Touched by the Gods

by Lawrence Watt-Evans

Overview

The gods had chosen the Domdur to rule the world, and had chosen Malledd to be their champion among the Domdur.They had not asked Malledd whether he wanted the job.Now a wizard has raised an army of the undead to overthrow the Domdur Empire, and the world awaits the divine champion who is to save them -- but will Malledd come?And if he does, can he be the savior the Domdur expect, or has the gods' favor turned elsewhere?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619910003
Publisher:	Misenchanted Press
Publication date:	11/11/2012
Pages:	624
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.26(d)

About the Author

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Lawrence Watt-Evans has been a full-time writer and editor for more than twenty years. The author of more than thirty novels, over one hundred short stories, and more than one hundred and fifty published articles, Watt-Evans writes primarily in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comic books. His short fiction has won the Hugo Award as well as twice winning the Asimov's Readers Award. His fiction has been published in England, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Poland, France, Hungary, and Russia

He served as president of the Horror Writers Association from 1994 to 1996 and after leaving that office was the recipient of HWA's first service award ever. He is also a member of Novelists Inc., and the Science Fiction Writers of America. Married with two children, he and his wife Julie live in Maryland.

Interviews

A couple of years ago I was between projects, trying to decide on what to write next. I had sent my agent an entire box of possibilities, ranging from sketchy notes on partially developed ideas to complete chapter and outline proposals, and asked his opinion on which was most likely to help my career -- I write what I like, but I like making money, and if I don't have a project I'm really enthusiastic about, I'll choose on the basis of what seems most commercial.

While waiting for his reply, I read a manuscript a publisher had sent me in hopes I'd provide a laudatory quote to go on the cover. The novel in question, which I won't name here, was a very traditional fantasy in most regards -- a good one, for the most part. As I read it, though, I wasn't able to turn off the editorial side of my brain, as I usually do when reading. I kept thinking, 'No, that's stupid -- it'd be more effective if this happened instead,' or, 'Oh, that's a good scene -- he should have played it up more,' or, 'This piece of world-building makes no sense at all.'

hen I finished reading it, I sat there and analyzed the whole thing, outlining the essentials in my head. I mentally put together detailed lists of everything the author had done right and everything he'd done wrong, and decided how all the wrong things should have been done. Then I put it back together. The result wasn't much like the original, but it was interesting. And that's when my agent called to say that while there was some very interesting stuff in the box I'd sent him, none of those really looked anything like a potential bestseller.

'Well, how about this, then,' I said, and I briefly outlined my drastically reworked version of the novel I had just read. It was all right there in my head, since I'd just come up with it.

'That I could sell,' he said.

He was right. It took me two years to actually write the novel, and it mutated even further -- there are a few elements of that other novel still recognizable, but only a few. Touched by the Gods took on a life of its own. So did Malledd and the Domdur Empire. I'm pretty well pleased with the result
—Lawrence Watt-Evans

Editorial Reviews

But not touched, sad to say, by much originality or narrative momentum: new fantasy from the author of Out of This World (1994), etc. As a newborn, Malledd the blacksmith's son bears the claw- shaped birthmark of the god Ba'el, indicating to the priests that he is the Domdur Empire's chosen champion. But as time passes, the mark fades, and Domdur remains at peace, so young Malledd shrugs off the title and takes up smithing. Meanwhile, Tebas Tudan develops a New Magic that, unlike the priests' traditional magic, uses cunningly crafted crystals to transform the power of the sun; one of his pupils is Rebiri Nazakri, the hereditary warlord of the defeated Olnami nation, who thirsts for revenge for his people's years of repression. Encouraged by a god, Rebiri taps into the dark powers of the nightwalkers, which can reanimate corpses—thus allowing Rebiri to create an all but invincible army. As Rebiri gathers his zombie warriors, he also stirs up treachery among the Domdur leadership. Malledd, learning of the situation, is only gradually persuaded that he is needed, and even then refuses to take command of the Empire's wavering armies; instead, he lops off the heads of the zombies—the only way to kill them permanently—while seeking a showdown with Rebiri Nazakri.

Ho-hum.

Kirkus Reviews

"Definitely entertaining."--Locus

From the Publisher