Renegade’s Magic (Робин Хобб).

"Renegade's Magic" - фэнтезийная книга, написанная Робин Хобб. Жители города Гетти до сих пор помнят смерть своего солдата на кладбище. Они верили в его вину в неописуемых преступлениях, приговорили его и наблюдали, как другие солдаты из его отряда избивали его до последнего вздоха. Но Неваре Бервелл не умер в тот день, хотя все считают, что видели это. Он оказался запертым во власти силы, намного более непреклонной, чем гневная толпа.

Когда он был мальчиком, магия Спеков - племен с пестрой кожей из границы леса - признала Неваре спасителем, разделив его душу пополам, назвав украденную половину Солдатом-мальчиком и превратив его в оружие, чтобы остановить экспансию гернианцев на их землях и спасти их возлюбленные древние деревья. До сих пор Неваре противился магии, не способен принять свою предательскую судьбу. Но магия победила: она погубила его когда-то золотое будущее, разрушила его семью и теперь обратила против него его собственный народ. Столкнувшись с опасностью для единственных близких, оставшихся у него людей, Неваре не имеет выбора, кроме как подчиниться воле магии и войти в лес.

Но подчинение своей судьбе Спека - это только начало его испытаний. Прежде чем он окончательно сдался, Неваре предпринимает отчаянную последнюю попытку отвести гернианцев от Горных Барьеров, не причиняя им вреда. Но магия не приемлет компромиссов. Измученный, Неваре больше не может сдерживать свою предательскую Спековскую часть, Солдата-мальчика. Потеряв контроль, он становится пленником своего собственного тела, способным только бессильно наблюдать, как его вторая половина принимает дело в свои руки. Солдат-мальчик решительно намерен остановить гернианскую экспансию любой ценой, и, в отличие от Неваре, у него нет ни любви, ни сочувствия к миру своего духовного двойника.

Renegade's Magic by Robin HobbBook DescriptionIf you've never encountered this series, here's what I wrote for another group a few years ago: 'Fantastic in the way it should be told', George R. R. Martin quite rightly gushed.

Nevare Burvelle's friends, family and fellow villagers were moved when he refused to eat, drink or speak during the celebrations celebrating his apparent death. On the previous day they had witnessed a mob mounting the gravestone of their fighting Cecilian soldier Gerlich Lavidge in the burial ground. It was a day before they realised the error of their ways as their elders signalled the end of the eulogies and proceedings. Nevare stood again, now alive for real, in front of their horrified eyes. What had happened?

The day before, guards from a force the locals feared and loathed had made their way into the fictitious warrior's village and collected him at knifepoint, accompanied by shouting villagers. Lavidge had been most searched out, beaten and left to expire.

But Lavidge, who had saved the life of Nevare when that two-year-old was still scared away from remaining in the small cave where he had seen his parents die in a raiding by the invading Gernians, was not dead. Unable to deal with the actual betrayal of his future, his family, and the ghastly responsibility left hanging over him, he had submitted to his fate, accepted that impetus was his destiny throughout his life, and went into hiding in the remote Sweethorts forests - known for being the home of Specks, incredible creatures with ripple-skin.

As the real Lavidge lay parched on what would have been his last dawn over Sarkol Landing, Nevare's twin half within him dealt with the despair of his ploy failing. His rebellion against the tribal magic which now shaped his destiny eventually took over but, faced with survival or the impact of a Gleeman's discs when lost, it left him reduced to what he now recognised to be the Soldier's Boi inside him struggling. Uneasy on his own, Nevare resolved to penn the surviving village guards in their camp of Sarkol Landing and throw all his efforts into assuring a barrier between the Gates and themselves - as the vunerable Specks had taught the entire world to do when meeting a greater power.

Suddenly it clicked that Lavidge would lead them through the pass, guarded so ferociously by the Siltonians who demanded Zone Pass in return for safe passage through their inhospitable native territory, if there were others who shared his desire to rid the invaders of the Gates. This new ambition was brought about by an unavoidable quelling of Lavidge's Soldier's Boid and there would surely be opportunities to see it fulfilled in blood with each passing night. Travelling circumspectly through darkness Nevare had to muster the courage to choose a path between a half brother and his swapped souls.