My original A Man & His God audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

A short novella focusing on Tempus (sometimes referred to as “Death”) and Abrasis (Slaughter from the North) both are mercenaries of the god of war; they are faced with decisions that make them tragic, heroic and complex. The most moving scene of the book comes when Tempus comforts Abrasis as he dies in his arms; Tempus seals Abrasis’ death with a tender kiss.

The scene of Tempus comforting Abrasis as he breathes his last breath before he succumbs to death and then sealing his death with a kiss is so vivid and moving that I was reduced to blinking the tears from my eyes.

Janet Morris has researched her subject very well and brings this ancient world of mythology to life through her words and vivid descriptions. I enjoy stories with a mythological base to them but I found this one to more moving emotionally than any other I have heard or read. Morris wrote this book in such a manner that anyone could pick it up and immediately become engrossed in it. However, this is not a book you can only pay half attention to and get it. This is one that requires steady listening to in order to pick up all the nuances and plots.

David Kudler approached his narration of this book professionally, making the passion of the characters come alive. His voice for Tempus was hypnotic.

A very short listen but one packed with action, violence and moments that will move you.

There were no production issues.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator. ( )

Not worth it. A spin-off from the old Thieves World shared world fantasy series. Yeah it is based on a real group of fighters, but who cares? They don't do anything in this story worth mentioning. In this so-called heroic action fantasy, they mainly act as props or stage settings. They stand at the bar when the leader hires a thief. (The thief does steal what they want, but you don't get to read about that. He just takes the job and the next time you see him, he has gotten it.) They raid a compound but basically you just get to read about how the slaver runs because he hears fighting and sees a couple of guys in spooky armor. The slaver does throw a spear and impales one guy in the stomach (who dies fairly quickly) and the "hero", Tempus, lets a couple of the guys shoot the slaver in the knees with arrows. (Why they didn't shoot him earlier is anybody's guess.) Tempus holds the dying guy and gives him a kiss instead of avenging him.

Speaking of the "hero", Tempus is an incestous rapist. He "nobly" takes his sister's virginity to save her from an evil wizard (and thereby gets them both cursed). But his noble act is fairly questionable since he keeps talking about wanting to rape her now. He has broken faith with his god. He is supposed to make a sacrifice to get back into his good graces. His choice is to say the dying guy (the one that got the spear thrown into his gut) is his sacrifice. That is like saying food that is being thrown out because it is rotten could be a sacrifice, or perhaps the money that you have already spent could be a sacrifice. For a heroic fighter, Tempus doesn't do anything heroic or any fighting in this story.

I would only say to read this if you a huge fan of the Thieves World series or think that Janet Morris is an exceptional writer and you just have to complete your reading. ( )

The Man and His God is a novella based on Plato's Sacred Squadron, which consisted of pairs of male lovers that formed the elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC. It is more than a sword-and-sorcery tale. Before us is a story where mythology is reinvented in the most delicious, vivid detail, in a fantasy world that is larger than life, and perhaps more true to our dreams and our yearning for a heroic journey. In this world, reality is but a distant, pale shadow of what is possible, and what the author, Janet morris is fleshing out before us.

I find it truly amazing that she found a lyrical way to describe the exploits of this elite cavalry unit. The Sacred Band of Stepsons is loyal to its members and its commander. It begins when Abarsis, the Slaughter Priest from the North, brings his Sacred Band to Tempus, a warrior who cannot die, nor can he enjoy his immortality. At the beginning of the story this lone mercenary is perceived by others as 'Death Himself'.

By the end of the story, the wounded Abrasis takes his last breath in Tempus' arms. The scene features one of the most delicate descriptions of helping a dying man find a measure of comfort amidst the pain. As he breathes out his soul, Tempus seals his last moment with a symbolic signature of a kiss. Indeed, the kiss of Death... This scene, and indeed the entire concept of the Sacred Band, bring to mind customs such as homosexuality in the militaries of ancient Greece.

Five stars. ( )