Devlin's Luck

The once mighty kingdom of Jorsk is in decline, its borders beset by enemies, both worldly and otherworldly. The king has retreated to the capital, abandoning the far-flung provinces. The only hope of the people lies in their Chosen One, blessed by the gods as defender of the realm. But of late every Chosen One has died, targeted by the harshest of the enemy attacks. Only the most desperate of men now seek that post. Devlin Stonehand is a desperate man. Overwhelmed by grief at the death of his family, he has lost the will to live. But he has vowed to provide for his brother’s widow and children, and the post of the Chosen One carries with it a substantial reward. For Devlin, a farmer and metalsmith, it is the answer to his prayers—prayers that include a yearning for the oblivion of death. After he has won the post, though, Devlin discovers that sometimes the hardest goal to achieve is that which had once seemed the simplest. For unlike the other Chosen Ones, he persists in surviving. Are the gods just tormenting him further, or does he have a greater destiny than he imagined? Can a man who courts death ever truly come to embrace life?From the Paperback edition.From Library JournalIn the Kingdom of Jorsk, the divinely appointed position of Chosen One has seemed more of a curse than a blessing, for everyone who has had that honor has died defending the kingdom. Devlin Stonehand, a man with nothing to lose, welcomes the position as an easy road to the death he seeks if he can only stop surviving the challenges that come his way. Bray's first novel features a likable, flawed hero who fights his own inner demons to serve his conscience and his honor. A good choice for most fantasy collections.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From BooklistIn the decaying kingdom of Jorsk, the search is on for the Chosen One, who will beat the realm's enemies back from the walls of the capital and solve every problem except the price of beer. Unfortunately, Chosen Ones have a nasty tendency to be killed. But widower Devlin Stonehand is desperate enough to seek the post, whose emoluments will permit him to support his brother's widow and children. Besides, he probably will achieve oblivion in death for himself. Instead he becomes the first Chosen One in a long time not to be annihilated in short order, and, while performing all the duties of his demanding post, he has to wonder why. If Bray doesn't startle us with her vast originality, she certainly hooks us with absorbing storytelling. A good read for adventure fans with like Raymond Feist or Terry Brooks. Roland GreenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved