Maia

I have just finished a re-read thirty years after my initial reading. The story is just as good as it was then.

The fantasy element in this book is quite low: the Beklan Empire is a creation of Richard Adams and there are place names to learn as well as words that are specifically Beklan but nothing too challenging. The element of magic is kept to a minimum and mostly related to the gods and goddesses in the storyline. Many of the cultural customs, the economy and warfare are all similar to those seen in medieval societies.

As a main character, Maia is likable, good-natured, adaptable, honest, brave and good-hearted. . She overcomes adversity and remains true to herself. The supporting characters are just as strong. Occula is the best friend any girl could ever have! Her mental strength and incredible fortitude are absolutely inspiring. There are other great characters in the book including: an elderly healer full of good advice, a sweet courtesan, a canny peddler, a rebel nobleman full of witty words and pithy insight, an endearing bodyguard and a charismatic aged virtuoso musician. The villains are all quite villainous; but none rival Queen Fornis.

This book is huge but the story flows beautifully; Adam's prose and story telling ability are impressive and a treat to read. The storyline is complex and many events have far reaching affects; everything in this book happens for a reason, as the reader discovers during this epic journey with Maia: there are no coincidences.

Highly recommended. Plenty of triggers for sensitive types who should probably avoid books like this......

Also, there are some themes in this book that seem........familiar to me now.........an aging, vicious, evil queen who will stop at nothing to attain power........the daughter of a murdered man seeking revenge on those who betrayed and killed him.........a big, ferocious nobleman with half his face covered in scars......... the daughter of a dead and disgraced lord held captive in the capital and used as a political pawn.......seven gods.......slave wars.......

After reading this I think about how different the Beklan Empire would have been with the introduction of one common mammal........the horse. For me, that was the single most unwelcome aspect; a world without horses is a bleak world and not the sort of place I would want to live. I digress; don't let horselessness prevent you from reading this wonderful book ( )

Occasionally tedious but still a fantastic adventure with some memorable characters. ( )

This is a prequel to Shardik, a good book about God. More conventionally focussed, this is a story about a courtesan who saves the Belkan Empire. I enjoyed the style and many of the POV characters would have a very hard time fitting into a role-playing game. On the whole reread material. ( )

Er, this just seemed kind of ick. In various ways. I didn't stick around to see if it got any better.

Adams is, without doubt, a superb writer. Maia is engrossing, its characters are fleshy, real--easy to lose yourself in. When I first read this book, in my youth, I would have given it 5 stars.

But in looking back, I realize that Maia (at 15) loved jumping in and out of bed with middle aged men. In fact, all of the women in this book are stereotypes of one sort or another. The only strong woman who isn't a psychopath is Black and bisexual! In addition, women who seek to control their own sexuality are demonized and, ultimately, destroyed.

Actually, if the female characters had been portrayed more realistically, Maia would be a masterpiece, for Adams is a masterful storyteller. ( )