Aztec (Gary Jennings)

*Aztec* is a novel written by Gary Jennings. Released in 1980, it is the first book in Jennings' *Aztec* series and tells of an Aztec man recounting his life story.

## Characters

* Chicóme-Xochitl Tliléctic Mixtli (or Seven Flower Dark Cloud, Mixtli-Dark Cloud, and just Mixtli)
* Bishop Juan de Zumárraga
* Cozcoatl
* Blood Glutton
* Yei-Ehécatl Pocuía-Chimáli (or Three Wind Smoking Shield and just Chimáli)
* Zyanya (or Always)
* Nochipa (or Cocoton)
* Beu Ribe (or Waning Moon)
* Nezahuapíli (or The cacao man)
* Pactli
* Tlatli
* Motecuzoma
* Hernán Cortes
* Ahuitzotl
* Malintzin (or Ce-Malináli)
* Jadestone Doll
* Tzizitlini (or the Tapir Woman)
* The Lord Red Heron
* Gie Bele
* Mixtli's father
* Mixtli's mother
* Huetoxl
* The Lady Pair
* Tes-disora

rest to be added

## Publisher's summary

*Aztec* is the extraordinary story of the last and greatest native civilization of North America. Told in the words of one of the most robust and memorable characters in modern fiction, Mixtli-Dark Cloud, *Aztec* reveals the very depths of Aztec civilization from the peak and feather-banner splendor of the Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlan to the arrival of Hernán Cortes and his conquistadores, and their destruction of the Aztec empire. The story of Mixtli is the story of the Aztecs themselves---a compelling, epic tale of heroic dignity and a colossal civilization's rise and fall.

## Plot

*This story is comprised of the recountings of Mixtli with letters from Bishop Zumárraga (largely describing his disgust with the recountings) between them.*

### Dixit

The story begins with Mixtli's birth - in the year Thirteen Rabbit. Mixtli's birth is at the same time as an unnaturally powerful and late thunderstorm in his island home of Xaltócan. Mixtli's earliest memory is (at the age of two) trying to touch a faraway object and being surprised that cannot do so. Another early memory that Mixtli remembers is seeing the "man in the moon" (or rabbit in the moon, as Mixtli sees it) a year later. The most striking of these memories is the first time that Mixtli witnessed a human sacrifice. A sacrifice to Atláua, the sacrifice is of a slave from Chinanteca - his body almost completely blue. One ankle and one wrist is bound to poles embedded in the lakebed. After a speech, a priest of Atláua stabs an arrow into the sacrifice's genitals. A cross is drawn onto the sacrifice's chest and he is filled with arrows by priests. The sacrifice's corpse is then brought to the lake so it may sink into its depths. After viewing this, the young Mixtli vows to not scream if sacrificed like the sacrifice did.

rest to be added

## Worldbuilding

### Dixit

* Mitxli is born in the reign of Uey-Tlatoani (Revered Speaker) Motecuzóma Iluicamina (The Wrathful Lord, He Who Shoots Arrows into the Sky).
* Aztec infants are dunked into cold water immediately after birth.
* The umbilical cords of male Aztec infants are wrapped around small wooden war shields and given to warriors. It is hoped that this will lead the infant to become a soldier later in life. Female infants' umbilical cords are wrapped around spindle wheels in the hope that they become housewives.
* Aztecs are given "day-of-birth names" (with Mixtli being called Seven Flower) until they turn seven years old.
* The Aztecs believe that those who die by Flowery Death (death in battle or sacrifice) live lives of eternal happiness in Tonatiucan (The afterworld of the sun) in service to Tonatiu (god of the sun)
* To the Aztecs, the first beings in existence were Ometeculi and Omeciuatl ("Our Lord and Lady Pair").
* Priests of Tonatiu kill quails due to their plumage resembling the night sky.
* Chocaciuatl is an Aztec boogeywoman - the first woman to die in childbirth who wanders the Earth wailing for her dead infant.
* A more helpful night creature is Yoali Ehécatl (Night Wind), a being who grabs those who wander at night. If he decides to let a wanderer go, they will be given their heart's desire. The people of Xaltócan build stone benches to give Night Wind places of rest.
* Atláua is a minor Aztec deity - the god of fowlers. Due to Xaltócan's position on a lake, waterfowl are somewhat common and a sacrifice to the god is given at the start of duck season.
* The Chinanteca nation is a nation far to the south of Xaltócan. It is home to the Painted People (or Pinto People), who have blue splotches across their body and die from suffocation due to an unnamed disorder.

rest to be added

## See also

* Night of Sorrows by Frances Sherwood
* The Journeyer by Gary Jennings
* Raptor by Gary Jennings
* Mexico by James A. Michener
* The Aztecs by John Lucarotti

## Sources

* Wikipedia
* Goodreads