Over the years I had read a small number of the books in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series, some more than once. I have now read/re-read the entire series, many of them for the first time. I have published my own reviews here, in the order the series was published. I have also completed my collection of all the volumes. I now own the entire series and pre-series of books! I got started reading them through my late Uncle Jimmy, who got me interested in Tolkien. He had also purchased the E.R. Eddison series and the Gormenghast trilogy, books he didn't seem to appreciate as much as I later did. These three series of books (Tolkien, Eddison and Peake) literally blew the lid off my teenage head, eventually leaving me thirsting for more. C. S. Lewis was good, but didn't really inspire me the way those other series did. Along came Lin Carter, editing a phenomenal sequence of paperbacks published one per month through Ballantine Books. The first one that I discovered and read was Morris' "Well at the World's End" (it was on a paperback rack at the Sudbury Woolworth store). After reading this, I never looked back. I was soon introduced to Lord Dunsany, H.P. Lovecraft, William Hope Hodgson and other masters of the craft. Several books in the series were reprints of material appearing for the first time in paperback, while a few others were receiving their first publication ever. All of them were obscure to the fantasy reader of that time. Only now, as I have successfully attempted to read my collection, do I fully realize the breadth and scope of what Lin Carter was attempting!
Before the main series was underway, Ballantine had been publishing fantasy for some time, including the authorized paperback editions of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. This so-called "pre-series" is just as important to readers and collectors as the main series, and will be given equal consideration here. These include the novels of Mervyn Peake and E. R. Eddison as well as those of Peter S. Beagle and David Lindsay. Once Lin Carter began writing introductions, the books were considered to be part of the main series, and all featured a unicorn symbol on the cover. Sometimes in reprinting the earlier pre-series, a unicorn was added to the cover, though no Lin Carter comments were ever featured.
Rating System: * Put in recycling.
** Been there, done that.
***Check this out.
**** or ***** Read at once.
PRE-SERIES DISCUSSION
The pre-series was not introduced by Lin Carter, and the Unicorn symbol of the Adult Fantasy books only appeared on certain reprints. It includes 18 separate volumes.
The combined cover art of Ballantine's first publication of Lord of the Rings. The cover of The Hobbit, below, shows slightly more landscape to the west. As a teen I had a poster of the above art as well. The above image was scanned from my copy of "The Road Goes Ever On," #P9 below. Ballantine published one other series with a tri-panel cover. See #20 below, "The Well at The World's End."
#P1 Published August 1965
The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien
Cover art by Barbara Remington.
Why is a mere mortal such as myself reviewing one the the greatest children's books of all time? More literature has been written about Tolkien's creations than almost any other work of fiction in the English language. So why add more? Because, good readers, I am reading and reviewing all of the Ballantine fantasy books released in their "pre-series" and official "adult" series. Of course I have read this book at least six times, but I am now returning to the Ballantine series after many years, hoping to find the rich storytelling and magical writing style that I left at my last reading. It all begins right here, with the first fantasy book published by Ballantine. There was no thought yet of a series at all from them, let alone a "pre-series" and an actual "adult" series. Still, Ballantine was publishing the entire Lord of the Rings, which itself is aimed towards adults. When it first was published in paperback in America it raged through North American university campuses the way that Dungeons and Dragons (inspired by guess who?) would many years later. The first line of "The Hobbit" is now as famous as James Joyce's opening sentence in Ulysses. Tolkien (and Ballantine fantasy) begins thus: "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." Fantasy literature would never be the same after that sentence, and subsequently this paperback book was unleashed on an awaiting American public.
Tolkien wrote a story that has such a huge and wide scope to it that it could easily have stretched to three volumes, and all fans wish it had! At nearly 300 pages in length, it was one of the longest individual children's books ever published up to that time. Sadly, I have never known any children who have read it and exclaimed it to be their favourite book. It used to be on the classroom reading list for Gr. 7 at the school where I taught music for many years. And yet I can remember kids in Gr. 5 (10 years old) reading Fellowship of the Ring, Two Towers and Return of the King! I daresay there are many adults who read it as a child who hold it as dear as I do. I was likely about sixteen when I first read it. I immediately knew that I was part of the story and in tune with the vast landscape and the incredible adventure themes. As a young teenager I used to walk miles and miles away from my home on weekends, later hitch-hiking for a day to get even farther away. This book is aimed at anyone who has a "Tookish" side to their personality. If you wish to meet Elves, a Wizard, a terrible skin-changer (Beorn, my hero!), great eagles, dwarves, orcs, goblins, the dragon Smaug, and walk through forests and fields and into mighty mountains, then get reading. If you have read it, but not for ages, it is time to rediscover Middle Earth when it was still fresh and mostly unexplored by readers from our own time. A superb classic, for children and adults.
Tolkien wrote a story that has such a huge and wide scope to it that it could easily have stretched to three volumes, and all fans wish it had! At nearly 300 pages in length, it was one of the longest individual children's books ever published up to that time. Sadly, I have never known any children who have read it and exclaimed it to be their favourite book. It used to be on the classroom reading list for Gr. 7 at the school where I taught music for many years. And yet I can remember kids in Gr. 5 (10 years old) reading Fellowship of the Ring, Two Towers and Return of the King! I daresay there are many adults who read it as a child who hold it as dear as I do. I was likely about sixteen when I first read it. I immediately knew that I was part of the story and in tune with the vast landscape and the incredible adventure themes. As a young teenager I used to walk miles and miles away from my home on weekends, later hitch-hiking for a day to get even farther away. This book is aimed at anyone who has a "Tookish" side to their personality. If you wish to meet Elves, a Wizard, a terrible skin-changer (Beorn, my hero!), great eagles, dwarves, orcs, goblins, the dragon Smaug, and walk through forests and fields and into mighty mountains, then get reading. If you have read it, but not for ages, it is time to rediscover Middle Earth when it was still fresh and mostly unexplored by readers from our own time. A superb classic, for children and adults.
***** stars. Reviewed October, 2010.
#P2 Published October 1965
The Fellowship of the Ring
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Fellowship of the Ring
J.R.R. Tolkien
Cover art by Barbara Remington.
Even though Tolkien wrote six Lord of the Rings books, they were originally published in three volumes, making everyone think he had written a trilogy. The series makes much more sense as six individual books, and would give even more scope and grandeur to the epic series of Frodo and his adventures. I will deal with each book separately in my short reviews.
BOOK 1
This has long been my favourite book of the six. It sets the stage for the entire series, but even better than that it reconnects to The Hobbit, with many of the same characters appearing once more, and some of the same landscape encountered. This direct connection gives one a feeling that one has been here before, but that the scale of things has increased vastly! "A Long Expected Party" does a lovely job of transitioning from the children's story to the adult one, with plenty of country humour thrown in. The second chapter, "Shadow of the Past", brings serious issues into the forefront, and we learn a lot more of the back story involved with the ring. Of course we are all anxious to set out for Mt. Doom, and when the travellers do finally leave The Shire, we are into the adventure itself. Many of the most frightening moments in any fantasy literature are to be found between The Shire and Rivendell in Book One. Evil woods, including a very nasty old willow tree, barrow wights, black riders, some unfriendly folk in Bree, and a nasty surprise at Weathertop all contribute to the somber and very dark mood that pervades much of the series. Keeping Gandalf out of the frame for much of the first book is a brilliant stroke, too, as the Hobbits quickly find out the hard way about the dangerous world around them. Not all is dark and violent, however. We meet Elves along the way, and the incomparable Tom Bombadil, earth's original Green Man. Once in Bree, we are comforted to see Strider take the Hobbits under his protection, and lead them towards Rivendell. The climax of Book One, "Flight to the Ford", with the black riders pursuing Frodo, even outdoes the final climax at Mt. Doom, in my opinion. Tolkien loves stories about walking adventures, as do many people in Britain, a country now designed for walkers. In essence, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are stories about walking adventures. There is considerable horseback riding later on, too, for horse lovers, though never for Frodo and Sam. They have to walk all the way, and after Bree there are no pubs anywhere, friendly or otherwise! There is sanctuary though, such as in the house of Tom Bombadil, at The Prancing Pony in Bree, and of course, in Rivendell. But Rivendell is part of the tale told by another book. If it weren't for Ballantine's insistence on publishing only three books, we might have a different new cover to show you at this point. And of course they would have sold twice as many books!
***** stars
***** stars
BOOK 2
I remember the first time I read LOR, having to stop at the end of Book 1 to catch my breath before resuming Book 2. Apparently Tolkien felt the same way, as it takes him considerable time to get things moving once again. At over 40 pages, "The Council of Elrond" is a bit long-winded, but impossible to not read if one cares anything about the story. We get to meet each member of the company that will travel with Frodo, and hear everything they have to say on the subject of the Enemy. Finally, nearly 80 pages and two months in Rivendell later, the company sets out. Things sometimes move even slower in Middle Earth than our own United Nations! I have always enjoyed the walk from Rivendell to Lorien (via Moria). Tolkien gets back into the spirit of Book 1 as the big hike carries on. The snowy mountain pass is great reading, but then we end up stumped in front of the rear gate that leads into Moria. The book lends itself more and more to becoming a fine game, computer and/or board, with puzzles, danger and plenty of scenery all the way along. Moria itself is one of the most remarkable places in Middle Earth, with the Dwarves having eventually tunnelled so far down into the depths of the mountain that something very nasty was disturbed. The Balrog (Durin's Bane) took out two Dwarven civilizations without too much trouble, and ends up on this visit taking Gandalf with him to the pits of hell as he falls into a nearly bottomless fiery crack in the underground world. The shock of losing Gandalf this early in the adventure is a good one, and Tolkien catches us quite nicely with it. The remainder of the company makes it to another of Tolkien's amazing haven creations, Lothlorien. There is virtually no limit to what Tolkien can add to Middle Earth to make it seem more and more real, and as we go along discovering places and things, our minds are continually dazzled. The maps provided in the book hardly do justice to the vast landscape we pass through, but other cartographers later on have taken care of that aspect quite nicely. With the Fellowship reeling from the loss of Gandalf, they linger in Lorien an unknown amount of days, though it seems few and turns out to be many. I like how Tolkien plays with Time on occasion, as most of the time he records seasons and lunar cycles quite readily. With Book 1 leaving us at the edge of our chairs as Frodo races towards Rivendell, Book 2 also urges us to read onward (and purchase the next book) with the death of Boromir and the splitting of the company. With two of the company now dead, Tolkien makes this tale seem more and more plausible. The book ends with Aragorn having to make the most important decision of his life. The first volume of Lord of the Rings is top notch adventure writing, seldom, if ever, equalled, though imitated countless times. It is a superb story, with a variety of characters (alas, none of them female) and locales, and enough chills and spills to satisfy most discrimating readers. If you are one of the seven or eight people that have never read Tolkien, "Fellowship" is a really good place to begin. Young adults should like this, too. ***** stars. Reviewed October, 2010.
#P3 Published October 1965
The Two Towers
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers
J.R.R. Tolkien
Cover art by Barbara Remington.
BOOK 3
We get the second volume of the series underway by leaving Frodo and Sam, and following the adventures of the remaining members of the company. The first half amounts to an exciting chase, as Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas set out on foot after Pippin and Meriadoc, who have been captured by Uruk Hai. It is a fast-paced adventure, as the three heroes run across the Plains of Rohan in a fruitless attempt to overtake these orcs on steroids, creations of Saruman. We meet so many great new characters in this Book, including Eomer, Eowyn (the first female character to get more than a passing glance), Treebeard, Wormtongue, and Theoden. We even get to meet Saruman for the first time, and hear him speak. To this reader, there are many highlights in Book 3, beginning with the valiant death of Boromir. Next comes the Great Run, which so amazes the Riders of Rohan when they meet. Treebeard and the Ents must be one of the very best character types within any fantasy novel. They are so unique and old and powerful, it is almost as if Tom Bombadil himself came back for a swing or two at Saruman. The Battle of Helms Deep is unforgettable, especially the immense number of orcs that take part, and their seemingly endless onslaught. And Tolkien's handling of the re-awakening of Theoden, once he casts off his advisor, Wormtongue, is truly worthy of many re-readings! When he picks up his sword and wields it once again, we want to cheer him along with his men. Of course the entire Fellowship gets back together (except for Boromir, Frodo and Sam), and though we may feel cheated at suddenly having Gandalf in our midst once again, Tolkien's explanation of what occurred between the Balrog and the Wizard after they fell into Kazad-Dum, and what happened to the Wizard afterwards, not only makes sense but must have been what happened! It would also make an entire book all on its own! Tolkien is a genius at writing narrative and creating characters and developing them, and has few equals in literature of any type. His weakness lies in detailed descriptions, though due to the length of the books, this is not really a weakness but a strength. We are left to fill in the spaces with our imaginations. Just enough detail is provided for us to accept Middle Earth as real and organic. The adventure continues at a break-neck pace in Book 3, and this page-turner will not take many nights to read.
***** stars.
BOOK 4
Frodo and Sam, left out of the story in Book 3, get their own book now to bring us up to date with their adventures. This has always been my least favourite part of Tolkien's narrative, and I think part of the reason is that he has his least interesting character in Frodo. The main reason I dislike it so much is that one of his most interesting characters, Samwise Gamgee, has been more or less relegated to the status of Frodo's faithful dog. One soon is tired and sickened by all of the "Mr. Frodo Sir," and "Master" and so on. I know British class system constraints were rampant in Tolkien's time, but this is an aspect of the book that sorely tries the patience of a reader from modern times. Not once does Sam call his friend simply "Frodo", nor does Frodo ever ask him to. Apparently since he cuts the grass and does the gardening back at Bag End for Frodo, Sam is some type of lower class slave, even though treated well by his "master." This just goes on and on and on, and becomes much worse after Shelob gets hold of Frodo for a time. Sam, not Frodo, is the hero of the story, as we shall see in Book 6. Frodo is a mere mule, carrying the ring (rather badly) into Mordor. The story is helped along by Gollum, the loveable fish eater; the wise Faramir; Shelob (much worse than the Balrog, methinks), and the ever-darkening landscape and sky. By the end of the book (yet another one of those cliff-hanging endings Tolkien is so fond of, and Ballantine failed to capitalize on) we are preparing for the worst, as Frodo is captured by orcs virtually inside Mordor, leaving Sam to bear (and wear) the Ring. If any part of Tolkien's work ever needed a re-write, this is it. If any character ever seemed more like a faithful dog, Samwise is it. Of course the book must be read, but it is, for this reviewer, the low point of the series.
*** stars. Reviewed November, 2010 (read while in London, UK).
We get the second volume of the series underway by leaving Frodo and Sam, and following the adventures of the remaining members of the company. The first half amounts to an exciting chase, as Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas set out on foot after Pippin and Meriadoc, who have been captured by Uruk Hai. It is a fast-paced adventure, as the three heroes run across the Plains of Rohan in a fruitless attempt to overtake these orcs on steroids, creations of Saruman. We meet so many great new characters in this Book, including Eomer, Eowyn (the first female character to get more than a passing glance), Treebeard, Wormtongue, and Theoden. We even get to meet Saruman for the first time, and hear him speak. To this reader, there are many highlights in Book 3, beginning with the valiant death of Boromir. Next comes the Great Run, which so amazes the Riders of Rohan when they meet. Treebeard and the Ents must be one of the very best character types within any fantasy novel. They are so unique and old and powerful, it is almost as if Tom Bombadil himself came back for a swing or two at Saruman. The Battle of Helms Deep is unforgettable, especially the immense number of orcs that take part, and their seemingly endless onslaught. And Tolkien's handling of the re-awakening of Theoden, once he casts off his advisor, Wormtongue, is truly worthy of many re-readings! When he picks up his sword and wields it once again, we want to cheer him along with his men. Of course the entire Fellowship gets back together (except for Boromir, Frodo and Sam), and though we may feel cheated at suddenly having Gandalf in our midst once again, Tolkien's explanation of what occurred between the Balrog and the Wizard after they fell into Kazad-Dum, and what happened to the Wizard afterwards, not only makes sense but must have been what happened! It would also make an entire book all on its own! Tolkien is a genius at writing narrative and creating characters and developing them, and has few equals in literature of any type. His weakness lies in detailed descriptions, though due to the length of the books, this is not really a weakness but a strength. We are left to fill in the spaces with our imaginations. Just enough detail is provided for us to accept Middle Earth as real and organic. The adventure continues at a break-neck pace in Book 3, and this page-turner will not take many nights to read.
***** stars.
BOOK 4
Frodo and Sam, left out of the story in Book 3, get their own book now to bring us up to date with their adventures. This has always been my least favourite part of Tolkien's narrative, and I think part of the reason is that he has his least interesting character in Frodo. The main reason I dislike it so much is that one of his most interesting characters, Samwise Gamgee, has been more or less relegated to the status of Frodo's faithful dog. One soon is tired and sickened by all of the "Mr. Frodo Sir," and "Master" and so on. I know British class system constraints were rampant in Tolkien's time, but this is an aspect of the book that sorely tries the patience of a reader from modern times. Not once does Sam call his friend simply "Frodo", nor does Frodo ever ask him to. Apparently since he cuts the grass and does the gardening back at Bag End for Frodo, Sam is some type of lower class slave, even though treated well by his "master." This just goes on and on and on, and becomes much worse after Shelob gets hold of Frodo for a time. Sam, not Frodo, is the hero of the story, as we shall see in Book 6. Frodo is a mere mule, carrying the ring (rather badly) into Mordor. The story is helped along by Gollum, the loveable fish eater; the wise Faramir; Shelob (much worse than the Balrog, methinks), and the ever-darkening landscape and sky. By the end of the book (yet another one of those cliff-hanging endings Tolkien is so fond of, and Ballantine failed to capitalize on) we are preparing for the worst, as Frodo is captured by orcs virtually inside Mordor, leaving Sam to bear (and wear) the Ring. If any part of Tolkien's work ever needed a re-write, this is it. If any character ever seemed more like a faithful dog, Samwise is it. Of course the book must be read, but it is, for this reviewer, the low point of the series.
*** stars. Reviewed November, 2010 (read while in London, UK).
#P4 Published October 1965
The Return of the King
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King
J.R.R. Tolkien
Cover art by Barbara Remington.
BOOK 5
This book contains some of Tolkien's finest writing, as well as some of his most violent. It also exposes him to one of his biggest flaws, by having help arrive just in time so many times over that it becomes expected. This is usually not a problem in the Silmarillion, but in Lord of the Rings the story is filled with the "just in time" arrival of friends and friendly armies. Still, each chapter of Book Five is among Tolkien's best, and the story gathers such momentum and energy that it seems like we are amidst the most heroic deeds ever penned to paper. Minas Tirith is the first great city of men that is revealed to us in Middle Earth, and its location and design have inspired artists since the books were published (my favourite artist being Ted Nasmith). Being both inside the city (with Pippin and Gandalf) and outside (with Merry and the Rohirrim) is a stroke of genius in storytelling, as we get both the anxiety (as the great walls are besieged) and the thrill of riding to its rescue. The arrival of the Rohirrim at the fields of Pelennor is likely the greatest moment of storytelling I have ever read, along with the buildup to its approach. After the fierce and enormous battle of the Hornburg, one wouldn't think that Tolkien could top himself with another great battle, but he does. The highlights of the next battle are twofold, namely the arrival of the ships with Aragorn, and the killing of the captain of the Nazgul by Merry and Eowyn, though other events and descriptions, namely the peril of Faramir and the death of Denethor, are nearly as riveting.
Tolkien has had virtually nothing to say about women up until now, and this has long been a criticism levelled at him and the books (though not by this critic). However, how he treats the story of Eowyn, daughter of Theoden and Shield Maiden of Rohan, easily makes up for his earlier lapse. Eowyn is my favourite character in the entire series (next, of course, comes Sam), and would make a fine movie on its own just about her experiences. Her misplaced love for Aragorn is so touching as to be genuinely tragic, and her inability, despite her strong spirit and training as a warrior, to be allowed to do anything except look after the women, children and old men, leaves us deep in Tolkien's debt for the way he resolves her character. To see her spirits at their lowest in the Houses of Healing is to think the author mad for placing so fine a creature in such dire straits. Of course, he has a plan, and to finally see the winds of change come over her is more satisfying to me than seeing the ring plunge into Mount Doom.
This is easily one of the greatest books ever written, with the pot fully stirred and heated. *****stars.
BOOK 6
And now, back to Frodo and Sam. Ah, yes. If only Tolkien had substituted the word "friend" every time Sam says "Master," what an easier and more pleasurable read this would be. In England the word has a different meaning, as it is usually applied to an Oxford professor or equivalent. But after a time, it sounds far too much like Sam is Frodo's slave. But on to the story. The darkest part of the series began as the Hobbits climbed past Minas Morgul and encountered Shelob in Book Four. With Frodo captured by orcs and Sam left all alone for a time with the ring, the darkness continues unabated until they are rescued by the eagles on the slopes of Mount Doom. Once rescued from the orc watchtower by Sam (is there anything Sam didn't do to get the ring to Mount Doom?), the tale becomes one of the final, grim path. The Hobbits now realize that they will make it to the mountain, but will never make it back out again. A grimness of purpose not seen till now settles upon them. Sam gives up most of his food and water so that Frodo can have some, and eventually ends up carrying Frodo up the final bit of mountain.
Despite all this aid from the book's real Hobbit hero, Frodo has no intention of getting rid of the ring, something we've suspected all along, and it's time to bring Gollum back into the story, to fulfil the purpose for which he was created. I like to ponder alternative endings here. What if Gollum had been captured, and the two Hobbits were left alone? Would Sam have pushed Frodo into the fire, likely then jumping in himself afterwards? Or would Frodo struggle for a while with Sauron before being defeated, and thus losing the final battle for Middle Earth? Sadder endings occur in stories of the Silmarillion. Even had Tolkien wished to end the series in such fashion, it is doubtful that Ballantine would have published a work with such a conclusion.
With the ring destroyed, and everyone now getting married, it's finally time for all the characters to wander back home (except Gimli and Legolas, who plan on doing some sight-seeing together first). Just when the reader thinks the story is over, along comes one of the best chapters in the entire series. "The Scouring of the Shire" is how the four Hobbits are finally judged. Did their trip to foreign lands amount to anything other than them saving the world? That worthy feat does not mean all that much to the average denizen of far-off Hobbiton and The Shire. They are having problems of their own. But Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin really get to show their stuff to the locals, and the writing once again becomes heart-stopping high adventure, a final thrust of the knife from Tolkien, and managing to tie up all loose ends and more or less ending the story happily ever after. In this case, the characters deserve it!
In the end, all writers of high fantasy must bow down low before Tolkien, the Master if ever there was one. ***** stars. Reviewed December 2010.
This book contains some of Tolkien's finest writing, as well as some of his most violent. It also exposes him to one of his biggest flaws, by having help arrive just in time so many times over that it becomes expected. This is usually not a problem in the Silmarillion, but in Lord of the Rings the story is filled with the "just in time" arrival of friends and friendly armies. Still, each chapter of Book Five is among Tolkien's best, and the story gathers such momentum and energy that it seems like we are amidst the most heroic deeds ever penned to paper. Minas Tirith is the first great city of men that is revealed to us in Middle Earth, and its location and design have inspired artists since the books were published (my favourite artist being Ted Nasmith). Being both inside the city (with Pippin and Gandalf) and outside (with Merry and the Rohirrim) is a stroke of genius in storytelling, as we get both the anxiety (as the great walls are besieged) and the thrill of riding to its rescue. The arrival of the Rohirrim at the fields of Pelennor is likely the greatest moment of storytelling I have ever read, along with the buildup to its approach. After the fierce and enormous battle of the Hornburg, one wouldn't think that Tolkien could top himself with another great battle, but he does. The highlights of the next battle are twofold, namely the arrival of the ships with Aragorn, and the killing of the captain of the Nazgul by Merry and Eowyn, though other events and descriptions, namely the peril of Faramir and the death of Denethor, are nearly as riveting.
Tolkien has had virtually nothing to say about women up until now, and this has long been a criticism levelled at him and the books (though not by this critic). However, how he treats the story of Eowyn, daughter of Theoden and Shield Maiden of Rohan, easily makes up for his earlier lapse. Eowyn is my favourite character in the entire series (next, of course, comes Sam), and would make a fine movie on its own just about her experiences. Her misplaced love for Aragorn is so touching as to be genuinely tragic, and her inability, despite her strong spirit and training as a warrior, to be allowed to do anything except look after the women, children and old men, leaves us deep in Tolkien's debt for the way he resolves her character. To see her spirits at their lowest in the Houses of Healing is to think the author mad for placing so fine a creature in such dire straits. Of course, he has a plan, and to finally see the winds of change come over her is more satisfying to me than seeing the ring plunge into Mount Doom.
This is easily one of the greatest books ever written, with the pot fully stirred and heated. *****stars.
BOOK 6
And now, back to Frodo and Sam. Ah, yes. If only Tolkien had substituted the word "friend" every time Sam says "Master," what an easier and more pleasurable read this would be. In England the word has a different meaning, as it is usually applied to an Oxford professor or equivalent. But after a time, it sounds far too much like Sam is Frodo's slave. But on to the story. The darkest part of the series began as the Hobbits climbed past Minas Morgul and encountered Shelob in Book Four. With Frodo captured by orcs and Sam left all alone for a time with the ring, the darkness continues unabated until they are rescued by the eagles on the slopes of Mount Doom. Once rescued from the orc watchtower by Sam (is there anything Sam didn't do to get the ring to Mount Doom?), the tale becomes one of the final, grim path. The Hobbits now realize that they will make it to the mountain, but will never make it back out again. A grimness of purpose not seen till now settles upon them. Sam gives up most of his food and water so that Frodo can have some, and eventually ends up carrying Frodo up the final bit of mountain.
Despite all this aid from the book's real Hobbit hero, Frodo has no intention of getting rid of the ring, something we've suspected all along, and it's time to bring Gollum back into the story, to fulfil the purpose for which he was created. I like to ponder alternative endings here. What if Gollum had been captured, and the two Hobbits were left alone? Would Sam have pushed Frodo into the fire, likely then jumping in himself afterwards? Or would Frodo struggle for a while with Sauron before being defeated, and thus losing the final battle for Middle Earth? Sadder endings occur in stories of the Silmarillion. Even had Tolkien wished to end the series in such fashion, it is doubtful that Ballantine would have published a work with such a conclusion.
With the ring destroyed, and everyone now getting married, it's finally time for all the characters to wander back home (except Gimli and Legolas, who plan on doing some sight-seeing together first). Just when the reader thinks the story is over, along comes one of the best chapters in the entire series. "The Scouring of the Shire" is how the four Hobbits are finally judged. Did their trip to foreign lands amount to anything other than them saving the world? That worthy feat does not mean all that much to the average denizen of far-off Hobbiton and The Shire. They are having problems of their own. But Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin really get to show their stuff to the locals, and the writing once again becomes heart-stopping high adventure, a final thrust of the knife from Tolkien, and managing to tie up all loose ends and more or less ending the story happily ever after. In this case, the characters deserve it!
In the end, all writers of high fantasy must bow down low before Tolkien, the Master if ever there was one. ***** stars. Reviewed December 2010.
#P5 Published December 1966
The Tolkien Reader
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Tolkien Reader
J.R.R. Tolkien
One can only imagine the pressure on Ballantine Books to publish more material by Tolkien, after the huge success of Lord of the Rings. The author would have likely been offered an immense sum to write more Middle Earth stories, but nothing else was forthcoming. Something had to be done, however, and quickly. He likely showed them some of his work on The Silmarillion, which was still years away from being ready for publication. However, with its tenuous ties to Hobbits and such, it was sure to leave Ballantine impressed, but it was unusable for the foreseeable future. What they managed to pull together was "stories, poems and an essay" by the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and at the time most of us were pretty darn glad to have it. Looking back on it after forty years, it is much less impressive today. The material is okay, and the essay certainly raises interesting points. For example, it is doubtful that J.R. would have given his approval for a film version of LOTR if he were still alive. He did not even fancy artist's impressions of fairy stories. Best to picture it in the mind, and I could not agree more (with notable exceptions, among them art by Ted Nasmith). While the fiction material included here is entertaining, it is not very memorable. Farmer Giles of Ham is a great little story (reviewed on this page below: see P16), as is Leaf by Niggle. However, after reading LOTR they barely register on the mind a few weeks later. Not until The Silmarillion was published (1977) would readers again feel the power that this author possessed. Today, "The Tolkien Reader" may serve the same purpose that it did in 1966: to give the person who just finished reading LOTR a quick injection of more Tolkien. The difference nowadays, of course, is that readers have access to "The Silmarillion," as well as to Christopher Tolkien's epic series on the history of Middle Earth, indispensable to lovers of that place. My favourite part of "The Tolkien Reader" is a little Tom Bombadil poem, where he floats down the river in his boat and goes to visit Farmer Maggot. There are other good things in the volume, but all in all, most material had been previously published, and could easily be skimmed over. Not essential Tolkien, in my opinion, though the essay still has power. Back in the days, however, we had nothing else. Except for the essay, most material is suitable for children.
**1/2 Reviewed January 2011
**1/2 Reviewed January 2011
#P6 Published April 1967
The Worm Ouroboros
E.R. Eddison
The Worm Ouroboros
E.R. Eddison
Cover art by Barbara Remington. Inside art by Keith Henderson
The first fantasy novel published by Ballantine after the five Tolkien books, this one, like Tolkien's masterpiece, is unique in the annals of literature. If one disregards the Induction and certain aspects of the first few chapters, and the finale which glorifies war for the sake of war, then one quickly realizes that here indeed is the finest pure fantasy writing within the entire Ballantine series and pre-series, if not of all time. To be fair, Eddison is not for everyone's taste. I know of no females that claim him as their favourite writer, despite the women in his stories being the most intelligent, feminine, beguiling, crafty and beautiful in the history of fantasy literature. Alas and alack, however, they do not go into battle, remaining rather as women tied to medieval and Renaissance ways and customs.
Once past the first chapter or two (and the novel's downright silly framing device, which Eddison soon entirely forgets about, though perfects in the next volume of this loose series), the novel becomes the most heroic and fantastic I have ever read. Chapter Two, "The Wrastling for Demonland," has no equal anywhere else in the fantasy canon, and is a mesmerizing introduction to the Witches (bad guys) and the Demons (good guys). Of course there are also the Pixies, the Imps, the Ghouls and the Goblins. However, it is the very few well-sketched characters who make the book what it is. Gorice XI and Gorice XII, Lord Gro, Queen Sophonisba and the Lady Prezmyra all keep us enthralled. The four main heroes, Juss, Spitfire, Brandoch Daha and Goldry Blusco are too heroic to seem human, and their characterizations are barely developed. They love war and fighting, and were created for no other purpose. Still, we manage to adore them!
Chapter Four, "The Conjuring in the Tower," reveals the sorcerous root of Castle Carce's evil. Fritz Leiber worshipped Eddison, and it shows. The conjuring scene depicted is as frightening as the best that Leiber himself ever wrote, and is one of the highlights of the novel. Another tie-in to Leiber is the fearsome mountain climbing chapters, which he mimicked in his Fafhrd and Mouser series. Never before or since have there been such feats of climbing as those undertaken by Lord Juss and Brandoch Daha to the summits of Koshtra Pivrarcha and Koshtra Belorn. As if scaling sheer cliffs thousands of feet high weren't daunting enough, they must battle the loathsome mantichore whilst doing so.
There are epic battles galore, enchantments, evil sorcery aplenty, and deeds of derring do that would make other heroic fictional characters blush with envy. However, Eddison is not just an amazing fantasy writer and incredible sword and sorcery fanatic. He also describes his created world, its landscapes and seascapes, castles and people with the finest and most detailed brush ever used by an artist. He can wax descriptive more so than any other fiction writer I have ever encountered. He can use half a page to describe a lady's hairstyle, or her wardrobe, or the room she stands in. The palaces and castles are described down to the last detail, as is the topography of the land as well as the sword hilt of a hero's weapon. He has a painterly eye for detail, and thus uses his skill to deepen our link to his strange and event-filled world. Sadly, I have never encountered an Eddison calendar, or an artistic champion such as Ted Nasmith for Tolkien (are you reading this, Ted?).
Eddison is a writer's writer. Anyone who has written, or attempted to write a fantasy novel, will be completely swept away by his unearthly skill. His works repay many, many readings. I have so many favourite sections that even just listing them here would require more space than I am willing to use. However, I will mention only one, a dream-like moment that is easy to miss. Lord Gro, in Chapter XXV, has come around to the view that Witchland is abhorrent, and he rides out from Owlswick Castle to switch allegiance to Demonland. On his solo ride north, he comes across a forest glade that stirs his very soul, and he glimpses, as if in a dream, animals and hoofed persons dancing merrily in the noonday sun. It is a mere page or less in a novel of 520 pages, but so typical of the magic Eddison can create when least expected. The prose is absorbing and always filled with lushness.
The ending disappoints, when we discover that the four heroes are merely warmongering louts who know not what to do in times of peace, except lament that there is no more enemy. This from an author who lived through WWI. Had he known Hitler, one wonders how Eddison's theme of endlessly repeating war would have gone. Would he have wished Hitler to come back to life so we could fight him all over again, just for sport? Despite the ending, the book still dazzles beyond what even the greatest of stories have done. This must remain one of the greatest epics of fantasy literature, and a must-read for anyone who says they love fantasy writing or sword and sorcery. The disappointments are dwarfed by the rewards. Not recommended for children. ***** stars. Reviewed July 2010.
Chapter Four, "The Conjuring in the Tower," reveals the sorcerous root of Castle Carce's evil. Fritz Leiber worshipped Eddison, and it shows. The conjuring scene depicted is as frightening as the best that Leiber himself ever wrote, and is one of the highlights of the novel. Another tie-in to Leiber is the fearsome mountain climbing chapters, which he mimicked in his Fafhrd and Mouser series. Never before or since have there been such feats of climbing as those undertaken by Lord Juss and Brandoch Daha to the summits of Koshtra Pivrarcha and Koshtra Belorn. As if scaling sheer cliffs thousands of feet high weren't daunting enough, they must battle the loathsome mantichore whilst doing so.
There are epic battles galore, enchantments, evil sorcery aplenty, and deeds of derring do that would make other heroic fictional characters blush with envy. However, Eddison is not just an amazing fantasy writer and incredible sword and sorcery fanatic. He also describes his created world, its landscapes and seascapes, castles and people with the finest and most detailed brush ever used by an artist. He can wax descriptive more so than any other fiction writer I have ever encountered. He can use half a page to describe a lady's hairstyle, or her wardrobe, or the room she stands in. The palaces and castles are described down to the last detail, as is the topography of the land as well as the sword hilt of a hero's weapon. He has a painterly eye for detail, and thus uses his skill to deepen our link to his strange and event-filled world. Sadly, I have never encountered an Eddison calendar, or an artistic champion such as Ted Nasmith for Tolkien (are you reading this, Ted?).
Eddison is a writer's writer. Anyone who has written, or attempted to write a fantasy novel, will be completely swept away by his unearthly skill. His works repay many, many readings. I have so many favourite sections that even just listing them here would require more space than I am willing to use. However, I will mention only one, a dream-like moment that is easy to miss. Lord Gro, in Chapter XXV, has come around to the view that Witchland is abhorrent, and he rides out from Owlswick Castle to switch allegiance to Demonland. On his solo ride north, he comes across a forest glade that stirs his very soul, and he glimpses, as if in a dream, animals and hoofed persons dancing merrily in the noonday sun. It is a mere page or less in a novel of 520 pages, but so typical of the magic Eddison can create when least expected. The prose is absorbing and always filled with lushness.
The ending disappoints, when we discover that the four heroes are merely warmongering louts who know not what to do in times of peace, except lament that there is no more enemy. This from an author who lived through WWI. Had he known Hitler, one wonders how Eddison's theme of endlessly repeating war would have gone. Would he have wished Hitler to come back to life so we could fight him all over again, just for sport? Despite the ending, the book still dazzles beyond what even the greatest of stories have done. This must remain one of the greatest epics of fantasy literature, and a must-read for anyone who says they love fantasy writing or sword and sorcery. The disappointments are dwarfed by the rewards. Not recommended for children. ***** stars. Reviewed July 2010.
#P7--Published August 1967
Mistress of Mistresses
E.R. Eddison
Cover art by Barbara Remington. Inside art by Keith Henderson
Reading Eddison's books again on the first summer vacation of my retirement from teaching school music has been a revelation. It's comforting to know that in some ways I have not changed a whit since I was 20. In other ways, too numerous to mention, I am of course a totally different person. Eddison's books, more than any other single author (with Tolkien and E.R. Burroughs coming in tied for second) strongly shaped who I am. Eddison not only writes the best fantasy and adventure books, he also is the best writer in a strong crowd. Fans of "The Worm Ouroboros" will be surprised at how little action takes place within the pages of "Mistress." There is still action, including numerous battles, but much of the prose has turned to political intrigues, as well as to philosophy and love. The Mistress of the title is none less than the Goddess Aphrodite, and she takes on three roles in the novel. This is her chess game, and she is the Dark Queen. Fiorinda, Antiope and Mary Lessingham are all different dresses that she wears, though she has worn countless others throughout time.
Duke Barganax and Lessingham are her two Rooks, whilst the aged philosopher Dr. Vandermast could be her Bishop, though no religious connections are evident anywhere in Eddison's pagan world. Two of that Lady's more interesting Knights are the fierce lynx-lady Anthea, and the delightful and less intense Campaspe, who is also a sleek water rat. Eddison plays his characters extremely well, from the most noble (Barganax and Lessingham) to the most offensive (the Vicar and King Derxis). However, he also plays with Time, able to transport us instantly (and his two characters) from a busy banqueting hall to a most secretive woodland cabin to enable a night of passion and love-making.
Eddison, in perhaps my favourite book of all time, is a creator not just of worlds (any hack writer can do that), but of atmospheres. His writing varies from stark clarity and almost painful intensity--to cite but one example from dozens, near the beginning of the novel when the Vicar is washing his dogs--to the most poetic and mesmerizing discussions about love and philosophy transpiring under moonlight at a lavish outdoor banquet. Any scenes that feature Anthea, Campaspe and Dr. Vandermast are among my favourite parts, and include some of the most profound and magical fantasy writing ever penned. An example of Eddison's writing that is Shakespearean in quality and tone occurs within the private garden of Queen Antiope, where she and her female cousin are being harassed by the most unnoble King Derxis and his boorish entourage. Once Lessingham arrives upon the scene, all changes swiftly. His way of dealing with the visiting dastards is, for me, the high point of the novel. Once this garden scene ends, we don't even see what transpires afterwards, only hearing of it third hand several days later. Completely brilliant, and a sure sign of superb writing!
If a book of fantasy adventure sprinkled with intelligent discussions, magical transformations, poetry, love, high intrigue and tragedy, and some of the most fascinating characters to ever grace the page of any story are your cup of tea, then plunge in at all cost to Eddison's unique masterpiece. If you loved reading Greek myths and the like in your childhood, prepare for the ultimate entry! The book stands completely alone, and does not require reading of the previous "Worm Ouroboros." It is a cliche to say so, but they simply don't make books like this anymore. Completely unsuitable for children. A pure delight for adults.
*****stars. Reviewed June 2010.
#P8--Published February 1968
A Fish Dinner In Memison
E.R. Eddison
A Fish Dinner In Memison
E.R. Eddison
Cover art by Barbara Remington. Inside art by Keith Henderson.
It must be extremely difficult for an author, having written the two best fantasy books ever penned, to undertake writing a third. Although written six years after Mistress (see above), Fish Dinner seems fresh and whole, like its two predecessors. Obviously Eddison was glad to be back in Zimiamvia, and his writing clearly demonstrates that. Although Worm, Mistress and Fish Dinner can be read in any order, and all stand totally independent as masterworks of high fantasy, readers of one will likely want to seek out the others. The events in Fish Dinner take place earlier than events in Mistress, though many of the same characters are in both novels. There is even more crossing between worlds in this story, something that can happen quite suddenly and without premonition. The reader can be startled to discover that half a page has been read without realizing the shift in worlds and perspective that has taken place.
My love of these books is not so much in the whole entity, though of course that aspect is without peer, but rather in the colourful little one-act scenarios that tend to occur throughout. For example, the chapter entitled "Queen of Hearts and Queen of Spades" could be extracted and read on its own, an amazing and awe-inspiring account of the redhead Queen taking her bath in an outdoor pool, having discourse with the dark-haired Fiorinda, inspired by Baroque paintings of like themes. It is such a memorable description of evening that I have never forgotten it, and always enjoy the rereading. Again, in a later chapter entitled "Seven Against the King," we are in a confined area (this time an old, run-down hunting cabin deep in the woods), and here Eddison has written a superb one-act play that could be staged successfully and stand entirely on its own. The King, alone, rides to the location to put down a rebellion of his worst enemies, in the cabin where they have secretly met to plot his downfall. It is a gripping Shakespearean scene with a suitably energetic climax, and once read becomes totally unforgettable.
And so, too, with the Fish Dinner itself, the like of which has never been undertaken since! If you enjoy plenty of philosophy with your dinner, you will love this scene. It also includes world-making, as we meet the Creator and his Inspiration. This is a very complex chapter, requiring at least one reread, and is explained further in the next book of the series, "The Mezentian Gate".
Another favourite chapter involves Anthea, the skin changer nymph, and ancient Dr. Vandermast, guarding the lady Fiorinda (Aphrodite herself, of course!) as she enjoys an evening of love-making with Barganax, Duke of Zayanna, in a secret upstairs room inaccessible to other mortals. In comes the jealous and uncouth husband, soon blaming and picking on the defenseless Vandermast for his wife's infidelity, and Anthea soon changes into her lynx form. Don't mess with her when someone pushes her mentor, the ancient Doctor, around, or strikes her mistress in the face!! Great writing, superb settings, a unique and colourful writing style with bursts of intense and memorable action to keep the reader turning pages, and sometimes re-reading parts too! If I were only to read one of the four books by Eddison, it would likely be Mistress of Mistresses. Having said that, I should admit that there is no possible way I could only read one of his books! Not suitable for children.
***** stars. Reviewed July 2010.
It must be extremely difficult for an author, having written the two best fantasy books ever penned, to undertake writing a third. Although written six years after Mistress (see above), Fish Dinner seems fresh and whole, like its two predecessors. Obviously Eddison was glad to be back in Zimiamvia, and his writing clearly demonstrates that. Although Worm, Mistress and Fish Dinner can be read in any order, and all stand totally independent as masterworks of high fantasy, readers of one will likely want to seek out the others. The events in Fish Dinner take place earlier than events in Mistress, though many of the same characters are in both novels. There is even more crossing between worlds in this story, something that can happen quite suddenly and without premonition. The reader can be startled to discover that half a page has been read without realizing the shift in worlds and perspective that has taken place.
My love of these books is not so much in the whole entity, though of course that aspect is without peer, but rather in the colourful little one-act scenarios that tend to occur throughout. For example, the chapter entitled "Queen of Hearts and Queen of Spades" could be extracted and read on its own, an amazing and awe-inspiring account of the redhead Queen taking her bath in an outdoor pool, having discourse with the dark-haired Fiorinda, inspired by Baroque paintings of like themes. It is such a memorable description of evening that I have never forgotten it, and always enjoy the rereading. Again, in a later chapter entitled "Seven Against the King," we are in a confined area (this time an old, run-down hunting cabin deep in the woods), and here Eddison has written a superb one-act play that could be staged successfully and stand entirely on its own. The King, alone, rides to the location to put down a rebellion of his worst enemies, in the cabin where they have secretly met to plot his downfall. It is a gripping Shakespearean scene with a suitably energetic climax, and once read becomes totally unforgettable.
And so, too, with the Fish Dinner itself, the like of which has never been undertaken since! If you enjoy plenty of philosophy with your dinner, you will love this scene. It also includes world-making, as we meet the Creator and his Inspiration. This is a very complex chapter, requiring at least one reread, and is explained further in the next book of the series, "The Mezentian Gate".
Another favourite chapter involves Anthea, the skin changer nymph, and ancient Dr. Vandermast, guarding the lady Fiorinda (Aphrodite herself, of course!) as she enjoys an evening of love-making with Barganax, Duke of Zayanna, in a secret upstairs room inaccessible to other mortals. In comes the jealous and uncouth husband, soon blaming and picking on the defenseless Vandermast for his wife's infidelity, and Anthea soon changes into her lynx form. Don't mess with her when someone pushes her mentor, the ancient Doctor, around, or strikes her mistress in the face!! Great writing, superb settings, a unique and colourful writing style with bursts of intense and memorable action to keep the reader turning pages, and sometimes re-reading parts too! If I were only to read one of the four books by Eddison, it would likely be Mistress of Mistresses. Having said that, I should admit that there is no possible way I could only read one of his books! Not suitable for children.
***** stars. Reviewed July 2010.
#P9--Published October 1968
The Road Goes Ever On
Donald Swann, J. R. R. Tolkien
The Road Goes Ever On
Donald Swann, J. R. R. Tolkien
As a classical pianist and teacher of music, I came across this volume many, many years ago. I have taken it out now and again, though have never performed any of the works within. That may change, however. For this review I went back and played and sang all of the tunes again. One of many disappointments for me with Peter Jackson's film version of the trilogy was the absence of poetry and song in his epic movies. I doubt if Tolkien would have been amused at their absence.
The hardcover book opens with an introduction by Donald Swann, the composer, telling how he came to write the pieces, as well as some of the performances they have received. Following the seven songs, Tolkien himself provides foot notes to a few of them. All of the songs are easy enough to pick out on a piano for someone with basic music reading skills, and the tunes are easy enough to sing, avoiding wide leaps and extreme ranges. However, the accompaniments are sophisticated enough to require at least a very capable Level 9 student to perform them, and an experienced singer of art songs wouldn't hurt. When I first plunked them out on a piano as a teen I did not find them that appealing. Every few years I would pull them out and go over them again, gradually liking them more and more. I finally like them enough to seriously consider finding a good singer and performing them, perhaps on Bilbo and Frodo's birthday (Sept. 22). **** stars.
#P10--Published October 1968
Titus Groan
Mervyn Peake
Titus Groan
Mervyn Peake
Cover art by Bob Pepper
Reading Titus Groan again after so many years is to read it for the first time. Although I remembered all of the main characters, I had forgotten so much else, including almost all of the actual castle and its surroundings. Reading a simple caption of the plot would not necessarily mark it as one of the best fantasy novels ever penned. It has weird characters, a broad story, and it all takes place in a huge castle. But what weird characters! And what a castle! None of the people are very much like any other character ever heard of in fiction. And the castle? At over a mile and a half long, and hundreds of feet high, there is simply nothing to which it can be compared. My very favourite characters are Fuchsia and Dr. Prunesquallor, the only two people that appear to have a healthy, if distant, relationship with one another, and appreciate each other for what they are. And what are they? Two lonely people, a young girl and an aging doctor, trapped in a lonely world so ritualized and invested with somber, inexplicable laws that even drawing a free breath of air is a difficulty they must face each and every day. The writing is so lucid and often so melancholy that the reader at first despairs that anything will occur to advance the plot. The novel is not rich in storyline. Titus is born at the beginning of the book, and grows to about eighteen months. The book ends with him, as a baby, becoming the 77th Earl of Groan in Gormenghast Castle. There are subtle subplots, such as the hatred between Flay, Lord Groan's first servant, and Swelter, the head of the vast castle kitchen. There is the story of Keda, a member of the Dwellers, who live as a tribe apart in rough huts just beyond the castle. Keda becomes a wet-nurse to the newborn Titus, before having a child of her own (following hard on her own devastating personal tragedy). There are the bizarre twins of the blood, Clarice and Cora, attempting to gain power for themselves, and Steerpike, the young man who promises them everything but intends to leave them not a crumb.
If not the plot, then what drives the book onward? It is nearly impossible to put the book down once the first few chapters have been dispatched. The writing is simple and straight forward, but so off-center that by midway into the lengthy book one has been led to a unique situation--originality and creativity beyond compare. Not that the book is flawless--Steerpike, at the tender age of seventeen, would seem more suited to a well-educated villain of twenty-three or twenty-four, and he never seems to age, always remaining at seventeen. His presence is more symbolic--without him, there would be no story to tell, and life at Gormenghast would continue to be guided by meaningless ritual. This is Peake's way of saying that without evil and evil-doers, the world would not be capable of growth and change. Every action Steerpike takes to advance his own cause ultimately comes back upon him, so he seldom makes gain without pain. Life will never be the same for him, the castle, or any of its dwellers. He is the force of change, which itself is caused by his cruel and selfish actions. But change is desperately needed, despite the price paid to achieve it. One glance at the life of the ageing 76th Earl should convince us.
Whole sections of the book are dreamlike, and unwind much like a fairy tale, while other parts are as realistic as any non-fiction account. The first and last chapters are outstanding in this regard, each containing poetry beyond measure in their book-end positions within the novel, as well as some devastating and biting realism. This second reading of this truly great novel will stay with me until my dying day, and hopefully I will read it a third time before then! This is an indescribably fabulous novel, with depth, passion, humanity and tenderness well beyond what mere words are usually capable of conveying. A must read. Older teens and adults only.
*****stars. Reviewed Winter 2011.
#P11--Published October 1968
GORMENGHAST
Mervyn Peake
GORMENGHAST
Mervyn Peake
Cover art by Bob Pepper
The sequel to Titus Groan rises like a tidal wave above events in the first book. After reading Gormenghast, that first book seems like an innocent foray into fantasy fiction by comparison. Peake pulls out all stops for Volume Two, and the eighty chapters and nearly 600 pages fly past like the greatest of adventure movies. We watch Titus grow from a young school boy to a grown man, under the tutelage of the oddest, least competent schoolmasters in the history of fictional literature. The most amusing sections of this part of the novel are balanced with events of such weight that at times the reader, always reading with wide eyes, is mercilessly manipulated. The sudden and violent death of the Headmaster has to be one of the best set ups in literature. No less so for Irma's "coming out party," as she invites all the schoolmasters to her home for a soiree, in order to choose one to be her husband. It is one party never to be forgotten, masterfully set up by Peake for unsuspecting readers (there is simply no knowing when Peake is setting something up until it actually happens). When the tears of laughter and numerous disbelieving head shakes begin, the reader will finally know what Peake has been up to.
Besides so many funny things happening, the book contains events of the deepest tragedy, guaranteed to bring the reader to tears. All of the main characters are back from Volume One (except the ones that died in that volume), and enough new ones to keep interest high. As Titus grows older, certain major catastrophic events overtake him and the castle, and we can trace his maturity and mental development to these events. Each of these major events will affect the involved reader nearly as deeply. Steerpike grows from merely being evil to becoming one of the most twisted Machiavellian characters in literature. Our fascination with him does not lessen because of this, but rather increases. There comes a point, however, when the reader will merely wish for him to be exterminated, like a cockroach. So despicable does he become that it is quite painful to read about him later in the book. His ultimate undoing is, of course, the climax of the book (both books, actually), but with the damage already caused by Steerpike, it seems almost anti-climatic.
As to Titus, if any young boy, Earl or not, ever had a stranger start to life, I would certainly like to hear about it. The novel ends in the only way it could, with Titus having made up his mind to break with the hated castle traditions, the very same traditions that drove his father insane. This is not a spoiler, as the third volume is entitled "Titus Alone."
As one of the best novels ever written in the English language, Gormenghast does require careful reading of volume one, "Titus Groan." Even this does little to prepare the reader for what is to come. The novel is an exhilarating leap off a cliff, into the unknown and with the realization that the landing is going to be a rough one. I cannot believe that I waited so many years before a second reading. Very likely the best book I have ever read. Older teens and adults only.
*****stars.
*****stars.
Reviewed Winter 2011.
#P12--Published October 1968
Titus Alone
Mervyn Peake
Titus Alone
Mervyn Peake
Cover art by Bob Pepper
This is a very disturbing book, even more than the previous two volumes. Missing from Volume Three is Gormenghast Castle and all of its inhabitants. Admittedly, after the deaths of Steerpike and Fuchsia there is far less reason for an author to hang about the place, so off we go into the wild blue yonder. Also missing from this volume is any sense of what is actually going on. Titus walks about like a zombie from one fantastic place to another, all set within an Orwellian world that is frightening though not really believable. Gormenghast Castle, as outrageous a place as it was, was always believable. The dull world that Titus now finds himself in is not, in any sense, a real place. It's more a state of mind, and if this is where Titus is, then really he is nowhere. Titus is the least interesting character in the entire three volume series, and making him the lead character in a full-length novel is a very iffy proposition. His reactions to his environment and to the people he meets (fascinating as those characters are, though much less so than in his two previous novels) often leave the reader in the emotional doldrums. The only reason we are able to continue on with the story is because Peake uses chapters that are often barely a page long, and there are around 120 chapters. It's easy to read a chapter or two at a time. Had the chapters been thirty pages long, I doubt if most readers would make it through.
This is a frustrating book, and no doubt continues to disappoint fans of Gormenghast. However, we have to realize that there is very little of that story left to tell, and no doubt Peake himself needed to flee from those grey walls, escaping his entrapment. The fact that he was able to leave, along with Titus, and not return even when he had the opportunity, tells us that he had had his fill of the Castle and its inhabitants. Killing off Fuchsia was the best way to end all interest in the remaining characters. No other remaining character could have held things together for another novel set within the castle, not even Titus. So we are all forced to take this haunting and inexplicable journey together, and make of it what we can. We know Peake had plans to return to the Castle, and this summer (July 2011) "Titus Awakes" is to be released, the fourth book of the cycle, completed by Mervyn's late wife, Maeve. Whether or not this will answer some questions not answered in Titus Alone, or whether it will continue to bewilder loyal fans, cannot be predicted. I expect the latter. Our two lengthy literary visits to Gormenghast Castle will have to do us for eternity, much like our visits to Middle Earth. There is no more, so do not weep. Instead, thank your lucky stars that Peake's novels found you, and that you were able to discover some of the greatest fantasy novels ever penned.
*** stars. Reviewed May 2011.
*** stars. Reviewed May 2011.
#P13--Published November 1968
A Voyage To Arcturus
David Lindsay
A Voyage To Arcturus
David Lindsay
First published in 1963, the novel can be considered either pure fantasy, or pure science fiction. It may also be called pure philosophy and/or religion. In other words, this is not a story that fits perfectly into one label. Or perhaps it fits many labels. This was my second reading, the first when I was in my early twenties. Back then I concentrated on the adventure angle. Though I was not disappointed, the philosophy kept getting int the way. This time I read in an attempt to get at what Lindsay is really trying to say. It is a most confusing, 19th Century message. In fact, if any part of Lindsay's "message" attracts you, then I highly recommend the teachings of the Buddha. Buddha says it much more succinctly and elegantly. Lindsay's message gets way too bogged down with the adventure element.
Like Tolkien's books, and most other fantasy tales, this one is based on a journey. That it is a physical as well as spiritual journey does not change the fact that there is a lot of walking going on here, and much countryside to see. Lindsay's powers of description are nothing short of miraculous, on a par with Eddison. Some of the most imaginative landscapes ever penned are in these pages, and at no time does the reader feel like he is seeing and experiencing less than the main character. The two early chapters, before Maskull gets to the lone habitable planet of the Arcturian system, are among the best bait and hook lead-ins ever penned. The seance and the journey to Starkness give the reader a link from reality to unreality, and a small hint of what is to come. Nothing, however, could prepare us for everything that is in store.
Without giving too much away, virtually no ones survives until the last chapter. Characters are introduced, and then promptly die. In these occasions the morality bits might have have actually had meaning, but they are usually quickly left alone and we move on to the next character and their demise. It is a strange narrative, nearly as alien to most fantasy readers as the actual planet that we visit. Despite clumsy philosophical and moral conundrums, there is nothing clumsy about Lindsay's prose. There are some stunningly beautiful passages, almost too many for one novel. We visit alien forests, lakes, mountains, caves, an ocean, and get to see the effect of having two suns on the sky and land. Lindsay captivates with his inventions of new life forms, new ways of perceiving them, and even new colours. There is seldom a page without some incredible bit of "newness," except when he goes off for awhile on a moral or philosophical tangent. And these tangents get tiresome. Imagine Tolkien spending every other paragraph debating whether beauty is terrible or pleasurable, or if pain is stronger than love, or if love is really anything important at all. However, there is easily enough good writing to make a single reading of this unusual tale worthwhile. One example:
"As they started climbing down the Pass side by side, Branchspell [Arcturus], huge and white, leaped fiercely into the sky. All the delicacy of the dawn vanished, and another vulgar day began."
This may not be the best example to give, but it does show the startling turn of phrase that Lindsay demonstrates again and again. If one can forgive (and forget?) the philosophical heart-line of the story, it can be enjoyed as an adventure fantasy. However, I think too many readers will be distracted by, and ultimately disappointed with, the climax to which the novel builds. It's difficult to recommend the book along with its confusing message, but it's easy to recommend it for the sheer power of imagination shown by the author. Of little or no interest to young readers.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed June 13/14
#P14--Published February 1969
The Last Unicorn
Peter S. Beagle
The Last Unicorn
Peter S. Beagle
Cover by Gervasio Gallardo
With this novel, Beagle became a fantasy author's author. This is likely the most amazing fantasy book I have ever read. At least I have read none better. His equal might be John Bellairs, who published the incomparable fantasy "Face in the Frost." The two authors share nightmare worlds with little chance for escape, with rather inept wizards, wonky clocks, and a sense of humour that can only have inspired Terry Pratchett to greatness. However, I think Beagle's prose is finer even than Bellairs, though I highly recommend both novels. "The Last Unicorn" is a book filled with child-like wonder, though decidedly not aimed at children. The author's inspiration is Fairy Tale itself, though he surpasses any that I have read.
The novel has a short exposition in which we inhabit her forest for a time with the last unicorn, getting to know her and sense what she is and has, as well as what she misses from her life. The next section can best be described as a travel adventure, as the unicorn sets out to find her missing mates and confront a mysterious red bull. She is captured by a truly gruesome roadshow circus, certainly one of the saddest and most nightmarish ever imagined. Here she meets a main character who will stay with her until the end, both helping her and hobbling her in turn. The wizard Schmendrick is a most debatable wizard, cursed to lose his immortality should he ever actually become a true wizard. His trade is parlour tricks, and even these he does ineptly.
Their adventures lead them to Molly, the third main character of the novel, and the unicorn sets out, much like Dorothy and her two friends, for the distant kingdom and castle of King Haggard. Their adventures, both hair-raising and very humourous, lead them to their first showdown with the red bull. With this gargantuan, nightmarish creature, Beagle has excelled in finding the arch enemy, the antithesis, of the small unicorn. Finding out what happened to her fellow unicorns is only part of the mystery that lies in one of fiction's most claustrophobic castles and mysterious rulers.
The final confrontation simply does not allow the reader to put down the book, if any of the earlier parts did. Suspense, terror, wonder, humour, prose of the first magnitude and an ending more satisfying than any I have read make this a "must read" for all who love fantasy. This is storytelling and imagination at their pinnacle. Because the book was published before the actual Adult Fantasy series began, there is no introduction by Lin Carter, and on early editions there is no unicorn logo on the cover. If any book deserves a unicorn logo on its cover, it's "The Last Unicorn." My edition, a later one, features the logo in its usual place. Suitable for older children, but best saved for adults.
***** stars Reviewed June 2012
***** stars Reviewed June 2012
#P15--Published February 1969
A Fine and Private Place
Peter S. Beagle
A Fine and Private Place
Peter S. Beagle
Cover by Gervasio Gallardo
This is a superb work of fiction, written by a 19 year-old wunderkind. Although he has only written a handful of novels, Beagle is still one of the most important names in fantasy literature. If you read this book you will know why. Set entirely in a large fictional New York cemetery, the book is about a man who lives there in and around a mausoleum. He has retreated from society, is kept company by ghosts and is brought food fairly regularly by a raven. It is such a beguiling work that I don't wish to say much more about the story. However, there are so many nuggets of wisdom in these pages that it may just as easily be filed under "philosophy". Take the story of the seagull told to Mr. Rebeck by the raven, for example. In a few short paragraphs the author sums up what it is about life that messes everyone up. To some extent, everyone is metaphorically lost in Iowa, searching for the ocean. Every bit of water we come across there, no matter how small, keeps up our hopes of finding our way back to the ocean, impossible though the task really is. Though we search for the big picture, we get distracted by the little ones.
Mr. Rebeck, our hero, is eventually helped to his ocean by Mrs. Klapper, a woman he meets one day as she visits her husband's tomb in the cemetery. The author has a sharp ear for dialogue and the local Jewish dialect spoken between these two people who meet and slowly get to know one another. Besides the Raven, the only other main characters in this play (it could easily be adapted to the theatre) are Michael and Laura, both of whom are ghosts. Mr. Rebeck is able to see and hear people who have recently died and been buried in the cemetery, but finds that they slowly drift off to sleep after a month or so. He helps these ghosts adjust to their new habitat and type of existence.
The novel is spellbinding and difficult to put down, and will remain in the reader's memory long afterwards. Characters are deeply drawn, portrayed realistically and without resorting to gimmicks or caricature. There are some delightful examples of humour, inspiring conversations and thoughtful ideas. Most of all, though, A Fine and Private Place is a truly wonderful story about people searching for Truth, and finding at least a sizable piece of it in the end. The last line of the book, spoken by Mr. Rebeck, will have the reader scurrying back through the pages in search of the seagull story once again. Highly recommended.
***1/2 stars
#P16--Published March 1969
Smith of Wootton Major: Farmer Giles of Ham
J.R.R. Tolkien
Smith of Wootton Major: Farmer Giles of Ham
J.R.R. Tolkien
Cover by Hildebrant Brothers
One can imagine how desperate Ballantine was to get hold of more material by Tolkien. His major opus, "The Silmarillion," was still in progress. Envisioned as a series even longer than LOTR, it was left mostly unfinished at Tolkien's death and put into something of a published form by his son Christopher years later. But there were no more Hobbits forthcoming, something Ballantine would have wanted badly. In fact, there wasn't much of anything forthcoming. Instead, we get two pleasant but minor tales by the Master, each readable in one sitting and very easy to digest. One of them had even already been recently published by Ballantine! Smith of Wootton Major is the lesser of the two tales, and new to paperback readers. It is filled with simple charm and light humour. No Tolkien fan would want to miss even the most minor of his tales, and this one is a rewarding snack. Just strange enough to make it quite memorable, I will never eat a piece of cake with small tokens in it without thinking of Mr. Smith and his adventures.
Farmer Giles of Ham, though still light reading, is more substantial than Smith, and more humourous. Watching Giles take on a giant with his blunderbuss, and then a formidable dragon with his magic sword, and a snooty, prideful king with his wits, is a rewarding tale that children of all ages will love. The seriousness of LOTR and The Silmarillion are lovingly offset by this charming fairy tale. I really admire how Tolkien uses the history of place names, in this case Thames, to make the story seem plausible long ago! Still, this tale had already recently appeared in The Tolkien Reader. No doubt the new publication was aimed at much younger readers.
*** stars.
#P17--Published March 1969
Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings
Lin Carter
Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings
Lin Carter
Cover art by Curtis Woodbridge
It is somewhat strange that I never came across this book in all my years of Tolkien collecting. Perhaps I saw it and didn't think I needed Lin Carter to explain Tolkien's masterpiece to me. That was a mistake. Far more than what its title implies, Carter gives a concise historical recap of fantasy literature since writing was invented. His writing style is easy to follow, and while obviously a scholarly book, it does not seem that way when read. I easily devoured a few chapters every day, and I am now searching out some of the original fantasy material Carter discusses. Much of it is free on-line.
The author gives summaries of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, not once realizing nor mentioning that Tolkien had intended six books to be published, not a "trilogy," which was the publisher's choice. Unfortunately, Peter Jackson fell into the same trap when he made the movies. Now he plans to release "The Hobbit," but as three films!? It is also rather charming to watch Carter guessing as to the content of the not-yet-published "Silmarilion," left unfinished at Tolkien's death (he was alive when this book was first published) and put into published form by his son Christopher. Carter (and we) did not know at the time that the Silmarilion was the work Tolkien considered his masterpiece, which had been waylaid for years and years because readers wanted "more about Hobbits."
There is much of interest about Tolkien within these pages, and even though Carter strays far from the actual trilogy in many of his chapters, he never forgets what his book is about and always manages to relate it back to Tolkien's writing, even if to prove that said work was not a genuine influence on the master. Carter refrains from criticizing the books, but sticks to showing influences and discussing possible sources for the material. There is a chapter that nicely sums up Tolkien's essay on the fairy story (discussed here in #P5, above), as well as chapters on Classical tales, Medieval Romance, etc., including worthy discussions of William Morris and other early fantasy writers. Hardly anyone who reads this book will not seek out some of this other reading material.
Carter obviously knew a lot about fantasy writers, both living and dead. He was a perfect choice to write this book, and we are still the richer for reading it, even forty years on! He was also the perfect choice to head up the Ballantine Fantasy Series itself, which had not yet officially started. The rich bibliography at the conclusion to this book is still a who's who of early fantasy writing, and just as useful today as in 1971. Recommended strongly for all fans of Tolkien and the adult fantasy series.
**** stars.
**** stars.
#P18--Published April 1969
The Mezentian Gate
E.R. Eddison
The Mezentian Gate
E.R. Eddison
Cover by Keith Henderson
Of the four Eddison books published in paperback by Ballantine, The Mezentian Gate is the one I know least. This was the very first time I have reread the novel, despite having read the others multiple times. This may have been prejudicial on my part. The book was published posthumously, was left incomplete, and mostly takes place well before Mistress and Fish Dinner. Had Eddison lived long enough to complete the work, Mezentian Gate would have easily consumed two volumes. As is, this is a remarkable book, easily as important as the other two in the main series, and ties up the entire series magnificently and completely, leaving no loose ends. Much of the book is complete, and we get chapter after chapter once again with all of our favourite characters, including Anthea and Campaspe and Vandermast. There is brilliance on every page, and by the end (completed by the author) all enigmas are explained and revealed, and we are left with no more Zimiamvia. Or are we? That worm ouroboros thumb ring keeps popping up, and by the conclusion to Mezentian Gate, one realizes that we are now finally prepared to begin the series again, knowing what we now know. Or should we wait a few years once again and then reread everything, hoping that we will forget what we know and rediscover it all over again?! Far and away the best fantasy series ever conceived, let alone actually written. I found them all difficult to put down, and all have favourite chapters.
Curiously, some of the events in Mezentian Gate overlap those in Fish Dinner, but are seen from a completely different perspective. Reading chronologically, then, read them last to first. I still prefer to read them in the order written. If you loved other Eddison books in the series, don't be put off by the incomplete chapters--the author has provided a summary of each one, so we always are kept in the loop.
****stars. Reviewed August, 2010
****stars. Reviewed August, 2010
Mapman Mike
I recently began reading/rereading these books myself, after a fifty-year break. I'm reading them in order, and just finished "Mistress of Mistresses." I didn't discover this blog until I began this project, and I'm glad to have another reader's comments to touch base with as I progress. I had not read the Eddison books before, and I'm enjoying them immensely.
ReplyDeleteIt was a five or six year project of love--glad you found the blog, and am happy to hear you are setting out on your long voyage. I hope to get through all of them at least one more time, someday...
DeleteHello again! I just finished my rereading of the Gormenghast Trilogy. This time around, though, between vols. 2 and 3, I read the novella "Boy in Darkness," about an adventure Titus has at the age of 14. It's very good and worth looking up. I found it in a collection called "Sometime, Never," which also includes novellas by William Golding and John Wyndham. I found a Ballantine paperback edition online, pretty cheap.
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