There are two distinctive elements to Fiona Patton's literary country of Branion that set it off from ordinary fantasy. One is the asexual society, where a woman can do as much as a man without comment, and bisexuality is common and accepted. While the bisexuality inspires comment from readers, that it stays in the background (save in the first book, 'The Stone Prince,') adds some verisimilitude to the extensive background Patton has created for her stories.The other important element is her portrayal of religion. Because the historical side of fantasy tends to be ignored in favor of hobbits and dragons, it's often overlooked by enthusiasts that Catholicism was an integral part of medieval Europe. No sovereign moved without consulting the Pope, and kings claimed authority by Divine Right. Yet few sci-fi and fantasy writers even mention religion; authors David Feintuch and Christopher Stasheff are notable exceptions.
The Plantagenets and Stewarts of Britain only thought they had divine right. Their counterparts in Patton's very British country of Branion, the DeMarians, have divine right and can prove it. While the other major faith in this quasi-European world, Essusiatism, is a Catholic analogue, its gods are just as real. At one point in the story, a priest dedicates a child to the wrong religion, and the angry gods manifest to violently rearrange the scenery, vividly proving their existence and power.
The result is a compelling satire on Christianity. By combining Christian ritual and Celtic mysticism, Patton has created a unique religion with its own fascinating ideals. One reason I enjoyed this novel so much was that it went deeper than ever before into the history and mythos of Patton's world, expanding on what we've already seen. Little touches like place names and historical tidbits add to the sense that this is a fully developed universe. As a historian, I love the feel of an alternate Europe ' how we might have turned out if gods really acted like they're supposed to.
The previous three books in this series concentrated on the royal family of Branion, royal successions and the attending civil wars. In contrast, 'The Golden Sword,' set during a peaceful period of Branion's history, is in a sense quieter and more thoughtful. The family this time is the DeKathrines, the senior noble line, and the conflict entirely religious, rather than a mix of sacred and secular as in Patton's earlier stories.
The fictional Triarctic faith is based on the Greek elements of earth, air, water and fire. The first three form the Holy Triarchy, a quasi-Trinity with no real power, in the guise of Oaks, Wind and Sea. The Flame is predominant because it is the only one of the four god-elements to be directly controlled by a human, the Aristok. The Aristok is both a hereditary monarch and Christ-figure in one, complete with the ability to perform miracles which leave absolutely no doubt who's in charge. The Living Flame is essentially a symbiotic parasite, with the royal family as its willing hosts. This is very hard on the Aristoks themselves, who tend to die young, go insane, or become megalomaniacs. Patton's characters often seem too young and intelligent, leading armies and countries at the age of, say, twelve; while some reviewers disparage this, it's actually fairly accurate to the source material ' many medieval knights and kings were twenty or less. Perhaps it's the way the gods compensate for physically overwhelming their followers.
Camden DeKathrine is raised to serve the Living Flame, because that's what his family has always done. The Aristok is synonymous with the Flame, and the DeKathrines have always served the royal family with utmost dedication and loyalty, so for the teenaged Cam to be attracted to the element of Wind is scandalous. Therein lies the conflict; because of his love for the Wind (written with great feeling by Patton), Cam is seduced to the dark side by an uncle with conflicting motives.
As seen by its effects on the hosts, gods and people are like matter and anti-matter: They shouldn't be combined in the first place. Cam's uncle, Celestus, intends to do just that, giving the three other aspects their own hosts too and thus upsetting the precarious balance ' an act for which they could be burnt at the stake. But why should these minor aspects be left out of the power structure? That is Cam's position, and it's a good one.
Over the course of eight years, Camden falls from grace (literally) and struggles to redeem himself. In the process, he becomes an adult and reconciles his beliefs with reality. Paralleling Cam's path is Martin Wrey, a member of the opposing religion, Essusiatism, who converts to the Triarchy and back several times, using holy visions to guide his way. Martin and Cam become unlikely friends while working towards opposite ends, illustrating the tug-of-war between the gods. No one is entirely correct, but the opponents on all sides believe with true passion.
The finest aspect of Patton's work is that there are shades of gray to her characters, and no 'true' gods. By using heretics as her central characters in 'The Golden Sword,' Patton is deliberately undercutting a protagonist society she has created with strength and precision in her previous stories. Looking at her world in this way, from many differing viewpoints, makes it lively and realistic.
Incidentally, this book is NOT a light read. 'The Stone Prince' is an better introduction to the series (albeit not for homophobics). If you are part of what Americans call the 'Religious Right,' you may want to sheer off altogether, but for those daring to brave the experience, Fiona Patton's work is a thought-provoking treatise on friendship and faith.
