A Triumph of Souls

February 28, 2000
In the concluding installment to the epic Journeys of the Catechist fantasy trilogy, Etjole Ehomba and his companions--Simna ibn Sind (a swordsman), Ahlitah (a giant black cat) and Hunkapa Aub (a large, furry manlike beast)--continue their quest to rescue the Visioness Thermaryl from the evil Hymneth the Possessed. As Ehomba leads his gang through a series of bizarre situations and exotic dangers with curiosity and cultural wisdom, Foster demonstrates his playful narrative skill: as his protagonists cross the uncrossable Semordria Ocean, they get trapped in a watery valley, meet a seaweed man who introduces them to a truly regal king crab and get captured by (and lose their faces to) the Faceless People. Their journey across dry land is no less imaginatively crafted: they confront armies of slaughterous skeletons, deal with dangerous dreams, escape pyro-predators through tunnels made by creatures who live in the space between colors, defeat demons and survive a lethal salt plain. Set in a magical world with prehistoric overtones, the novel offers more wit and wandering than plot, but the inventive situations are engaging and the characters far more complex than they first appear. The ending is clever and will satisfy those who have made the fantastic trek through Foster's whimsical world.

February 1, 2000
The third installment of Journeys of the Catechist continues the saga's dependence on classic fairy tale elements: fearful monsters, unexpected aid, and an evil wizard who must be fought to free a princess. It also has a "little tailor" hero, the simple herdsman Etjole Ehomba, whose unique talent for asking penetrating questions allows him to pursue the quest for Visioness Themaryl. Indeed, even in impossible situations his querying often leads him to safety. But the necromancer Hymneth has the powers of death at his command, which give Ehomba a daunting, literally life-or-death challenge before he can hope even to survive, let alone succeed. As might be expected of Foster, the tale is well constructed, with touches of originality in the details, and the protagonist most sympathetic. The tone is light without turning lighthearted, and, altogether, Foster's saga may recall Patricia Wrede's Chronicles of the Enchanted Forest for seasoned fantasy fans. ((Reviewed February 1, 2000))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)