this is one of Anderson's later and less great works, but competently done. It is set in the same kind of world as his great fantasy The Broken Sword, with fantasy creatures living on the fringes of a more or less historical medieval European world,but this is set some centuries later (1200s) with the peoples of magic in retreat --the merman''s children find their city has been exorcised by the Christians and destroyed, and they travel through the seas of much of Europe seeking more of their kind. I first read excerpts from this in two of the very good Flashing Swords sword and sorcery anthologies and later bought the book. I recall commenting to a Catholic friend in the Mythopoeic APA Elanor on the negative attitude shown toward the Catholic Church by the senior merman, and e replied he could care less what a merman thought of his church. ( )

I promise, I will finish it. I read a long time ago.....in a land far far away, when I was young and naive. Now I am mad at the story and need to put it away.

I promise, I will finish it. I read a long time ago.....in a land far far away, when I was young and naive. Now I am mad at the story and need to put it away.

I thought I'd like this more than I did. I loved the short story about these characters that appeared in one of the 'Flashing Swords', I think. He's a great writer & I was a little disappointed in the book. Might just be me, though. He didn't seem to be so action oriented - wordier that normal. ( )