studio43

Another reviewer of this book states that "Jack Vance is the best writer that you've never heard of", and I thought more than once that such was the case here for me. This was a simple, swiftly moving, sword and sorcery tale, told with wonderful imagination, a dry wit, and lovely prose. It also has plot shifts and an interleaving of story lines which differentiate great from good. What magic the story describes is interwoven with a very light touch; a thing of mischief and wonder as opposed to destruction and demon curses. In one instance, a young girl plots to steal the hat from the head of a faerie king so that he must grant her a wish. At times the novel felt like a charming mash-up of A Game of Thrones and The Last Unicorn. Within Martin we recognize scheming amongst feudal Kings, an aching desire for the reunion of child and parent, and an author not squeamish about putting a beloved character to the rack if the story calls for such. From Beagle we recall the lyrical and effortless prose, archetypes from traditional Western fairy tales, and a sense that over time, if not in each given instance, good will win out over evil.

2022-12-17 06:54