The Broken God
Encyclopedia
The Broken God is a science fiction
novel
written by David Zindell
and published in 1992. It is the first novel of the trilogy A Requiem for Homo Sapiens
. The Broken God is essentially a coming of age tale of youngster named Danlo, but at a much grander scale on a faraway planet in the distant future. Interspersed throughout the novel there is also much philosoplical contemplation and musings on subjects ranging from mysticism to linguistics and metaphysics.
like beings living in the mountainous island Kweitkel, on the Planet Icefall. Danlo's tribe is called the Devaki. The Devaki belong to a group of tribes called the Alaloi, who settled on the planet. Seeking a simple life, the Alaloi transformed their genetic makeup to look like Neanderthals at the time of settlement on Icefall.
However, all the Devaki die of a mysterious disease. Only Danlo and another Alaloi called Soli (or Three Fingered Soli) survive the disease. Soli performs the Devaki rite for passing into manhood on Danlo, a mutilation of his penis via circumcision followed by continued mutilation of his member that creates colored strands on it and the choosing of the animal spirit. Danlo chooses Ahira
, which is otherwise called the White Thallow. The White Thallow is actually a snowy owl. However, the rite exhausts Soli and he dies. Before his death, Soli tells Danlo about his true father and mother from the Unreal City (Neverness).
Soli informs Danlo that he is actually Danlo's grandfather, Leopold Soli. Danlo's mother, father and Soli were humans on a scientific mission among the Alaloi, who had physically carked (not genetically transformed, but changed through surgery) their bodies to look like the Alaloi. Danlo's Mother, Katherine, was murdered 40 days before Danlo was due to be born. Danlo was cut from her womb, because his mother was accused of being a "satinka" (witch). Danlo's father (Mallory Ringess) flees back to Neverness, returning only once to the Alaloi. Soli stays back among the Devaki. Soli tells of exploding stars in a region of space called the Vild. He tells Danlo to travel through the snow covered land to the city of Neverness, which lies to the east of Kweitkel.
Danlo makes the perilous journey across the ice during the winter - facing snow storms, dwindling supplies and dying sled dogs - and makes it to Neverness. He is frost bitten and hungry, starved and has grown thin to bones.
On reaching Neverness he starts to look for food and encounters a group of men and women along with an alien, who do not understand Danlo's Alaloi language. He is taken into the house of the alien, a member of the Fravashi
race. Neverness is the center of the galactic civilization and is home to many different alien races and the Fravashi are one among them. The Fravashi who took in Danlo is called the Old Father. The Fravashi are a race of intelligent beings who like to think and teach others to think. The Old Father is a teacher and the men and women are his students. They nurse Danlo back to health and cure his frost bite. The Old Father presents Danlo with a Shakuhachi
(Japanese end-blown flute ). While Danlo regains his strength the Old Father learns how to speak the Alaloi language.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by David Zindell
David Zindell
David Zindell is an American author known for science fiction and fantasy epics. He was born in Toledo, Ohio, and resides today in Boulder, Colorado; he received a BA degree in mathematics and minored in anthropology at the University of Colorado at Boulder...
and published in 1992. It is the first novel of the trilogy A Requiem for Homo Sapiens
A Requiem for Homo Sapiens
A Requiem for Homo Sapiens is a trilogy of science fiction novels written by David Zindell that is made up of The Broken God , The Wild , and War in Heaven...
. The Broken God is essentially a coming of age tale of youngster named Danlo, but at a much grander scale on a faraway planet in the distant future. Interspersed throughout the novel there is also much philosoplical contemplation and musings on subjects ranging from mysticism to linguistics and metaphysics.
Introduction
Danlo (Danlo wi Soli Ringess) is a human child living among a tribe of NeanderthalNeanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
like beings living in the mountainous island Kweitkel, on the Planet Icefall. Danlo's tribe is called the Devaki. The Devaki belong to a group of tribes called the Alaloi, who settled on the planet. Seeking a simple life, the Alaloi transformed their genetic makeup to look like Neanderthals at the time of settlement on Icefall.
However, all the Devaki die of a mysterious disease. Only Danlo and another Alaloi called Soli (or Three Fingered Soli) survive the disease. Soli performs the Devaki rite for passing into manhood on Danlo, a mutilation of his penis via circumcision followed by continued mutilation of his member that creates colored strands on it and the choosing of the animal spirit. Danlo chooses Ahira
Ahira
Ahira, meaning Brother of evil or unlucky or my brother is friend, was an Old Testament character. He was chief of the tribe of Naphtali at the Exodus ....
, which is otherwise called the White Thallow. The White Thallow is actually a snowy owl. However, the rite exhausts Soli and he dies. Before his death, Soli tells Danlo about his true father and mother from the Unreal City (Neverness).
Soli informs Danlo that he is actually Danlo's grandfather, Leopold Soli. Danlo's mother, father and Soli were humans on a scientific mission among the Alaloi, who had physically carked (not genetically transformed, but changed through surgery) their bodies to look like the Alaloi. Danlo's Mother, Katherine, was murdered 40 days before Danlo was due to be born. Danlo was cut from her womb, because his mother was accused of being a "satinka" (witch). Danlo's father (Mallory Ringess) flees back to Neverness, returning only once to the Alaloi. Soli stays back among the Devaki. Soli tells of exploding stars in a region of space called the Vild. He tells Danlo to travel through the snow covered land to the city of Neverness, which lies to the east of Kweitkel.
Danlo makes the perilous journey across the ice during the winter - facing snow storms, dwindling supplies and dying sled dogs - and makes it to Neverness. He is frost bitten and hungry, starved and has grown thin to bones.
On reaching Neverness he starts to look for food and encounters a group of men and women along with an alien, who do not understand Danlo's Alaloi language. He is taken into the house of the alien, a member of the Fravashi
Fravashi
A fravashi is the guardian spirit mentioned in the Avesta of an individual, who sends out the urvan into the material world to fight the battle of good versus evil...
race. Neverness is the center of the galactic civilization and is home to many different alien races and the Fravashi are one among them. The Fravashi who took in Danlo is called the Old Father. The Fravashi are a race of intelligent beings who like to think and teach others to think. The Old Father is a teacher and the men and women are his students. They nurse Danlo back to health and cure his frost bite. The Old Father presents Danlo with a Shakuhachi
Shakuhachi
The is a Japanese end-blown flute. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exist in ABS and hardwoods. It was used by the monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism in the practice of...
(Japanese end-blown flute ). While Danlo regains his strength the Old Father learns how to speak the Alaloi language.