Novel Danger Signs

[roseembolism]

Danger signals in the wild ward off predators: brightly colored wings on insects, or bold stripes on fish signal "This critter is poisonous!  Don't Touch!"  Oddly enough, I've noticed that much the same applies to fantasy novels. 

For examples, after finishing the fast-paced and refreshingly different "The Family Trade" by Stoss, I started in on The Summer Tree, by Kay. 

The first page confronted me with the first warning sign:  The Map..  The next three pages were even worse: A long list of character names, along with rank, location and status.  Somewhat daunted by the lists of people with funny names, I yet continured onward...to the prequel, in italics yet.  Blah blah blah, battle, blah blah rune stones, blah blah blah great evil waiting to be released, etc.  Having no stomach for this travestry, I continued on, to the scene with our heroes (who had almost no character description) meeting the eccentric scholar, who turns out to be the mystic...

Silvercloak.

Even the hungriest bird can be dissuaded by a brightly colored bug that causes it to gag.  I'm amazed that I lasted ten minutes into that book.

Comments

[palecur.livejournal.com]

Bear in mind that Kay is the guy who plowed through Tolkien's notes to shape The Silmarillion. If anyone gets to make money off bad Tolkien pastiche, it's Kay. But that said, yeesh. I'd suggest The Lions of al-Rassan for something by Kay that's a good bit less turgid and a lot more beautiful, albeit DOOMED.

[llamabitchyo.livejournal.com]

You're a brave, brave man. I would have turned back at the italics.

[ghilledhu.livejournal.com]

It'd be a pity if you let that put you off Kay for good. I haven't read that particular book, but much of his later works are absolutely gorgeous. Try Tigana, or the Sarantium duology (beautifully done fictionalized works set in the Byzantine empire).

[palecur.livejournal.com]

While I loved the Sarantium stuff, it was so chock full of heart wrenching DOOM, right after The Lions of al-Rassan, that I've been leery of any more Kay, because his skill is solid but sometimes I want to read something that doesn't make me look around the house for sharp objects when I'm done*

*hyperbolic statement used for dramatic effect, not to be taken internally

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

I actually read part of Tigana. I think I got about a third of the way through it before I put the book down to do something, and promptly forgot where I put it. I wasn't excited enough by it that when I found it again I put it in my "finish some time when all the other books I find more exciting are read" pile.

So not bad, Just...you know...there.

[deirdremoon.livejournal.com]

Tell me you don't mean Guy Gavriel Kay?? I've never seen him be guilty of that level of rip-off. I'll be sad if it's him.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

It was, unfortunately. Maybe it was meant for an earlier, less jaundiced age. And maybe some time in the future it gets more exciting, but as it is, the unexciting characterizations and descriptions caused me to put it down in favor of some good, hearty Stross.

Of course the fact that I like Stross probably points to my attitude toward fantasy.

[devonapple.livejournal.com]

Sounds like my experience with "The Sword of Shanarra." My condolences.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

To be fair: this was his first solo series, written back when Jesus was in short pants and maps were An Important Part of a Fantasy Setting and not Family Circus Dotted Line Cartoon of Billy Going to School.

If anything, I'd say people have been ripping off of him, rather than his work being derivative.

Tigana is way better, as is A Song for Arbonne.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

Maybe so. Unfortunately at this point, I may be unable to read mappish high fantasy without Diana Wynne Jones' voice in my ear whispering passages from "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland".

This may indicate a terminal break between high fantasy and I.