THE EXILE OF ZANZIBAR

Maidman presents a fantasy series starter set during a brutal war steeped in magic and myth.

At the forefront of the tale is Claire, an immortal in an indeterminate future whose gold palanquin machine can fold space and time. A malfunction sends it hurtling halfway across the world and thousands of years in the past, right in the middle of a military conflict that sees King Ambrosius the Ninth taking over the city of Genova. The king’s general, Marcus Irenaeus Diophantus, is an elite fighter who’s tormented by the terrible things he’s done during wartime. He discovers the crashed palanquin as well as Claire, who’s now just a shadow of her former self: “She was diminished now to mere humanity. She remembered only human things.” Claire soon declares herself a “patricia of Zanzibar” and helps to broker peace throughout the kingdom. But even in peace, danger lurks—whether it’s from the Constantines, who care only for profit and always find it in conflict, or the high priest of Florence, Reburrus, who views Claire with nothing but suspicion. Among the tangled politics, Marcus dedicates himself to helping Claire explore ai Ctesiphôn, a tower in the middle of Florence that only shows itself to certain people and “can be reached from nowhere. Seek the foot of ai Ctesiphôn, and you will walk all day long….” This magical tower may, however, hold the secret to Claire’s return home. Over the course of this first series entry, Maidman stocks the narrative with a wide range of complex characters; indeed, the work begins with a list of players that spans four pages. However, the extensive cast helps to shape a labyrinthine plot that’s presented with patience and sophistication. The work is relatively lengthy at more than 400 pages, but the dialogue remains consistently sharp, and the pace is consistently brisk throughout. Maidman’s remarkable attention to detail—regarding his characters, their kingdoms, and in-universe wizardry—results in a world that audiences won’t want to leave anytime soon.

An epic tale of conflict, sorcery, and religion.