2.75 ( )

Temple Boy by Heidi Cullinan takes up the tale of Timothy and Charles, lovers and gods in the world of Etsey. This chapter of the story is equally as complex as the opening salvo. Cullinan is a gifted storyteller. To fully enjoy Temple Boy you must leave behind ideas regarding the flow of time and the uniqueness of person, or even sex.Charles and Timothy fragment themselves to such an extent that new characters step onto the stage to help reunite them. Male and female characters who contain shards of the Charles and Timothy move through the story weaving a great spell. Jonathon and Madeline are again key figures, as are some new villains and heroes.Aurel, a young temple boy of Mantua takes center stage in this episode. He has a great task, saving the world. How and if he achieves this lofty goal is the focus of Temple Boy. In Aurel, Cullinan creates a sympathetic figure that evokes empathy as he confronts situations dealing with the existence of God and the Goddess. His bewilderment is real; his pain and confusion are real.Temple Boy is fast-paced covering vast areas of land and sea, space and time. Cullinan takes the reader from warm temples in Manua, to the vast deserts of Peshani, to the desolated lands of Catal, the childhood home of Timothy. While the scenes change with dramatic effect, the central focus of the story is never lost.Temple Boy is a successful addition to the Etsey series, full of passion, love and pain. It is as thought-provoking as Seventh Veil and as entertaining.Reviewed originally for Blackraven's Reviews ( )