The Sunday Salon: Lion's Blood by Steven Barnes

Title: Lion's Blood: A Novel of Slavey and Freedom in an Alternate America

Author: Steven Barnes

Pages: 461

Inside Cover:

The year is 1279... or, to those who worhip the son of Mary, 1863. Bordered byu fierce Azteca to the south, the red men's nations of the far west, and the Viking empire in the north, Bilalistan is a vast, rich land adorned with inspiring mosques, Zulu kraals, and glorious Moorish castles. Its grand estates are worked by savage franks and Gauls captured from darkest Europe.

A primtive child from Eire, little Aidan O'Dere knows nothing of the world on the day his village is raided. His father is murdered while Aiden, his mother, and his sister are chained in the dark, diseased hold of a slave ship bound for the New World of Bilalistan. There the boy is sold to Dar Kush, the estate of the Wakil Abu Ali.

The Wakil is a notorious for his lenient handling of his whites, even letting them keep their tribal names and pagan beliefs. And when Aidan becomes personal servant to the Wakil's mischievous yet brilliant younger son, Kai, friendship is allowed to blossom between the two youths-a bond that seems to exlipse thier status as master and slave. But the tranquillity of Dar Kush hides a would where slave families are torn apart to pay bets, whipping and rape are daily fare, and runaways are slaughtered by vicious animals. And behind thier happy comportment, the whites are seething with hatred.

When War suddenly sweeps over the entire continent, the Aztecs, Zulus, Arabs, and whites are engulfed in carnage. And in the Terrible darkness of the battlefield, Kai and Aidan will learn that blood is neither black nor white...

My Thoughts:

This is my first Sunday Salon and I am kind of excited. I don't know what to write.

I normally would not have picked up "Lion's Blood" for a read for myself. If I would have read the inside cover I would have put it back on the bookshelf. But my roommate had recommened this book to me and I am glad that I took her recommendation. This book had me hook within the first five pages. I am only on page 130 something but I would already recommend this book to people.

Steven Barnes is a very good writter. Before this book I had never read any on his books before. I have already put the sequel to this book on my tbr list. Hopefully I can made room for it next year (since it is only two books it can not be used for the series challenge).

Well, I don't know what else to say. Bye