After a number of years I just reread “Goa” by Kara Dalkey. I last read it in the late 90’s, followed by its sequel. But then I didn’t get hold of the third book in the trilogy before I, coincidentally, moved to India. I remembered I enjoyed the first two books and wanted to finish the whole trilogy, but with more than twenty years gone, I had to start it over again.

The book follows several characters, Thomas Chinnery, an Englishman, an apprentice apothecary, in an herb and medicine trading voyage who winds up in Goa, India instead of his expected destination of China, and separately, Father Antonio Gonscao (whose name has more accents, but I don’t have the tools to easily type them) sent by the Church from Portugal to investigate the Catholic Inquisition that’s going on in the Portuguese colony in Goa, as they think it might be getting corrupt.

Through piracy Thomas comes into possession of a small amount of marvelous powder, Rasa Mahadevi, or Blood of the Goddess, that has the power to kill the living and restore life to the dead.

Several times the story also follows the character Aditi, a worshipper of the as yet unnamed Goddess.

The leaders of the Inquisition in Goa also want the Rasa Mahadevi.

Overall it’s a good fantasy novel. I appreciate it more now that I’ve actually spent a lot of time living in India and know some of the geography a lot better just by hearing the names. This book doesn’t include very many Indian characters, though, and not much time spent away from the European characters, on ships or in a castle or church, so there’s little “feel” for the Indian environment. ( )

This was decent but it really didn't provide any culture so now I feel like if I don't read the 2nd book (and probably the 3rd then I will have wasted a bunch of time reading it.

Another thing is that I get all angry reading about the inquisition because it makes me so mad to think that people were tortured and especially in the name of religion. It makes me wish I believed in hell just so those people who tortured others could end up there.

This is a mostly historical novel with one touch of fantasy. I was really hoping for a little more of the fantastic. ( )

A strange story of a young apothecary, Thomas Chinnery, heading into Portugese waters of East-Africa and India. He finds himself caught up in intrigue when he meets up with people who have a mysterious compound known as the Rasa Mahadevi, the Blood of the Goddess. It can kill the living but it also can apparently restore the dead to life.

Thomas' life becomes very complicated and it will never be the same again.

I'm not sure about this one, I think I need to read the sequel before making a judgement about it as a whole. ( )

Thomas Chinemery, jovem assistente dum Mestre boticário Inglês é encarregado pelo amo de empreender uma viagem pelas águas da Àfrica Oriental e India controladas pelos portugueses (1597). Inquisição. ( )