Blackdog (Gods of the Caravan Road)

It truly is a rarity to find a book like this these days. I was first introduced to this book by a blog and decided to check it out. I have a soft spot for fantasy books, having grown up on Tolkien and Alexander Lloyd. Unlike the fantasy authors of today, Lloyd had a knack for writing stories that wrapped up very satisfyingly in maybe 300 pages. In contrast, Eragon dragged on for about an eternity before it finished. I truly thought that the fantasy genre was doomed to expire in a mire of never-ending circles of half stories and to be continued's. Then, along came this book. The beauty of stories is that they traverse time without the regular rules. Within an hour one can live a lifetime through books. However, it's a rare thing to find a book that will do that for you. Blackdog is such a book. I really don't think I should give away the story line as you can read it in the description but I will outline some key features.The book likes to travel between perspectives, not in first person but rather as in third person view following a certain character. It follows protagonists, antagonists, and some minor characters. I personally felt it weaved a very good story. There are a couple of time lapses but I found they did not detract much from the story if at all. The world is beautifully introduced, there are no technical explanations (e.g. every time a new race or type of being is introduced, they are described, analyzed and a history lesson of their culture and past is given), rather, demons and spirits are taken as a matter of course. This follows strongly with Henry James' assertion, it is better to show than to tell. I would highly recommend this book to all fantasy readers (and even those who haven't ventured into the genre) though someone who is used to vampires, werewolves, romance, wands, dragons and big guys on horses telling you how to be like him will have a harder time with it.

Others have likely said it better than I could, but I'll attempt a brief overview.It's a solid storyline, featuring humans, gods, and demons/lesser beings of power. The gods manifest in different ways; benefit their people in different ways. One god manifests as a child and grows into old age, repeating the cycle again and again over the ages. She is served by a creature called the Blackdog, a demon of sorts that inhabits a human - willing or not, but more often willing - which merges with a willing host and serves her without question. Others inhabit places of power - an oasis for a desert god, a river for a river god.But I'll try and avoid spoilers.Blackdog is a nicely complex weave. Characters are 3-dimensional. There are ups and downs, characters we get to know well, powerful strangers; hate-worthy protagonists and sympathetic antagonists. And at the end of a self-contained, stand-alone story - there are sequels. Which I haven't read yet, but I think I will eventually. And I think they'll be rewarding reads.For a fantasy novel, it strikes me as a unique entry into the high fantasy subgenre. It carries its very own voice. Give it a shot.

I enjoyed this story, well thought out and excellent writing. The plot lines were well developed and the world in which this takes place is very detailed. I did not enjoy the pace of the story. Sometimes the word building gets in the way and makes the story a grind to get through.

The story kept me up late. With a good story and great character development this is a must read. Dark and gritty with no perfect heroes they also didn't have too many of the reluctantly perfect ones either. I hope the story goes on in this wonderfully written universe

Blackdog had some of the best world building I've ever read. I loved the world, the gods, and the driving story behind the plot. Really an incredibly creative and interesting world.The only things keeping it from a five were the amount of time focused on sub-plots/side characters and some POV changes I found hard to follow.The main plot line of the the novel was gripping. I loved the story of the fallen goddess and her efforts to survive at the side of the Blackdog. Very interesting main characters.Definitely worth a read!

For years now I have been looking for a fantasy book that is set in a non European setting and is as satisfying as the classics of the Fantasy genre. I have at last found this in "Blackdog". The setting is a mix of Tibetan and Mongolian settings, the plot is intriguing right from the first page; grabbing a hold of you and keeping you glued to the page until the plot come to a most satisfying ending. I would recommend this book to anyone but especially those who have some interest in Tibet and other oriental regions. It's simply fantastic! I do hope the author decided to give a us another book from this world!

I'm not a fantasy snob. I'm willing to try new things and occasinally prefer not to get bogged down in extremely long and convoluted story lines. Yes, I'm looking at you George R. R. Martin. This story is a refreshing take on the fantasy genre with a couple good character arcs that would, under other circumstances, span at least 4 books. There are some minor pacing issues around the second act of the story but the unique take on magic and gods that walk among us more than makes up for that. Above all the plot doesn't remind me of anything specific which I applaude.

Something different. Fascinating world, good plot, believable heros AND villains. Waiting to read the next novel in the series.

You won't turn many pages of Blackdog before you realize that you've struck gold. The tale itself and the language used in the telling will give that shiver of delight that comes with a great book. Attalissa lives, dies and is reborn in the body of a girlchild, mortal life after mortal life, the goddess of the folk of Lissavakail. Blackdog, her guardian, is also bound to human life. Together they are forced to flee from the wizard and his hordes. And "the wizard hungered for Attalissa like a snow-leopard with the taste of sheep's blood on its tongue". From the desolation of the temple islet, goddess and dog cross the lake to the open spaces and lands beyond. Nearly seven years after the fall of Lissavakail, no longer the child clothed in layers of white silk, Attalissa has grown into the life of the caravanserai. The wizard is relentless in his pursuit of the goddess and his powers are vast and terrifying. Bloodshed and treachery follow her but love and loyalty are also part of life on the caravan-road. The world the author has created is one that you won't want to leave. We need a sequel.

Awesome. Big fan of these stories.

Loved this book, though it may not be for everyone. Wonderfully evocative tale of gods and those that serve them, all wrapped up in a fresh-yet-grounded mythology and world. Tonnes of good characters, too--though some of them get squeezed out a bit in a very packed narrative. Could have been a much longer book in many ways, and I'm sure other authors would have written a trilogy, but condensing the epic into one book work perfectly for me. It may just be the cover talking, but I got a feel from this book I hadn't had since the Black Company--not the prose style, certainly, but the authentic weight of the world and the story: no clunky worldbuilding, lots of hidden secrets, ordinary people thrust into the games of demons, that sort of think. Did I mention I loved it?