“Vera looks at the shapeshifter, realizing he is not using a metaphor. Suddenly, she feels very shy. Remembering the changes through which he has lived, the ancient working alongside her seems far more alien than the fish that dart and play around her in the water. For him, geologic ages must have been like the shifting of the seasons.
She shivers.
‘How do you bear it?’ Her voice is a whisper, yet she can hardly believe she has spoken aloud.
‘Change is the way of the world,” he replies, “the one great constant, and I am the Changer.'”

The Changer is back, and with him, the rest of the mythological beings known as the Athanor. Once again, we’re treated to the complex maneuverings and interactions between such figures as Arthur Pendragon (once ruler of England), Lil Prima (formerly Lilith, mythological precursor to Eve), Eddie Zagano (once Enkidu, the Wild Man of the Gilgamesh legends), Tommy Thunderburst (once Elvis, and Orpheus, and more), and Anson A. Kridd (Anansi the Spider).

Joining them are a veritable pantheon of characters. For instance, we meet Frank McDonald, who owns the Other Three Quarters Ranch, a haven for the unicorns, jackalopes, gryphons, werewolves, and other immortal creatures that would otherwise be threatened by modern-day humanity. Caring for animals is definitely in character for the man once known as Saint Francis of Assisi. There’s the Wanderer, a gender-switching enigma who may or may not be the Wandering Jew of legends. Then there’s Dakar Agadez, who you might recognize better as the African god Ogun. And Katsuhiro Oba, also known as the Japanese god of storm and thunder, Susano. And …

But that’s enough names to throw at one time. What are the Athanor, you ask? Well, as detailed in Lindskold’s previous book, Changer, they are a race of immortal beings, possessed of powers far beyond the ken of mortal man. They have been gods, leaders, tyrants, saviors, devils, angels, saints, warriors, and myths. Trace any myth back far enough, and chances are good that one of the Athanor was behind it. They’re also mythological creatures: the unicorns, jackalopes, gryphons, yeti, fauns, satyrs, tengu, pooka, and so forth that infest our folklore and fairy tales. They’re also ordinary creatures, who just happen to be gifted with immortality. In fact, all they have in common, the underlying factor of their shared existence, is immortality, and participation in a form of existence and energy known as Harmony.

There’s that, and a need to live in secrecy, to avoid the watchful eyes and intense scrutiny of the mortal world. No one wants to believe that the legends are real, after all. Not in the age of science.

However, things are happening within the Athanor community. For instance, Tommy Thunderburst is planning his next major tour, entitled Pan. It’s going to be a show to blow away the competition, and he’ll do it with the help of Lil Prima, his manager and lover. Just wait until you see who he recruits for his backup dancers, though! Is the world ready for a gaggle of oversexed satyrs and frisky fauns?

Vera, once known as Minerva, is spending time building the underwater city known as Atlantis, a possible refuge for the Athanor should things go poorly on the surface world.

Eddie Zagano and Anson Kridd are traveling to the (fictional) Nigerian city of Monamona, there to broker a deal between one of the native Athanor (once known as the god Shango) and a Japanese representative (Katsuhiro Oba). What they don’t know is that smallpox, once thought eradicated, is making a return in Monamona, and it’s all thanks to Shopona, the former God of Smallpox, who may or may not be one of the Athanor.

The Changer’s coyote daughter, Sharazad, has been brought to Frank McDonald’s ranch, there to learn more about the world and the people she’s a part of. However, her sister (by way of one of the Changer’s earlier matings) has plans for Sharazad and the ranch.

Before the story is over, all of these threads will tangle together, and not everyone will escape unscathed. Because when gods clash, people get hurt. Kidnappings, murders, betrayals, old grudges, new friendships, new discoveries, personal growth, and resolutions are all part of life among the Athanor. To say more would be to give away some of the surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant, that litter the path of the storyline.

Yes, I know. It does sound terribly complex, and it is a fairly substantial cast of characters to keep straight. However, Lindskold is an excellent storyteller, quite proficient at weaving the epic tale without losing her readers. She switches from one scene to the next with precision, keeping us updated without losing track of any one character for long. Also, she’s careful to remind the reader just who’s who, and who -was- who once upon a time. It’s not as easy to get lost as one might think, especially since she has a good four hundred pages to play with.

I’ll be frank. (Not MacDonald!) This is an excellent book. It’s urban fantasy at its best, tackling the themes of immortality and mythology with enthusiasm and skill. As a general preference, I don’t usually find African myths very interesting. Thus, I went into this book with a bias above and beyond my dislike of stories written in present tense. But Legends Walking overcame both biases, and drew me into the story. It’s easily as good as Changer in its own way. It does rely on the events of the previous book at times, making it less user-friendly than a new reader might hope. However, this book offers enough of a recap to get the new reader started.

So what are you waiting for? Come check out the latest book by the author that Terri Windling calls, “One of the best new writers to emerge in the fantasy field in the ’90s.”