THE ASSASSINS OF TAMURIN

New fantasy novel is an exercise in patience

By Chris Wyatt     January 15, 2003

The first 100 pages or so of the 450 page novel THE ASSASSINS OF TAMURIN could be cut. Or if not cut, at least considerably condensed. The novel opens in a generic medieval fantasy-land where an eleven year-old orphan girl named Lale is being charged with taking sewing needles to a neighbor that lives half a morning's walk away. The task is more important than it sounds since the village is so destitute that the whole population shares a single set of sewing needles.

The first three chapters of the book deal with Lale loosing the needles and being punished for it. That's 25 pages of sewing needle-centric fiction...all of which winds up not being important to the story whatsoever.

The point is that Lale winds up running away from the village and is fortunately found by a "Despotana" (or female despot) who runs a school for orphan girls. There she makes friends for the first time.

The story finds an actual beginning once Lale has been in the school for a few years. It turns out that the Despotana isn't just a kind person; she actually has an ulterior motive for paying room and board on a school full of unprofitable orphans. She is, in fact, running a covert training ground for assassins (which is very al Qaeda of her).

While in school Lale shows a flare for acting and, at every chance she gets, she stages plays at the school and gains note for her talent. The Despotana, in secret, is helping to promote her acting career. In this too she has an ulterior motive...

Yet more backstory interjects itself when it turns out that the Despotana has a deadly long ago grudge with a kid who grew up to be called the Sun Lord, and is now a political leader in another land.

Lale learns that the Despotana intends for her to join a traveling acting group, infiltrate the Sun Lord's castle, entice him with her sexual charms, get him into bed, get him to the alter and then kill the hell out of him. The Despotana even swears Lale's loyal on pains of death from the darkest of dark magic.

Lale finds her assignment congenial enough, until she actually meets the Sun Lord...and finds out he's a real cutie! Then she starts clucking about how bad she feels for intending to violate his trust, betraying his hospitality, etc...

No, she couldn't be falling in love with her intended victim, could she?

It sounds a little stale and predictable, but the author, S.D. Tower, pulls it off with more finesse then one might think. The novel, while very slow to start, and occasionally a little rambling, does eventually turn into an interesting tale, and has a rather nice little ending.

ASSASSINS can't be recommended to readers at large, but obsessive fantasy fans and/or people with lots of patience will become somewhat interested before the book is over.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at feedback@cinescape.com.