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Tymon’s Flight by Mary Victoria
 The World Tree rises up out of the seething clouds like a green
mountain. This is home to all creation, and there are no worlds
besides this one, or so the priests in Argon city would have
everyone believe.
Tymon grew up in Argos seminary in the lush central canopy of the
Tree. There science is a heretical pursuit and travel beyond the
Tree is banned. Tymon is inquisitive though and wants to break free
from the rules and discover what is really out there. When he meets
a despised Nurian slave in the city baths, his dreams of freedom
take on a completely different meaning.
Tymon is banished to a drought-ridden colony where he joins a group
of Nurian rebels and finds himself facing difficult choices.
Fighting for freedom might mean he has to betray his own people and
severe all ties to the world he knows. Freedom may be the prize, but
at what cost, and is it worth it after all?
In many ways this book has all the usual suspects of a fantasy
adventure, a world not as ‘modern’ as ours, an orphaned youth, a
crazed inventor, a mysterious woman and a stigmatised race looking
to fight back against their oppressors. This book however is set
against a backdrop of enlightenment versus very oppressive religion.
Some might say it reflects how religion restrains thinking, but
really in ways this religion is the opposite to what mainstream
religion is like, for whereas Christianity and other religions have
been responsible for some explorations and some scientific
advancements, the religion of the Tree stifles both and is against
finding the truth. It is therefore more akin to some modern day
cults and shows us what could happen if certain cults became
mainstream or controlled general society. She based the conflict on
the time of the renaissance where some very conservative churchgoers
were opposed to the direction science was heading. The novel also
reflects the author’s concern of minority groups and how they are
sometimes treated by mainstream society.
The setting (The Tree) provides readers with a novel world and
provokes questions about what would happen to civilisation when
inevitably the tree dies and why wouldn’t a civilisation living in a
tree at least explore the land it grew on. The adventure is written
from Tymon’s point of view and easily draws readers into the strange
world, carrying them along on his adventure.
Despite the social commentary, Tymon’s flight is primarily a coming
of age story about a young man on an epic adventure. It sets the
readers up well for the rest of the series and is a thought
provoking, enjoyable fantasy novel.
The author, Mary Victoria was born in Turners Falls, Massachusetts,
and has spent time living in Cyprus, Canada, Sierra Leone, France
and the UK. She now lives in Wellington with her husband and
daughter. Mary Victoria studied art and film, then worked as an
animator before turning to full time writing.
RRP $20.99
Published and distributed by HarperCollins Publishers under the
Harper Voyager title.
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