In Review: Bearing An Hourglass by Piers Anthony

Released: 7/12/84           293 pages

Publisher: Del Rey Books

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 978-0345313140

From the present, or parallel time, the second book in the Incarnation of Immortality series jumps to the future, the past and a few places in between to bring Norton’s story. The nomadic Norton is convinced to help a ghost, Gawain, father a child on his widow, Orlene, and he does, but the ghost interferes, having Gaea, Mother Nature, make the child from his own bloodline. The child dies, and the widow takes her life.

To make things right Gawain tells Norton how he can be with Orlene again, by becoming Chronos, the keeper of Time. Chronos lives his life in reverse, so his future would be her past, and Norton takes the hourglass, but gets more than he bargains for.

Not only are the concepts of good and evil explored, so are the concepts of time and space. All of the Incarnations are dependant upon time in some capacity, and the hourglass is the most powerful of all instruments. Norton’s journey to understanding is a great one, and even though it is a part of a series, there is more than enough explained that it can be a stand alone. Zane plays a key role, as does Satan, who is still bent on Luna being destroyed before his plans are foiled by her.

With the world firmly in place, there was some traveling about to other planets, and the temptation for finding a “home.” But I found some of it a little hard to follow, so while the story was still very good, it wasn’t as good as the first one, but only barely.