Books in the Dirge for Prester John series

Brother Hiob of Luzern, on missionary work in The East on the eve of the 16th century, stumbles across a miraculous tree whose fruits are books... books which chronicle the Kingdom of Prester John. The Habitation of the Blessed recounts the fragmented narratives found within thes...e miraculous volumes, revealing John's rise to power... from John's own viewpoint... from the viewpoint of his wife Hagia, and from the viewpoint of Hajji, a prayer-cantor who vowed to end John's illegitimate reign.
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Anglitora, Prester John's illegitimate, half-bird daughter arrives in the capital and confronts the king with his sexual past and the future of his home to the West. Her life has been spent on the margins of the Kingdom where the magical realm brushes against the Known World. She... brings with her news of European ships and wars. The crusades have begun again. Prester John, sees Jerusalem burning and gathers his people to march to the protection of Christ and the Holy Land. Patriarch unable to rally support of the kings and peasants of Europe fails to give him the strength he needs against the forces of Islam, and he sends his appeals to the great Christian king in the East, Prester JohnThe closer Prester John come, the more information reaches the Patriarch as to its nature, and the less comfortable he feels with it. Prester John arrives at Jerusalem with his army, but cannot cross the river--for demons cannot set foot on holy ground. The Patriarch who had sought his help curses him and turns from the Muslims inhabiting the Holy City to attack the man he once loved. Hundreds of beasts and men of John's army are slaughtered, who never knew death before. Jerusalem is sacrificed by the Patriarch rather than allow it to be saved by an army of demons.
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The Christian Patriarch of Constantinople is fighting a holy war against the forces of Islam. His attempts to rally the support of Europe fail to give him the strength he needs against the forces of Islam. Fearing defeat, he sends his appeals to the great Christian king in the Ea...st, Prester John for the Patriarch was once a boy named Kostas, a novice in the service of John, long before he became king. The Patriarch s message, seemingly via divine providence, manages to cross into the world of John s Kingdom, where John s devotion to Christ overcomes his wife s misgivings. To Hagia, Christianity and Islam are equally foreign to her and her world, and neither is worth fighting for, or against. The Kingdom rallies behind John s banner, and his magical hosts march across the worlds. The closer the armies of Prester John come to Jerusalem, the more information reaches the Patriarch as to its nature, and the less comfortable he feels with his alliance. Can John and his armies save Jerusalem? Will the Patriarch remain an alley, or become a deadly enemy? And what will happen to the worlds now that an army has breached the barriers between them? Mythopoeic Award winner Catherynne M. Valente continues to re-imagine the legends of the Middle Ages, creating a rich fantasy tapestry that has captivated the imaginations of modern readers. Valente is writing the smartest, gentlest, deepest work in the field, and she s good enough to do it. I remain in awe. Daniel Abraham, author of The Long Price Quartet Valente is a modern-day Scheherazade. SFSite
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Brother Hiob of Luzern, on missionary work in The East on the eve of the 16th century, stumbles across a miraculous tree whose fruits are books... books which chronicle the Kingdom of Prester John. The Habitation of the Blessed recounts the fragmented narratives found within thes...e miraculous volumes, revealing John's rise to power... from John's own viewpoint... from the viewpoint of his wife Hagia, and from the viewpoint of Hajji, a prayer-cantor who vowed to end John's illegitimate reign.
Read more