist. It is set in an alternate universe, and, more specifically, a medieval environment, while still keeping intact a big part of our world's history – something that, at times, can be quite baffling.
As the book begins, Cale and his motley crew are trapped in the Sanctuary - a religious-cum-military training ground facility ran by the brutal Redeemers - among hundreds of other boys who have been there since they can remember, and, subsequently, the only way they have seen a girl is through the murals on the walls of the Sanctuary, and the sexist, obviously anti-Feministic tales of the Redeemers.
After a tiny adventure, compared to the ones that follow, our army-of-one hero is witness to an unspeakable crime: the merciless murder of a (surprise!) girl - before committing one himself, slaying the culprit and thus saving the girl about to be raped and executed in the same perverse way. Shocked by both the fact that girls indeed exist and are no myth, and that Redeemers can be so callous, he orchestrates an escape plan, dragging the two boys along, who, in turn, decide to escort the 'damsel-in-distress' to safety.
The Left Hand of God introduces a vast variety of secondary characters as well, most of them skillfully developed, intriguing and as realistic as an epic fantasy character can afford to be. Examples include the brat Conn Materazzi, Cale's bully; the ridiculous and sarcastic IdrisPukke, whose silly name marks one of the author's efforts for his book to be read by both adults and teenagers (more on that later); the exquisite, yet detested, icy and manipulative Arbell Materazzi, also known as Swan-Neck, a name representative of her inconceivable beauty, Cale's one and true love, who ends up breaking his heart (I for one found myself with a lump up my throat as I was reading the last few pages); Chancellor Vipond, a mysterious, treacherous, and most of all powerful man; and, last, but undoubtedly not least, Redeemer Bosco, Cale's handler whose Machiavellian attitude and perverted idea of love and loyalty distinguishes him from the rest of the Redeemers, as does his knowledge of Cale's being the very Angel of Death.
Hoffman writes those characters colorfully, and with remarkable ease, developing and shaping their personalities until the very end of the story, thus making the characters, though stereotypical, realistic; an example being Cale and Arbell's softening of character towards the end of the book, due to their feelings for each other.
But what is it, that makes this book so unique, you may wonder. A number of factors, actually. The most significant of them, and the key factor, is the author's effective use of clichés and stereotypes, as he blends them together to weave a tale that seems familiar to the readers, yet impossible to predict what happens next – that's thanks to the tremendous momentum Hoffman's exceptional touch grants it.
And, of course, let us not forget the book's aggressive tone towards Catholicism. It is absolutely conspicuous, after all, that Hoffman both directly and indirectly attacks it, as he confirms it in an interview himself, and therefore conveys an eerie message, when citing the stretching of one's soul to breaking point by refraining from any pleasure in the name of religion and faith. Voicing his divergent opinion is definitely a huge risk to take and, most probably, the reason it didn't sell more. Despite the Anti-Catholic angle, however, under no circumstances should it be branded propagandistic, as it still remains an epic fantasy fiction novel.
Another noteworthy characteristic that makes this book unprecedented is its ability to attract teenagers and adults alike (something that is assisted by the complete lack of magic in the alternate universe Hoffman conjures up). The book's dark, mature, gory tone doesn't allow younger and immature readers to get close to it, let alone read it, thus rendering it an adult fiction novel. Nonetheless, mature readers and older teens are more than likely to pick it up and devour it in a matter of days.
If you're looking for a book to get you started with reading, or are under 15, go look elsewhere – The Left Hand of God isn't for you just yet. If, however, you're over 15, or have read countless of books in your so-far life, don't hesitate – go buy this book, and prepare for a thrilling ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat for as long as you're reading it and will leave you mesmerized and awestruck for more than a week after you've finished it!
*Want to tell the world about a book you've read? Join the site and send us your review!* Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.