|
Wyst is content living his simple life
in Village. Then he has a close encounter with Village’s
goddess, the Hex, who gives him a mark and a cryptic
message. Knowing that meeting the Hex is forbidden, Wyst
hides his Stain at first. When his deception is revealed,
he must choose banishment or death.
Banished, Wyst travels to City. There
he meets an exterminator, Gȃmomal, and tries to begin a new
life. When a plague strikes, echoing the words of the Hex,
can Wyst fulfill his destiny?
Rampant is a fascinating fantasy tale. Wyst
begins the story as a sheltered, naïve man and becomes more
worldly during his time in City. He also becomes a more
sympathetic character as he begins to understand people—and
himself—more. Gȃmomal is not as well-developed because
while the story isn’t in first person, it is limited to
Wyst’s point of view. Other secondary characters add
interest and help Wyst in many different ways, some
unintentionally. The world-building is very well done. The
two societies of Village and City are distinct, and their
different customs and environments are richly detailed.
Although, I initially wondered if I would like Rampant,
by the end of the book I found myself unable to stop
reading. While I would have liked to have seen things
through Gȃmomal’s eyes a bit and the wistful and realistic
ending had me wanting a few more pages, overall I found
Rampant an engaging read. I just might have to
see what else Eric Del Carlo has out there. |
