book cover of Pope Helgi
 

Pope Helgi

(2014)
(The fifth book in the Seedworlds series)
A novel by

 
 
We return to the South Deep and the city of Tralles, the glory of the continent of Lutrina. A current sweeps from west to east past the city's harbor with such force that inexpert sailors wash up on the sands a day away. This Demon current makes it hard to sail to the West Deep, only recently explored.

The shore west is the Pirate Coast. Here the Bight of Shealoc has an evil name; not far from Gooloc, where felons of every stripe have been exiled over the ages. Gooloc is the abattoir of the South Deep, where no one likes to go. The place remains a mystery.

Gooloc being west by land, the citizens of Tralles mislike that direction. South toward the pole, they know nothing of life beyond the austral forest where wolves and bears hunt. The weather-clines are narrow, a four-day walk or paddle from pleasant Mediterranean weather to dense forests, and another hike of less than a week, to reach where elk graze and snow falls now and again. What has Tralles to do with elk? Nothing, and the elk-born pay little mind to Tralles. They have neighbors, a cosmos of their own, to do with bear-borns, red-headed Mudderills, and who knows what further towards the pole, where Epsilon circles the horizon dipping and rising. Where is the mythical city of Absaway? Seedship Soo says it doesn't exist.

If you're looking for old friends, Helgi played a role in the book "Mahout Derwain." Here he is again, redeeming himself as a man of truth.

Linda Stonestreet from "Awna of the Wolves," is no more a villain than Helgi.

Derwain is in this book, and Awna, and Ludwig: elephant-born Derwain, briefly king of Aist; wolf-born Awna, decrypter of secret codes and schemes; and Ludwig friend of mad Asa, gun-maker against all rules. Meralda and Lennert go back to Awna of the Wolves: Mubarak and Philippa to Mahout Derwain.

Gloryland Island is featured in Flight of the Vanguard. Here dwell meek monsters, Einstein Hamlik and Dexter Faustus, plus a lonely child centaur, light-years from his own kind. You'll remember Saint Freddo from Elfwine and Flight of the Vanguard.

Other characters from before: Shona the dentist and the Widow Prawit. And of course, Seedship Soo.


Genre: Science Fiction

Used availability for Phillip C Jennings's Pope Helgi


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