After the cliffhanger ending in the first book, [book:La Marche du Prophète|23589255] (see my review here), the story continues in 'L'envers du monde'. But how Leth was "removed" from the world of the living, is told as if Annoa had nothing to do with it, as Annoa tells it. This hypocrisy made me re-read the ending of the previous book, to be sure I had correctly interpreted what happened.

The prophet is the all-seeing Eye (l’Œil), who ultimately is not a real prophet, nor really in connection with the god Ochin. He's a scrounger, as the entire cult is based on a lie (aren't many cults?), on a joke, created by Annoa and Ykel (the prophet's real name) at a time when they were under the weather. With dangerous consequences, as the first book has shown.

With Leth Marek, the retired arena fighter, out of the picture, Desmeon is given back his place in the spotlights. Especially with a war going on between the two cults (Nature/la Déesse and Ochin), Ochin's group needs a new heroic leader to protect the people from harm.

When checking back in the first book for a quote, I saw that, when Leth Marek joined the cult of Ochin, he and Annoa (high priest/bailiff) had a talk about the Rédempteurs and how Annoa wanted to know who was behind them, who guided and paid them. It seems now that Annoa was the mastermind, having created this band to make his people hate the Kyrénians, and so wreak havoc (led by Morgahen, who will return later in the story to confirm Desmeon's version of the facts), so that the cult of Ochin could conquer the Temple and be the sole reigning religion in Kyrénia. But the cult of la Déesse also had its internal political games, involving "getting rid of your competitor for the best place in the hierarchy and rise to power".

There's an old law that states that there must be a battle between two champions, to sort the problem of occupation and what not. The Kyrénian champion, Maegh (nicknamed Le Corbeau, the Raven), and Desmeon are to fight in the arena, to the death. Of course, Desmeon wins (otherwise the story would be over, right, with two fighters out of the way?), but that doesn't mean the cult of Ochin is free to travel anywhere. The barony of Ridan doesn't have much to say any more, but it's clear that Annoa and co. have to move out, which will speed up their overtaking of the city (through mass riots and what not, all in a peaceful and manipulating way). Maegh was not killed, and later he and Desmeon will meet again. For a common goal.

Also, what is Nessirya's role in all this? You can feel and read she knows more, but she doesn't divulge anything to her former love, Desmeon. Female psychology?

Desmeon's sleek way of answering remains intact, although there are times he has to tone it down a little, if he's to stay alive or obtain a certain goal. As he's a little suspicious - it turns out he was not among the accomplices, after all - he discovers more and more sinister aspect about the cult he's part of (Ochin). For instance, Leth Marek was not buried, but his axe was. His research leads him to a "sanctuary", or rather, an abattoir, where followers of the cult are brought to be killed (they are told they're going to a safer haven), their blood to be caught into a sort of barrels (or similar). Of course, Desmeon connects the dots and destroys several of those barrels before he's discovered and has to flee.

He later flees with Synden, the little prostitute who found shelter with the cult, since she knew how the former Patriarch of the cult of la Déesse (in Kyrénia) was removed. This is also subject of the negotations when Ochin's and the Goddess's people are facing each other on the grounds of Ridan.

Varian, the chronicler of high priest Nahel Amon and leader of the envoy to negotiate with Annoa, quickly lets the private quarters of the Temple be cleared from prostitutes and others, as Annoa declared in the arena that the Temple shelters them, saying that he has proof that the Patriarch was murdered in a brothel, which is denied by Ismaen (the Temple). Which games are being played here? And while both cults are each other's opponents, it seems their leaders have more in common than is written.

About the invasion of Kyrénia: more and more inhabitants are converted, more and more people join the fold as the enormous mass heads towards the temple. Meanwhile, shopkeepers are being "persuaded" to follow the new cult or face severe consequences. Even some guards have changed sides and thus no longer protect the Kyrénians.

The aforementioned abattoir and the disappearance of Leth Marek are directly linked, as Leth was revived to serve as ultimate weapon to conquer the city. The blood was needed to keep him under control. Without it, he's an unguided missile, killing everyone in his path, friend or foe. In the end, he and Desmeon meet again, but after Desmeon has learned about his own life, his own situation and how he and Leth are the same: revived from the dead, or rather, brought back from Aeternia, the other side (l'envers) of life, whence the dark forces came to cause chaos via the black magic of Ykel, among others.

As written above, Ykel (the Prophet) is a fraud, who only knew the basics, but got some help from professionals to practise black magic a little better. With severe consequences, which were getting out of control.

Oh yes, Nessirya is still alive, is left behind by Desmeon (who has an insatiable drive for sex, it's unbelievable o_O), after he found out about his own life. She encounters the fleeing Annoa, who tells her all about how the cult came to be and how it's not really realistic. However, she seemed very much convinced of the existence of the god Ochin, and was a strict follower of the rules and procedures. A little too indoctrinated? Has she had a bad youth? No goal in life, but to be submissive?

And yes, the ending leaves much to be desired. A bit too easy, too predictable. As if there was no inspiration for a proper ending. The first book revolved around Leth Marek, this second one around Desmeon. But when both meet again, it's not a spectacular event. At all.

It's a dark story, darker even than the first book. There's betrayal, love (superficial in most cases), hypocrisy, blood, death, lies, murder, political games, ... There were some things that bothered me: situations that got solved very quickly (to advance the story?), actions that not always made sense (professional guards easily fooled, opponents too easily killed, ...), dialogues sometimes a little too light. Hence only 3 stars instead of 4.

'Aeternia' is one big story, divided over two books. The focus lies on the characters and their actions, less on the world, its culture, its workings. Religion is the central theme. Be it an established religion or a newly founded cult, showing that anyone can come up with something. With the right tools and marketing, you can quickly expand your business and grow faster than in a traditional way. No need to be exact in your rules and alike, no one is going to check if what you claim is true, if your god is based on that of an other religion or if the symbols are what they are, and so on. As long as the words ring true, touch the people, then there's not much to worry about. Except a large following, because you have to provide for them, despite limited means (hence the abattoir or "safe haven", I guess).

But as religious leaders play dirty games (when politics and money are involved... the pleasures of the flesh aren't far off), so do politicians. So, it's not only a critique about religious cults, but also about politicians who (also) fool the people time and again with each election. And people continue to be baited and believe the lies. But no one is perfect or without fault.
Transpose this to today: Trump, IS/Daesh, Erdogan, the Belgian politicians with their accumulation of mandates (or multiple office-holding), which has been in the national news for the past few days, and so on, and so on. Each country will have its own examples.

Despite the few problems, Katz delivers the goods again with this relatively quick read. This dark Fantasy, comparable in a way to [author:Joe Abercrombie|276660]'s works (and similar), is of course a little lighter than Abercrombie's, since Katz throws in more humor, wittier stuff.

I wonder what he has explored in the new series (and how it connects with the other series, 'Le Puits des Mémoires' and 'Aeternia'), [book:La part des ombres: Tome 1|32811895], which is to be either a duology or trilogy, if I recall correctly. But that's for another time, when I've acquired the book(s). ( )