Black Gate Online, February 17, 2013

“The Find” Part II of the Tales of Gemen by Mark Rigney

Reviewed by Louis West

In Mark Rigney’s “The Find” we meet the young Gemen and learn his terrible secret: at age ten, Gemen followed his sister through an arcane portal and lost everything – sister, family, seven years of life and his entire world line. For decades he has crisscrossed this world, recovering the scattered portal stones to rebuild the gateway and return home.

Gemen collects things, knickknacks, bodyguards, odd stuff to the uninformed, but his unique abilities allow him to know the nature of a thing, or person. He acquires Velori, sharp-tongued warrior priestess of Dominion, from the Courtyard of Trials where she deigns to kill her four attackers because her hidden weavers (giant spider friends) counseled “mercy.” The massive, bear-like Dorvic joins the pair by happenstance, an encounter that leads to a fight for their lives against several dozen Corvaen soldiers trying to capture Dorvic alive. But there can be purpose in serendipity for Dorvic’s prior master possesses the last two stones of the portal Gemen seeks to rebuild.

An enjoyable, often boisterous tale, reminiscent of the old sword & sorcery classics. I can’t wait to see what fate awaits Gemen. A must read.

Louis West: Sub-atomic physics, astronomy, biophysics, medical genetics and international finance all lurk in Louis’ background. He’s particularly fond of hard SF, writes reviews for a broad variety of SF&F stories and volunteers at various New England SF&F conferences. His own SF writing explores evolving nano-tech.