DAVID ANTHONY Durham's new novel "Acacia" is going to be an interesting litmus test for the willingness of the book-buying public to delve into the fantasy genre for anything other than a book penned by Tolkien or Rowling. Or to buy a fantasy book by someone who uses his full first name instead of initials.

The book is a departure and risk for Durham, who has made a name for himself by writing historical fiction, but the biggest risk may be the one taken by Doubleday in publishing a nearly 600-page epic in a genre that has historically met with critical and reader indifference.

The risk is obvious for Doubleday unless, one could cynically note, it is a mere ploy to cash in on the recent renewed success of "The Lord of The Rings" and "The Chronicles of Narnia." But if it is a ploy, it was a brilliant one to stage around Durham, because the world and story he has created in "Acacia" will not wither under the inevitable comparisons with Tolkien.

King Leodan Akaran is presiding over an Acacian dynasty that has been in power for 22 generations, but the machinations to bring the dynasty to an end are under way at the book's outset. The king has prepared for this inevitability and has made prior arrangements for the safety of his four children by sending them to the four corners of Durham's Known World. Durham does an exceptional job of intertwining the separate stories of the children and then bringing his narrative back as the children reunite. It's an ambitious story arc to follow four divergent paths, but the device proves rewarding rather than distracting, and affords an intimacy with the characters that might have otherwise been blurred.

"Acacia" is the first part of a planned trilogy, and when an author endeavors to create a fantasy trilogy, the comparisons with Tolkien are certain to follow. Tolkien intended "The Lord of the Rings" to be released as one volume and was displeased with his publishers when they opted to release it as a trilogy. Comparisons with Tolkien tend to be unreasonable, but there are similarities in what Durham has created. But the one similarity between the trilogies I wish existed was that the second Acacian installment were sitting on a publisher's desk and could be rushed to publication if the sales warranted. Unfortunately, the second part of Durham's trilogy is at least two years away. It's a long time to wait for the return of characters and a world that are engrossing.

Drew Gallagher is a freelance writer in Spotsylvania.