The second of three books in the "A Requiem For Homo-Sapiens" trilogy by author
David Zindell. This books is the liason between Danlo wi Soli Ringess's career as a hero of human kind and his early years at the academy (see
The Broken God.) Danlo sets out on his first quest as one of the
Seekers of the Ineffable Flame - a quest to discover what is causing the stars of the
Vild (Wild) to explode, and threaten the very existence of
man in the galaxy. Armed with only his wits, and a bamboo flute, given to him by his found-father, Danlo is to solve the greatest mystery of his generation - and then some.
While on his quest, Danlo chances upon the destroyed god Ede, who was, strangely enough, the god upon which The Cybernetic Universal Church was founded. Indeed, it is this church that has been exploding the Vild stars. Ede was reduced to a mere fragment of his glory, but agrees to accompany Danlo to seek the world Tanahill, where they expect to find the center of the Church, and put an end to the senseless destruction of the galaxy.
"The Wild" is an amazing story of truth, love, godhood, honor, trust, and much much more. It encompasses many philisophical and theological questions. The author asks about the origins of g/God, and of existence itself. Profound, heady reading.