The Sea Beggars
Book One of The Mark of Ran
Paul Kearney
Random House
Trade paperback, R150
Reviewed by Ian Jamieson, 9 December 2004
Rol Cortishane was fifteen when his life was turned upside down and he was
forced to flee for his life. He finds sanctuary in the tower of the
bloodthirsty Michal Psellos, and discovered that, like Psellos, he is not
human. When needed he has remarkable strength, speed and ferocity. He is
trained as an assassin, and then, disappointed in love, he goes to sea for
several years. Cast ashore he and his few crew mates have no choice but to go
in search of the Hidden City, the city that gives refuge to privateers! He
finds the city, commandeers a fighting ship, sinks a fighting barque of Bionar
(this has never been done before) and thus ends Book One!.
Sound familiar?
There is very little that is new in this fantasy but Kearney is
entertaining enough, and certainly a better author than most fantasy writers.
Good light entertainment.
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