Fem

If you are a strict fan of conventional prose then this novel may not be for you. The author manipulates standard English to convey a sense of an animistic world view in an ancient, archetypal time. Many articles are dropped, phenomena such as fire and wind are personified, and everything is given a gender. It makes for somewhat challenging reading at first, but once the reader becomes accustomed, the story flows well enough in the world the author has created. The story itself is simple. Mak Strife is on a quest to find God on the Golden Mountain. God is in the shape of the most beautiful woman ever known, an eternal figure of feminine perfection. Mak's interest isn't sexual. He's had it with mortal, earthly woman and all the contradictory desires and passions they engender. Laying eyes on Her will bring total and complete peace of mind to him, forever. Many say the Fem does not exist. One of them is El, a woman Mak rescues from nasty slave traders in the first chapter. He doesn't actually want to rescue her, but his conscience gets the better of him. Almost right away he has reason to regret it when she ties him up in his sleep, believing him one of the slavers. El is on a quest herself. A wandering warrior and holy woman, she's definitely a match for Mak when it comes down to a fight, which it does a few times. For better or worse, they team up and continue together towards the distant and mystical Mountain. The author's third novel contains some beautiful description. The protagonist Mak can be a bit maddening. He is neither hero nor anti-hero. He's just a guy trying to work out his life. One can't help but wonder why he doesn't wise up at times, but the reader also admires his fearless tenacity in pursuing what he believes. El is ferocious and a gem of patience and perseverance, although she has a deadly aggressive streak that both must learn to deal with. Their mutual hard-headedness, however, makes them a good match.