Victorian Travels Re-Imagined

"This is a fantastic concept: the travel journal of a man condemned to the Nanten (a wasteland for exiles) to track down his hated foe, who disappeared there ages ago. Written in the style of a 19th century Victorian travelogue--it reminds me of Kinglake's Eothen at times, as well as of Kipling--it is an enthralling narrative, never episodic despite its premise. The laconic narrator gives just enough details to follow his path, but is relatively tight-lipped about his world and his past. You simply have to follow along, piecing together the details as you follow. In short, the author does a lot with a little, and each brief chapter is a goldmine of hidden treasures. Illustrations are given in each chapter, again keeping with the Victorian travel diary theme, though they are largely unnecessary. What really illustrates this story is the prose itself, and the author's canny ear for characterization and drama. I am anxious to see where his travels in the Nanten takes him and if he ever finds his nemesis, the mysterious Salisir. A truly exciting, original read."