Time Turner Tuesday ~ Wielding a Red Sword

*Book source ~ My home library

Title ~ Wielding A Red Sword

Series ~ Incarnations of Immortality, #4

Author ~ Piers Anthony

Publisher ~ Del Rey

Published ~ 12 September 1986

Genre ~ Fantasy

Pages ~ 249

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Mym is a Prince who stutters. Since he has an older brother who will inherit the throne he finally runs away to join a traveling circus. He starts out doing menial labor, but soon works up to being one of the main attractions as Mym the Mime. He and Orb Kaftan, the musician main attraction, fall in love, but just as they are happily making plans for their life the royal guards show up. They inform Mym his brother is dead and he is to inherit the throne. He promises Orb he will get things settled with his father and come back for her. But the Rajah has other plans for his son. Mym is stuck between his duty to his country and his love for Orb. What will he do?

Oh, boy. How utterly frustrating for Mym. First he deals with a severe stutter all his life and then he’s denied the woman he loves and a life he’s happy living. He’s forced into a marriage agreement he doesn’t want and then when the political winds change he’s forced on yet another woman. When the Red Sword comes to him giving him the option to become Mars, well, who can blame him for taking it? I wouldn’t. His dad should have just let him marry Orb. But in taking the sword his trials haven’t ended. Not by a long shot. Now, he has to stay a step ahead of Satan and as the newbie Incarnation he’s at a disadvantage as Satan is going to do what he can to get around Mym and fulfill his evil plans. Will Mym have what it takes to defeat the Father of Lies? All I’ll say is it’s an excellent journey and the final act is sheer brilliance.