Set in the Gea, a country that is united in an ethnic, linguistic and cultural sense, but is disunited by politics It's the year 499 and NONE SO BLIND a new novel from Xenon. I strongly recommend None So Blind, which begins a series of interrelated stories set in the land of Gea, but stands as a complete tale on its own. The tale’s characters are sympathetic and realistically drawn the meticulously constructed world in which they move makes a fascinating backdrop for their adventures. The slow volcanic build-up of plots and counterplots moves toward an eruption that may upend the Empire as well as the characters’ personal connections. As a web of betrayal and subversion begins to gather, Dio finds that political and military intrigues may undermine his relationship with Miltiades-and force to the surface Dio’s long-suppressed attraction to Kalliste.

They have been lifelong friends, along with Kalliste, Miltiades’ striking and capable wife. None So Blind blends the atmosphere of the Greek legends with a gritty, down-to-earth sensibility more suited to modern tastes.ĭiomedes is swordmaster and trainer of warriors for Miltiades, the holder of a key borderland fortress in the Troian Empire. Rather, the world of Gea closely resembles in culture and language the world of ancient Greece and Troy, but in an entirely imaginary geographical and historical setting. When I say “historical fantasy,” I do not mean to imply traditional fantasy elements: no elves or dragons here. NONE SO BLIND is a brilliantly realized historical fantasy with convincing characters and a gripping plot, set against a colorful and detailed background.

Galatea 2044 by R. Magnusholm