Instruct: Classify the given Amazon review as either positive or negative.
Query: A magnificent epic of a time long gone

Smith is an incredibly gifted writer -- indeed, I place his action stories on the same level as those of Edward S. Aarons. RIVER GOD is extraordinary in its narration, characters, plot, and scenery -- all of which come together to make a book that is very much perfect for reading and rereading. Indeed, the blending of such factors causes the story to remain with you even after you have set the book aside.