Genuinely satisfying
By Lily Tomson / Spinebreakers Crew
Meet Cale, the ‘Left Hand Of God’. At a young age, he was brought to Shotover Sanctuary, a prison-like school (or a school-like prison?) run by “The Redeemers”, fanatical, brutal men who give the first scenes an atmosphere somewhere between my idea of a Nazi concentration camp, and my worst nightmare of a choir school: mindless and constant brutality combined with a rigorous and incessant schedule –prayer, mind-numbing tradition and insane ritual. Cale is everything that a generic coming-of-age protagonist is not: he is quiet, serious, proficient, powerful and somewhat arrogant, he therefore makes a fascinatingly unusual lead, although hard to emphasise with and understand sometimes.
On reading the blurb and the covering letter I received with the book, I got the impression of an exciting new fantasy novel, which looks at morality and religion, control and the concept of a messiah. While first of these assumptions was correct, I felt that the second one was lacking a little. The religious connotations attached to such phrases as “Hanged Redeemer” and the references to numerous martyrs were not very effective. They are obviously Christianity-based, but with no clear humorous or satirical intent, nor any explained background or context; maybe this will be explained further in the later books of the series? Looking at the book on its own, however, these references seemed to be controversial purely for the sake of it.
Although the first few chapters drag a little, the story picks up fast, with a humidly thick atmosphere of fear and confusion as Cale and the strange collection of people he manages to awkwardly befriend try to escape and build a better life. Throughout the opening of the novel it is uncertain whether Cale is an innocent young boy who has been subjected to great pain and suffering, or a more complex, Machiavellian character, warped by the Redeemers and with far greater plans in mind, and this brilliantly written double story was what kept me reading until the story started really moving.
The Left Hand of God is a genuinely satisfying and page-turning young adult historical fantastical adventure novel. The characterisation was believable and humorous, the romance fitting and realistic, and although the fight scenes were so improbable as to be almost humorous, I would say that a fifteen year old would really enjoy the suspenseful thrill of the tale.