I just finished reading the Cycle of Arawn. It’s totally awesome. And remarkable, in that the author provides a fully fleshed portrait/critique of the Neandethal, in his tribal Norren race. I don’t think there’s any way he could’ve done this without being some kind of Edenist.
The series is dark, wry, intelligent, of epic length, and took 7 years to write – just the way I like them. The author appears to understand both the ingenopathic and psychopathic sides of the coin, which is admirable. The cosmology has good philosophical depth. There’s little not to love. My only complaint would be one or two sword fighting non-magical femme fatales, but the book is so thoroughly andro-centric that all is forgiven.
The Norren are super strong, small tribe pedantic xenophobic ingenopaths who are obsessive philosopher-craftsmen. Their complete lack of desire for either individual leadership or centralization renders them vulnerable to the human hordes. Slavery and gang-rape follow. They encompass all the TT virtues, yet without idolization – they are human, not Platonic ideals. And they get liberated.
We might quibble over the details of the characterization, but the overall effect makes the series a mandatory exercise in Neanderthal pride. Read and cheer. Fall in love with Mourn and Nulladoon – the best fictional game since Herman Hesse.
The Norren show up most strongly in book 2 of the series, if I recall correctly. A later exposure to Edenism?