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%T The Fortress of the Pearl
%A Michael Moorcock
%I Ace Fantasy
%D December 1990
%O paperback, US$4.50
%P 212pp
%G 0-441-24866-7
"The Fortress of the Pearl", Moorcock's eighth novel about
Elric of Melnibone, is a startling departure from what we've come
to expect from the Eternal Champion novels. No, Elric still has
Stormbringer, the black soul-drinking sword, and he still uses it
when pressed. But in this tale, he sets forth on a quest to free
a girl who is held in bondage by her own dreams -- instead of
merely attempting to pass by without wreaking harm. This
Moorcockian take on "Sleeping Beauty" weds mythographic depth to
some of the best background building he's ever done. Probably the
best Elric novel to date, unless you take offense at having that
particular Eternal Champion avatar acting like a traditional good
guy. [Contributed by guest reviwer Cathy Olanich]
%T Sunder, Eclipse & Seed
%A Elyse Guttenberg
%I Roc Fantasy
%D December 1990
%O paperback, US$4.95
%P 351
%G 0-451-45046-9
The plot "Sunder, Eclipse, & Seed", the beginning of yet
another fantasy trilogy, unfolds slowly, and rings only modest
changes on familiar fantasy themes: the (apparent) fading
of the good gods' magics, and the machinations of the priesthood
to obscure this fact; the heroine's quest to learn how to use
ancient magical relics to defeat the archetypal evil god. What
sets this otherwise ordinary novel apart is Elyse Guttenberg's
talent for drawing believeable and compelling characters. All of
her female characters are strong and clearly drawn, and her
pragmatic and thoughtful heroine, Calyx, is an especially
appealing figure. If Guttenberg ever decides to turn as much
care to plot development, she may well produce a masterpiece.
[Contributed by guest reviwer Cathy Olanich]
%T In honor of Isaac Asimov: Foundation's Friends
%A Martin H. Greenberg
%I TOR
%D October 1990
%O paperback, US$4.95
%P 464
%G 0-812-50980-3
There's been a fad recently for "tribute" anthologies in which a bunch
of authors or fans who are connected in some way to an SF `big name' write
stories in that author's best-known universe. It its worst this produces
tired pastiches of the honoree's style; at its best, excellent writing and
fascinating new angles on worlds we've come to take for granted. Happily,
this anthology is one of the better ones. Orson Scott Catd's concluding
novella `The Originist' is worth the price of admission by itself. Enjoy.
Up to Eric's Home Page | To Index | Tue Dec 04 14:11:19 EST 1990 |
Eric S. Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com>