I've just finished the first book of Tanith Lee's "Tales from a Flat Earth". And I must say that I'm enthralled with it.
First of all the books (there are five) read like a collection of myths. The central character of each book is a Lord of Darkness: Lord of Night, Lord of Death, Lord of Madness... You get the idea.
The first book focuses on stories and events involving Azrhran the lord of night, king of the demons. Lee takes the concept of these evil other worldly beings and puts it on its head.
They can, and do love, they have passions, and make beautiful thing. They delight in playing with humans. Demons are able to emote, but theirs are pure, like hate and love. They find joy in tormenting mankind, much like young children are able to do when picking on a littler sibling or a small animal.
The gods on the other hand
The first book ends with Azrhran sacrificing himself for mankind and the world. It isn't a selfless act mind you, but he does love both. He loves them, because mankind and the world in which they live define what he is. With out them he is nothing, he needs them, to pick on, to play with, to find a certain joy. At the end of this book I asked two questions: How many acts that appear selfless actually are. And, do we cling on things because we define ourselves by those things, even if those things are bad for us.
Granted Lee doesn't answer these questions in her book, she doesn't completely ask them out right either.
But the questions, they were there, as were others.
posted by F.G. Shaw @ 1:03 PM
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