Age of the Five

Last updated

Priestess of the White
Trudi Canavan Priestess of the White cover.jpg
Priestess of the White cover
AuthorTrudi Canavan
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
SeriesAge of the Five
GenreFantasy
Publication date
November 2005 (Australia)
2 February 2006 (UK)
Media typePrint
ISBN 1-84149-386-4 (UK hardback)
ISBN   1-84149-515-8 (UK Paperback)
Followed byLast of the Wilds [1]  
Last of the Wilds
Trudi Canavan Last of the Wilds cover.jpg
Last of the Wilds cover
AuthorTrudi Canavan
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
SeriesAge of the Five
GenreFantasy
Publication date
April 2006 (Australia)
1 August 2006 (UK hardback)
18 January 2007 (UK paperback)
Media typePrint
ISBN 0-06-081591-4
ISBN   1-84149-387-2 (UK hardback)
ISBN   1-84149-516-6 (UK paperback)
Preceded byPriestess of the White 
Followed byVoice of the Gods [2]  
Voice of the Gods
Trudi Canavan Voice of the Gods.jpg
Voice of the Gods cover
AuthorTrudi Canavan
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
SeriesAge of the Five
GenreFantasy
Publication date
November 2006 (Australia)
1 July 2007 (UK)
Media typePrint
ISBN 0-7322-7871-6
ISBN   1-84149-388-0 (UK hardback)
Preceded byLast of the Wilds 

Age of the Five is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Australian author Trudi Canavan; it consists of the novels: Priestess of the White, Last of the Wilds and Voice of the Gods. The fictional series recounts the story of Auraya, a young priestess who, after rising to the highest rank in her world's religious hierarchy, subsequently discovers that the gods she worships are significantly different entities from those in whom she was originally taught to believe.

Contents

Plot synopsis

Age of the Five is set in a universe overseen by a pantheon of five gods (the Circle) who are the only apparent survivors of the War of the Gods. Before this war, it is understood that hundreds of gods existed on Earth. The Five control the destiny of the northern half of the world through a priesthood known as the White (the Circle's five representatives in the human world, Ithania). In southern Ithania live opponents of the White, who claim to worship five different gods (known as the Five). Both factions vie for control over their opponents, and eventually engage in war.

Auraya (protagonist) is chosen to be a White. Beginning with diplomatic missions, she later moves on to fighting in a major battle between the north and the south. She discovers she has innate powers far exceeding those of her peers; it later turns out that she is a potential new Wild (a group of immortal sorcerers who have been persecuted by the will of the gods). Later in the series the Wilds are discovered to be at the final stage before godhood, and they discover a way to kill the existing pantheon of gods. Throughout the series Auraya's attitude towards her gods changes from obedience to distrust to hatred, as she realizes their moral defects.

In the end, the pantheon are trapped by the Wilds, whereupon one of the Gods commits suicide killing all the other gods too. The epilogue reveals that humanity spends the next fifty years warring in the power vacuum left by the gods until a new religion (with a single, all-powerful god, the Maker) is adopted by the Sennon emperor to keep the peace.

The Five/Circle

After the War of the Gods (in which many deities were killed), only six gods were left alive. Following the suicide of the sixth (Sorli) the remainder established themselves as gods of Ithania, creating two rival traditions to worship them: the Pentadrians and the Circlians. Assuming different names and images for each religion, the Five spent their time playing games with humanity, pitting the religions against each other and convincing each faith that the other was heretical. The Five were known as the Circle in the Circlian religion, and as the Five to the Pentadrians; they were represented by the White in the Circlians, and the Voices of the Gods to the Pentadrians.

The Five were killed when six Wilds surrounded them, creating a void. When the Wilds drew the magic away, one area of magic was left in the center of the newly created void. Although the gods could have survived until the magic flowed back (freeing them), Chaia (trying to protect the humans from the other gods' influence) drew all the magic into himself, killing himself and the other four gods.

To the Circlians, the Five were:

To the Pentadrians, the Five were:

Chaia/Sheyr

Known as Chaia (God of Kings) to the Circlians and Sheyr (God of Prosperity) to the Pentadrians, Chaia was a legendary seducer (on a par with Mirar) who was hated by the immortals and Dreamweavers for his sexual habits. Using magic to please his lovers in a way no physical sensation could match, he left young women mad (and shells of their former selves) when he grew bored and cast them aside. As Auraya's lover Chaia protected her and interceded on her behalf, showing her the treachery of Huan and saving her from being raped and killed by Nekaun. There is evidence he was sincerely attached to Auraya.

Huan/Hrun

Known as Huan (Goddess of Fertility) to the Circlians and Hrun (Goddess of Love) to the Pentadrians, Huan was notorious for her capriciousness and cruelty. Deforming and torturing thousands of humans to create mutants such as the Siyee and Elai, Huan was hated by Dreamweavers and immortals alike. She was initially a supporter of Auraya, but after the White's refusal to kill Mirar (or let the goddess possess her), Huan attempted to kill and maim her. Chaia blamed her for pushing Auraya too far. She was a proud, arrogant, scheming goddess, demanding unquestioning obedience from her followers.

Decisions were mostly made by Chaia and Huan, the other Gods were mainly persuaded to follow their point of view. They were not as united as they wanted their followers to believe.

Reception

Critical reception from the fantasy press was positive. Jennifer Fallon said, "A wonderfully and meticulously detailed world, and an edge-of-the-seat plot, this book is a must for lovers of good fantasy". Emerald City called Canavan "a natural storyteller". "Containing everything you want from a fantasy tale", reported Death Ray. SFRevu called it "High calibre fantasy from one of Australia's best". [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goddess</span> Feminine or female deity

A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of spinning, weaving, beauty, love, sexuality, motherhood, domesticity, creativity, and fertility. Many major goddesses are also associated with magic, war, strategy, hunting, farming, wisdom, fate, earth, sky, power, laws, justice, and more. Some themes, such as discord or disease, which are considered negative within their cultural contexts also are found associated with some goddesses. There are as many differently described and understood goddesses as there are male, shapeshifting, or neuter gods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mut</span> Ancient Egyptian mother goddess

Mut, also known as Maut and Mout, was a mother goddess worshipped in ancient Egypt and the Kingdom of Kush in present-day North Sudan. In Meroitic, her name was pronounced mata): 𐦨𐦴. Her name means mother in the ancient Egyptian language. Mut had many different aspects and attributes that changed and evolved greatly over the thousands of years of ancient Egyptian culture.

Mystra (<i>Forgotten Realms</i>) Dungeons & Dragon fictional deity

Mystra is a fictional goddess in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

Georgian mythology refers to the mythology of pre-Christian Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus.The mythology of the Kartvelian peoples is believed by many scholars to have formed part of the religions of the kingdoms of Diauehi, Colchis and Iberia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trudi Canavan</span> Australian writer of fantasy novels

Trudi Canavan is an Australian writer of fantasy novels, best known for her best-selling fantasy trilogies The Black Magician and Age of the Five. While establishing her writing career she worked as a graphic designer. She completed her third trilogy, The Traitor Spy trilogy, in August 2012 with The Traitor Queen. Subsequently, Canavan has written a series called Millennium's Rule, with a completely new setting consisting of multiple worlds which characters can cross between. Though originally planned as a trilogy, a fourth and final book in the Millennium's Rule series was published.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcanis</span> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Arcanis was originally a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons game, created by Henry Lopez and supported by Paradigm Concepts. It is also the name of the fictional world where the setting takes place. The setting was launched in 2001 and is known for its odd twists on the fantasy genre, as well as its wide member approval and community-based design and construction. Unlike many other fantasy roleplaying games, which focus primarily on tactical combat, the Arcanis campaigns focus on moral ambiguity and politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympians (Marvel Comics)</span> Fictional comic book species

The Olympians are a fictional species appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. These characters are based on the Twelve Olympians/Dii Consentes and other deities of Classical mythology. During the beginning of the 1960s, the exploits of the Asgardians Thor and his evil brother Loki demonstrated that an updating of ancient myths could again win readers. In 1965, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced the Olympians in Journey into Mystery Annual #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hittite mythology and religion</span> Religious beliefs and practices of the Hittites

Hittite mythology and Hittite religion were the religious beliefs and practices of the Hittites, who created an empire centered in what is now Turkey from c. 1600–1180 BC.

<i>Amber and Ashes</i>

Amber and Ashes is a fiction, fantasy novel in the Dragonlance book series and is the first of a trilogy called "The Dark Disciple", based around the character Mina. The book takes up where the War of Souls left off. This trilogy will explore the Chaos that is post-war Krynn. It is authored by Margaret Weis, who was a co-founder of the Dragonlance series, along with Tracy Hickman. This is Weis's fourteenth novel in the series, and first solo hardcover since the publication of the extremely popular Dragonlance title The Soulforge in 1998.

The traditional Berber religion is the ancient and native set of beliefs and deities adhered to by the Berbers of North Africa. Many ancient Amazigh beliefs were developed locally, whereas others were influenced over time through contact with others like ancient Egyptian religion, or borrowed during antiquity from the Punic religion, Judaism, Iberian mythology, and the Hellenistic religion. The most recent influence came from Islam and religion in pre-Islamic Arabia during the medieval period. Some of the ancient Amazigh beliefs still exist today subtly within the Amazigh popular culture and tradition. Syncretic influences from the traditional Amazigh religion can also be found in certain other faiths.

The Olympian Gods are characters based upon Classical mythology who appear primarily in Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and Aquaman comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wiccan views of divinity</span>

Wiccan views of divinity are generally theistic, and revolve around a Goddess and a Horned God, thereby being generally dualistic. In traditional Wicca, as expressed in the writings of Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente, the emphasis is on the theme of divine gender polarity, and the God and Goddess are regarded as equal and opposite divine cosmic forces. In some newer forms of Wicca, such as feminist or Dianic Wicca, the Goddess is given primacy or even exclusivity. In some forms of traditional witchcraft that share a similar duotheistic theology, the Horned God is given precedence over the Goddess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polytheism</span> Worship of or belief in multiple deities

Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals. Polytheism is a type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the belief in a singular God who is, in most cases, transcendent. In religions that accept polytheism, the different gods and goddesses may be representations of forces of nature or ancestral principles; they can be viewed either as autonomous or as aspects or emanations of a creator deity or transcendental absolute principle, which manifests immanently in nature. Polytheists do not always worship all the gods equally; they can be henotheists, specializing in the worship of one particular deity, or kathenotheists, worshiping different deities at different times.

The Twilight Reign is a five-book series written by Tom Lloyd. The five books in order are: The Stormcaller, The Twilight Herald, The Grave Thief, The Ragged Man, and The Dusk Watchman It follows the fight against the shadow Azaer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese gods and immortals</span>

Chinese traditional religion is polytheistic; many deities are worshipped in a pantheistic view where divinity is inherent in the world. The gods are energies or principles revealing, imitating, and propagating the way of heaven, which is the supreme godhead manifesting in the northern culmen of the starry vault of the skies and its order. Many gods are ancestors or men who became deities for their heavenly achievements. Most gods are also identified with stars and constellations. Ancestors are regarded as the equivalent of Heaven within human society, and therefore, as the means of connecting back to Heaven, which is the "utmost ancestral father".

The Craft Sequence is a series of urban fantasy novels by American author Max Gladstone. It currently consists of six novels, beginning with Three Parts Dead (2012). The sequence received critical acclaim. It was nominated for the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Series.

References

  1. "Priestess of the White: Age of the Five Book One". Little Brown official site. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  2. "Last of the Wilds: Age of the Five Book Two". Little Brown official site. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  3. "Voice of the Gods: Age of the Five Book Three". Little Brown official site. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2009.