"
The Moon and the Sun" (1997) is an excellent
fantasy novel by US
science fiction author Vonda McIntyre. The
novel is not a standard
fantasy, but rather an
alternate history novel with
fantasy elements. It won a number of awards, including the 1997
Nebula Award for Best Novel (beating the favorite "
A Game of Thrones" by
George R. R. Martin).
The story is set in 17th century
France, during the reign of the
Sun King Louis XIV, at his court in
Versailles. The novel is filled with a large cast of
courtiers, many of them historical figures, who are all competing for the favor of the
King. The main character,
Marie-Josephe de la Croix, assists her brother, Father Yves de la Croix, in the scientific study of a recently captured
sea monster. The King hopes to gain
immortality by consuming part of the creature, but as the study continues, Marie-Josephe discovers the
sea monster may be more than a dumb beast. This discovery tests Marie-Josephe's
loyalty to her brother, her king and her religion.
Vonda McIntyre thoroughly researched the historical setting for "
The Moon and the Sun" and created a very convincing setting, filling it with believable and well-rounded characters. Because of the level of detail, the novel can be enjoyed as a
historical novel and a
fantasy. Very highly recommended.
Note: the novel originated as a short story, written in the form of a fictional encyclopedia article, "The Natural History and Extinction of the People of the Sea", which was illustrated by (fellow author) Ursula K. Le Guin and indirectly inspired by research done by the late Avram Davidson, another brilliant SF writer. The novel also exists as a screenplay.