This is the story of Aitrus and Anna, inexplicably intertwined with the downfall of the D'Ni, the wondrous race of Writers who link to living Ages in their Books. Anna, a human, has lived in the desert with her father, an explorer of the rocks, until he dies. She plans to retire to the nearby city, but becomes sidetracked by a cave she and her father found before his death. Following the underground caverns and tunnels, she discovers the D'Ni. It takes time, but she is eventually accepted by most, she marries Aitrus and participates in his work. They have a son, Gehn. Yet, even as they build a life together, another sets in motion the events that will bring this great society to an end. Aitrus's best friend is framed and brought into the conspiracy, not knowing the twisted plans of those he joins with until too late. In the end, all that is left is Anna and her half-breed son, their survival the last act of the husband she has loved.
Impression: I have to admit, I enjoyed this Myst book far more than The Book of Atrus (no misspelling there, promise - the father's and grandson's names are separated only by a single 'i'). The story comes historically before The Book of Atrus but was actually written after it, while the third (which I've just started, appears to be historically after both books and was the last to be written. Regardless, this book was quite a bit more complex than the first, with more characters and a more involved story. Love, prejudice, hatred, bitterness, the need for revenge, and so much more is interwoven to create a story about a people who, though great in their accomplishments, are just as fallible and human as the humans many of them look down upon as inferior. Yet, even with the complexity of the story, it was easy to read, easy to follow, and I could see how the events came to be, as shocking as they are in many ways. Unlike many stories, the ending is bittersweet, sad even as Anna finds a way to survive with and for her son - the son who eventually turns on her in The Book of Atrus. It was nice to see that there was once something redeemable in the character of Gehn, and the events of this book shed a sad light on those of The Book of Atrus.
