MAIN SERIES DISCUSSION
This series featured an introduction by Lin Carter for each volume, and the Unicorn symbol on the book cover. It includes 65 separate volumes, all of which I have now read. I have read and reviewed the entire series. The photo shows the published order from top left to bottom right.
Group photo of the main series, all featuring the unicorn symbol at top right, and introductions by Lin Carter.
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #1--Published May 1969
The Blue Star
Fletcher Pratt
Cover art by Ron Walotsky
I
acquired this book on a visit to Gardner Books in Tulsa, OK. While
there I also located a hard-to-find book by John Bellairs, a brilliant
fantasy writer not represented in this series as his novels are usually
aimed at older children. I was eager to read the first actual book of
the Ballantine series, and was hoping to find a book I could really
sink my teeth into. After all, this story (the first with the Unicorn
logo) was to be the flagship for the series. People buying this book
would certainly buy more if they enjoyed it. However, if it was not up
to their expectations, the series would likely be ignored. No one could
fault Lin Carter for his eclectic tastes in fantasy literature, and
probably no one knew more about the subject at the time. He was trying
to establish an adult series, something to
distinguish it from the Narnia books and The Hobbit (today, far too many
young children attempt the Lord of the Rings). Ballantine assumed
there was a market, based on sales of Tolkien, Eddison and Peake at the
time. One never really knows how such decisions are made, but for
reasons unknown to this reviewer Pratt's offbeat novel was chosen to
lead off the series. How instructive and fun it would be to interview
Lin Carter on the subject of issuing this fine series with the hindsight
of many years. Alas, it will never be.
The main reason for issuing this novel as the first of the series is likely to be because it is adult.
Carter wanted to emphasize that kids should not be reading this stuff.
They likely would not, giving up on the complicated world created by
Pratt long before any sexual shenanigans begin. I must admit that after
reading Tolkien, Lewis, Eddison and Peake, it was refreshing to read
about sex in fantasy worlds. I was beginning to wonder how they kept
the different species going! Of course Pratt offers the willing reader
much more story than the occasional sexual romp (as does Fritz Leiber). He
brings us to a fully functioning (make that dis-functioning) world nearly
as complex and filled with intrigue as Eddison's Zimiamvia, though
smelling a bit more like Leiber's Lankmar.
My main complaint with the novel is in its characters. Rodvard does
not make a very gripping hero, and Lalette fails to engage me as the
main heroine. They even fail as anti-heroes, unable to do much of
anything good or bad. For much of the time they are either puppets of
one side or another, or simply trying to run away from where they are.
Since most of the narrative concerns them, this is a serious flaw. Not
only that, but the Blue Star object itself seems ineptly used in
Rodvard's care. By searching a person's eyes, the wearer of the Star
can read their thoughts. Rodvard isn't very good at this game, and
doesn't seem to improve much with practice. Lalette isn't allowed to be
much of a witch, either. With all sides practically forbidding the use
of witchcraft, she only seems to resort to it when made suddenly angry
and she is unable to control her temper.
The world politics are sometimes confusing, too. There are several groups
vying for power in one part of the world, and another group in power in
another, though not, it seems, fully in control. Again, the author
doesn't seem to make us care much about any side. It seems he is
writing without conviction. Pratt seems to have created a world where
bad things happen to mediocre people. As a result, I felt relieved when
the book ended, as if I had been released from bondage, or awoken from a
dream that had been annoying me. The concept of the story is good
(ignoring the useless framing device Pratt uses to introduce and
conclude the tale): someone hired by the Court can read people's
thoughts, keeping the ruling party informed. Knowing one's enemy can go
a long way to keeping one side in power. Pratt attempts to develop the
idea into a story, but the story lacks colour and life--it seems as if
we are looking at browns and greys too much of the time.
Coming on the heels of Lord of the Rings and E. R. Eddison's books,
perhaps Carter was trying to show a completely new side to fantasy
writing. I just think it was a little early in the series to be doing
it, and it may have scared a potential audience away from the mark of
the unicorn. Not recommended for young readers.
**1/2 stars.
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series#2--Published June 1969
The Kind of Elfland's Daughter
Lord Dunsany
Cover art by Bob Pepper
I am one of Lord Dunsany's greatest fans, and find most of his fantasy
writing to be high and above virtually every other writer of the genre.
He has a magical way with words and phrases that brings dreaming into
our conscious thoughts. Ballantine Publishers and Lin Carter, with the
first two releases, have already shown the path that the series will
travel. There will be newer fiction from living authors, as well as
many other stories brought to light from some of the greatest fantasy
literature never seen before in paperback and/or not available to
readers for many years. I suspect that trying to link any of these
later volumes to Tolkien is an example of wrong thinking, though it is
especially true of Dunsany's work.
Despite its obvious strengths, I did not care very much for this
novel. Again, it comes down to characterization. Dunsany is unmatched
in his descriptive prose, as the following short excerpt from Chapter
XXXII illustrates:
"He
[the King] opened the coffer with a spell, for it opened to no key, and
taking from it an ancient parchment scroll he rose and read from it
while his daughter wept. And the words of the rune as he read were like
the notes of a band of violins, all played by masters chosen from many
ages, hidden on a midsummer's midnight in a wood, with a strange moon
shining, the air all full of madness and mystery; and, lurking close but
invisible, things beyond the wisdom of man."
Now that is magical prose, and there is plenty more where that came
from. Dunsany seems to have no limits in his ability to create mood and
setting. Where his limits affect the quality of writing is in his
depiction of character. In a short story (Dunsany wrote many), a
one-dimensional character can be allowed if the setting and story are
brilliant enough. However, in a novel exceeding 235 pages, we require
more than shadows and wisps. The King is a man who does not want to
lose his daughter. The hero, Alveric, loves the princess but only on
his terms, never once allowing her to be who she wants to be. The
princess is torn between love for her father and love for her son,
Orion. Orion is a mad hunter who runs around with huge packs of dogs
killing unicorns (an offensive fairy tale prince if there ever was one).
We learn everything we need to learn about each character almost the
first time we meet them.
The exceptions are Lurulu the troll, a delightful character full of
charm and mischief (though his simple mind certainly has definite
limits) and the witch Ziroonderel, possibly the finest depiction of a
witch in fairy tale fiction, apart from Terry Pratchett's creations.
Without them we would be hopelessly adrift. Still, the descriptions
and landscape are nearly enough to save the book, but in the end not
quite. Alveric's quest to rediscover Elfland and find the princess
again is a good analogy for anyone who has lost something irreplaceable
and does not realize its value until it is gone. Madness can follow
quickly, and here indeed it does.
Children would be unlikely to last through this long colour wash of lovely
dream-like prose, and in that sense it is an adult fairy tale. The
hunting of unicorns with dogs would certainly be upsetting to them (and
to many adults), though there is nothing stopping young readers from
plowing through Dunsany's novel. I would send them to some of his finer
short stories first. Not recommended for young readers.
**1/2 stars.
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #3--Published July 1969
The Wood Beyond the World
William Morris
Cover Art by Gervasio Gallardo
William
Morris is one of the greatest fantasy writers who ever lived, and I
enjoy reading his works as much as I do Tolkien's. Tolkien also enjoyed
reading the Morris fantasy tales. This novel is a great introduction
to Morris' medieval fantasy style, and Carter did well to publish this
one first. It's a simple tale, but with enough weird twists and some
welcome humour to keep one reading till the very end. The story is in
several parts, with each section displaying Morris' imagination to the
fullest except, perhaps, at the very last. Morris also leaves a lot of
mystery behind, not really telling us much at all about the Maiden, and
even less about the King's Son and the Queen. Our hero never does
return to his native land to settle scores, nor does he journey back to
the Castle in the Wood. Who built the castle, and why?
While the ending is a bit pat and inexplicable, at least Morris
feels compelled to give a proper ending. Sequels were not the rage in
the 1800s, and authors usually liked to tie things up in one go. Still,
there is room for some fanfic writing here, especially the early years
of the Maiden's life, her capture by the Queen, and even some early
history of the Queen herself. Like a really good fairy tale, there is a
lot left to the imagination. While there is no doubt that the novel is
intended for adults, there is little here that a younger reader would
find objectionable. The story moves along quickly, and Morris does not
get into his 'story within story' theme very much.
I can't say that I have a favourite part or passage. I enjoyed all
of it, and found the book difficult to put down. The author's attempt
at a type of medieval prose works like magic. There is little use of
magic in the story, but there is some. It is significant, perhaps, to
adult readers that the Maiden loses her ability to perform magic on her
wedding night. Morris continues to be a top favourite writer for me,
especially in this particular series.
Suitable for younger readers.
***1/2 stars.
***1/2 stars.
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #4--Published August 1969
The Silver Stallion: A Comedy of Redemption
James Branch Cabell
Cover art by Bob Pepper
Reading
this novel is reminiscent of stories from The Decameron, The Canterbury
Tales, and even The Arabian Nights, though it's major influence is
obviously from Don Juan. The chuckles are a little more rib-tickling,
however, and the morals a little more absurd. Cabell has created a
stunning masterpiece that completely dissects religion and blasts it
full of holes, then quietly builds it back up and informs us as to why
we need such comfort in our lives. The novel goes well beyond
blasphemy, something that would have gone over well in the late 1960s, when Ballantine published it.
Fifty years later it is just as much of a "must" read, as people in the
know realize that times do not really change, and that religious
beliefs continue to cause more misunderstanding, death and destruction
in the world than any other single thing. It always has and it probably
always will, at least if Cabell is right.
The volume is divided into
ten "books", each a self-contained adventure, though loosely connected
overall. Manuel is a great and fearless leader of men who has recently
departed this earth. His many loyal disciples refuse to accept his
death, and all prepare for his second coming, or else go in search of
him. Meanwhile, the legend of his life springs up in his home province of
Poictesme, and it isn't long before the real Manuel (a nearly useless
man and only a leader by chance) is completely replaced by the god-like
figure that emerges from peoples' hearts and false memories of him.
The ten short books--each with several short chapters--mostly tell of
the hilarious adventures of the followers of Manuel, and they relate a
most satisfying story well within the reaches of this fantasy series.
Lin Carter has put forward his best discovery with the four Cabell
books published within the series!
This book is so good that I want to reread it already! One of the
very funny scenarios that recur is that of the husband and wife
relationship. This is not as one-sided or male-dominated as one might
first suppose. Besides the humour, a lot of truth is brought to the
fore about married couples, though certainly in a cartoon-like manner.
Is Cabell really dissing the wives as much as first seems? Hardly,
though he does keep us laughing as he makes his point. And what of
Manuel? Did turning him into a god do any harm? Only to the Truth,
which, as we know from vast historical experience, is somewhat bendable.
It is not an easy book to read. It requires some concentration,
especially at the beginning. Once Cabell's prose and humour have been
figured out, the reader is in for a superb treat, and perhaps even a
well-prepared lecture or two. Not recommended for young readers due to
somewhat difficult prose and adult themes.
****stars.
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #5--Published September, 1969
Lilith
George MacDonald
Cover art by Gervasio Gallardo
Two
of the strangest works of fiction I have ever read are by George
MacDonald. "At the Back of the North Wind" and "Lilith", though both
marred by overt Christian content, still manage to engage the
imagination in ways unique to literature. What better place to become
acquainted with a work such as "Lilith" than here in the adult fantasy
series. Both books I've read by MacDonald have a strong hallucinatory
quality to them, and if not directly induced by drugs, then they
certainly came from a mind that could somehow evoke such a state
naturally. Influenced to a high degree by Dante's "Inferno", the story
is also affected by the medieval legends surrounding Adam's first wife.
Goethe's "Faust" also influenced many people in the 19th C., with its
overt descriptions of Lilith and her evil ways. As she is barely
mentioned in the Bible, it seems strange to focus on only her Christian
links, since her legend originated in Sumer in 4000 BC (as did much of
the Bible, for that matter). So while the 4th quarter of the book is a
bit heavy on the Christian theme (so is "Dracula", one
of the best horror/fantasy novels ever written), this is still a highly
readable fairy tale. Up to that point it is a pagan romp through an
amazing and unforgettable alternate world, perhaps closer to dream than
even the author intended.
MacDonald's imaginative writing is
unparalleled for its rich descriptions, creepy atmosphere, bizarre
story line, other-worldly characters and unexpected plot twists, and other
dream-like effects. The book is hard to categorize, and seems to sit in
a unique place on a shelf of its own. It took me a long time to read
the book. It is long, and the edition has small printing, but I felt
better about taking my time walking through this landscape than if I had
hurried. The book could be read by a mature child, but is probably
going to leave more of an impact on an adult reader who loves fairy
tales with a difference. Strange and disarming, this is one of the
better books of the series. Recommended.
***1/2 stars.
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #6--Published October 1969
The Young Magicians
edited by Lin Carter
Cover art by Sheryl Slavitt.
The
only real magician here is Lin Carter himself. With this anthology he
has pulled off a literary fantasy coup, including 18 short stories and
poems by fourteen different authors, most of them big names in the
field. They are arranged more or less chronologically, beginning with
William Morris and ending with Lin Carter himself. Some of these had
never been published in paperback before. Not all entries are equally
strong, but the good ones are very good and the bad ones not so very bad
(one exception, Lin Carter's own piece at the very end of the book--I
found it unreadable). Finding this volume for 95 cents in 1969 would
have seemed quite a bargain! I will treat each entry individually and
briefly.
William Morris, Rapunzel:
12 pages of this poetry is not a good introduction to Morris' genius
as a fantasy writer, but it is a good way to begin this volume. This is
one of the least memorable entries to "Young Magicians", but it is fun
to read, and might be especially appealing if read aloud by a good story
teller. Morris' masterpiece in fantasy literature is "Well at the
World's End", a must read if one is interested in Adult Fantasy by the
original masters and creators of the genre.
Lord Dunsany, The Sword of Welleran:
Highly readable and entertaining tale of how the ghosts of heroes past
both protect their city eons after their human forms have long departed
this earth, and how they inspired the populace to rise up against the
thieves and bandits that had hoped to ransack it.
E.R. Eddison, In Valhalla:
My favourite writer of all time gets a short, somewhat
uncharacteristic brief passage from his supposed Nordic masterpiece
"Styrbiorn The Strong." This is a work I will have to seek out (It is now in print, and a fabulous Norse legend read! 2020). Carter
rates it higher than H. Rider Haggard's "Eric Brighteyes", the best
fiction novel I have ever read about the Vikings. The present scene is a
short fantasy one from a novel not strictly in that genre. While it is
not a good introduction to Eddison for non-fans, for us aficionados it
has opened a doorway we long thought closed--a fifth novel by the
master!
James Branch Cabell, The Way of Echen:
Easily the strangest of the selections, this one is worth more than
one reading. Excerpted from a novel of Cabell's middle period, it tells
of the dream walk of the hero into the very heart of where Gods dwell.
Priceless and worth seeking out the book just for this. Cabell is
swiftly becoming a favourite writer of this reviewer.
H.P. Lovecraft, The Quest of Iranon:
A short tale of a fruitless search for a dreamed city. Hardly one of
Lovecraft's true gems, it is nonetheless good Lovecraft, and thus okay
fantasy. The Cats of Ulthar: I remember having
read this short tale in my teen years and being very influenced by it!
Suitable for younger readers (teens) and a better introduction to
Lovecraft's fantasy writing than Quest.
Clark Ashton Smith, The Maze of Maal Dweb:
This story has been my introduction to Smith's work. A real gem of a
narrative, dark and grim with an ending to relish! Truly great writing
in a very tight short story. A complete novel--indeed an entire
series--could easily be drawn up based on the idea so expertly handled
here. If you have ever wondered how high the level of storytelling
reached in American pulp fantasy and SF magazines of the Twenties
and Thirties (often called The Golden Age of Pulp Fiction), wonder no
more. Brilliant stuff.
Lin Carter, The Whelming of Oom: Readable but certainly not memorable. Azlon:
Carter should have left off with the Oom story. This one I found to
be simply unreadable, especially after some of the brilliant selections
he dug up from other authors for this volume and the series. He
actually ends the volume with this one, an unfortunate choice for the
final cadence.
A. Merritt, Through the Dragon Glass:
Another odd, very original tale by a true master. Perhaps the story
is a bit of a cliche today, but it is still fun to read and think about.
Reeking with 1930s Orientalist atmosphere.
Robert E. Howard, The Valley of the Worm:
A fantastic, heart-stopping short tale by the author of Conan the
Barbarian, this makes a perfect introduction into the type of story
Howard unleashed upon the world. One to savour!
L Sprague de Camp, Heldendammerung:
A very short poem-story by a writer I have always known about but of
whom I am mostly unfamiliar. Score one for the dragon! Highly
recommended.
Ka The Appalling: de Camp continues the humour element quite nicely with this tale of three conspirators who invent the most fearful god of all time. Very much in the spirit of Fritz Leiber. Again, this could be the beginning of an entire saga, rather than just a one-off story.
Ka The Appalling: de Camp continues the humour element quite nicely with this tale of three conspirators who invent the most fearful god of all time. Very much in the spirit of Fritz Leiber. Again, this could be the beginning of an entire saga, rather than just a one-off story.
Henry Kuttner, Cursed Be the City:
A short novella (long short story), great from first to last word.
This could be the basis for a movie and a grand computer adventure
game. Filled with unforgettable locations, rousing action and all-round
flair for characters only minimally described but well understood
nonetheless. Loads of fun to read. My first Kuttner, but hopefully not
my last.
Jack Vance, Turjan of Miir:
Turjan the Wizard gets involved in the adventure of a lifetime,
followed quickly by the learning opportunity of a lifetime. Classic
Vance, and superb storytelling. This volume from the Adult Fantasy
Series has so many stories of high quality that I was surprised to find
yet another one. Highly recommended.
C.S. Lewis, Narnian Suite:
Feeling guilty about the embarrassment of virtually unpublished riches
he uncovered by American writers, Carter felt he had to include a bit
more British content (it was the American pulp magazines that created so
many wonderful American writers and gave them all a public voice). But
the Inklings could not totally be left out. A minor poem by Lewis is
included, at least giving the editor, in his introduction to it, a
chance to steer unknowing readers toward Lewis' true masterpieces of
fiction.
J.R.R. Tolkien, Once Upon a Time and The Dragon's Visit:
Two petite bons bons by a true and familiar master of fantasy are
included, both written specifically for this volume. Like two tiny
chocolates left on the hotel pillow, they are not really necessary, but
add a nice touch.
Carter finishes off this indispensable collection with a very short
bibliography of works by authors included in the publication. My
reading list has just been expanded yet again!
**** Stars.
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #7--Published October 1969
Dragons, Elves and Heroes
ed. by Lin Carter
Cover art by Sheryl Slavitt.
Published simultaneously with the previous volume and designed as a set
of two, this book takes fantasy/fairy stories from classic works of
literature. Excerpts from Beowulf, The Volsunga Saga, The Mabinogian,
Le Morte d'Arthur, The Kalevala, The Fairie Queen, Shakespeare,
Browning, Tennyson, Voltaire and others make great reading for a
winter's afternoon and night. With so many different excerpts (about
twenty), it is not surprising that they don't all catch one's interest.
What is surprising is how many do! The translation from Beowulf by
Norma Lorre Goodrich is astoundingly good, and illustrates the great
strength of this volume. Carter has searched for the most readable
translations, not necessarily the most scholarly or perfectly accurate.
His criteria was to find translators that knew how to tell a good
story. In this way, many of the tales told herein really come alive.
There are many omissions that are puzzling (nothing from the Odyssey,
for example, or the Mahabarata), but there are so many wonderful
discoveries to make that it hardly matters.
I will personally seek out
some of these translations, especially Beowulf! I have not read
Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, and I know it is well overdue. This excerpt
was a great reminder to get busy! It came as a surprise to me that
Voltaire wrote adult fantasy novellas, and the main work in this volume
is called "The Princess of Babylon". This story is great fun to read,
and one of the main highlights of the volume. There is not much here
for children, except perhaps some of the poetry.
****Stars
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #8--Published November 1969
Figures of Earth
James Branch Cabell
Cover art by Bob Pepper
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #9--Published December 1969
This has to be one of the finest fantasy novels ever penned. The more I
read of Cabell's works, the more I take away from them. His language
and somewhat tongue-in-cheek way of writing takes some time to
appreciate and understand, but once grasped, he is simply one of the
best there is. He influenced writers like James Blish and Robert Heinlein, and no
doubt many, many others. He has to be one of the finest writers now
dwelling in almost complete obscurity. The story told so brilliantly
here is that of the rise and fall of Dom Manuel. We actually get to
meet the hero and read first-hand of his adventures, so rapturously
embroidered by his followers and worshippers in the previous volume
(#4--also see that review). What a great pair of books!! It probably
doesn't matter in which order they are read, just read them! The
relationship between husband and wife continues to be a major theme in
this volume. The great Dom Manuel literally cowers at his wife's feet,
though also knows how to deal with matters like the master he is. I must quote one passage to illustrate the humour and insight the book provides:
"I am used to her," Manuel replied forlornly, "and I suppose that if
she were taken away from me again I would again be attempting to fetch
her back. And I do not like to hurt the poor foolish heart of her by
going against her foolish notions. Besides, I am a little afraid of
her, because she is always able to make me uncomfortable. And above
all, of course, the hero of a famous love-affair, such as ours has
become, with those damned poets everywhere making rhymes about my
fidelity and devotion, has to preserve appearances. So I get through
each day, somehow, by never listening very attentively to the
interminable things she tells me about. But I often wonder, as I am
sure all husbands wonder, why Heaven ever made a creature so tedious and
so unreasonably dull of wit and so opinionated. And when I think that
for the rest of time this creature is to be my companion I usually go
out and kill somebody. Then I come back, because she knows the way I
like my toast."
Far from being sexist, the passage (and novel) skews men as much as women. Cabell shows less mercy for religion. The
fantasy element is rich and varied, from the stork that delivers
Manuel's children, to the beautiful god that tries to seduce him away
from his earthly existence, and the mysterious window that shows only
one's emptiness and internal gloom. Many gods and magicians are met and
properly dealt with, as well as some beautiful and all-powerful
goddesses, nearly all lamenting Niafer, Manuel's choice of partner for
life. There is not a single passage in either of these books that
children would understand or appreciate, making me like the book even
more. If you have not made the acquaintance of this totally amazing
writer, then find one of these books and get reading. If you've tried
reading Cabell before without success (as I had), then try again. It's
worth it!
****stars
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #9--Published December 1969
The Sorcerer's Ship
Hannes Bok
Cover art by Ray Cruz
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #10--Published January, 1970
As the Ballantine Fantasy Series slowly emerged under the leadership
of Lin Carter and began to attract notice and a loyal following of
readers, the monthly publications were undoubtedly anticipated with
great enthusiasm and expectation by fans. Imagine a book being
published every month that had the potential to rival Tolkien or
Eddison! Holding a new copy of Bok's novel, with it's remarkable cover
art and promise of a magical voyage, must have seemed a dream come true
to aficionados of the genre. While the novel, which can be read very
quickly, likely did not disappoint, it probably didn't really inspire
readers too much, either. The narrative is straight-forward and
uncomplicated, and suitable for young readers (not in the least being
"adult"). Main characters are kept to a minimum, and there is no
question as to who is good or who is bad.
The first part takes place on board a ship and is handled quite
well. Bok can carry a story with the bare minimum of a setting, and we
feel the confines of a long voyage by ship on every page. Strangeness
is only hinted at, as in the electric shimmering of the daytime sky and
the stars at night. The story leaps off the page when the ship finally
reaches land, after being blown off course by a gale. Bok's description
of an abandoned city with temples so large they could not have been
built by humans captures our imagination and grips us, forcing us to
keep turning pages well after lights should be turned out. And those
little clay figures! Yanuk, the only living human-like being living
there, despite being so alien remains a puzzling and non-engaging character
(he is the “Sorcerer”). We spend a lot of time hearing about his magic
deeds, which are somewhat helpful to our heroes, but the main thing he
actually does is introduce the princess (why is she so plain looking--a
poke at fairy tale princesses perhaps?) to the God-like Orcher. Here is
a character so terrible and mighty that he would be a good stand-in for
the Old Testament God. His only way to stop the war between cities was
to frighten the combatants so badly they would not wish to ever fight
again.
Bok's book is very much like an ancient sea voyage--long periods of
relative calm punctuated by moments of absolute activity and
life-threatening actions. One of the best descriptions of a sword fight
in literature of any form is given in the main battle aboard the ship,
and remains a highlight of the novel. The description of the abandoned
city (echoes of D'Ni?!) is also unforgettable. The author is not afraid
to have important characters die, or even to destroy one of the main
cities of the land and many of its citizens. War is not glamourized.
However, why this story outranked others in the series in publication
order is a bit mystifying. What was Carter's rush to get this one
published before some of the others? While an enjoyable read, I don't
feel it belongs in the same league as many of the other books in the
series. I would recommend it to young people getting started in
fantasy, though there are no children depicted in the book. Having said
that, I would really enjoy reading a sequel in which the three main
characters develop a bit more and undergo further adventures. Here lies
an opening, perhaps, for a fan-fic devotee. Recommended for young
readers.
*** stars July, 2009
Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series #10--Published January, 1970
Land of Unreason
Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp
Cover Art by Donna Violetti
This novel seems to fit the bill nicely, and once again Lin Carter
has chosen an obscure but worthwhile little piece of adult fantasy
fiction to revive. Though it could be read by young adults, it requires
a disciplined mind to stay with the story and connect all of the dots
at the end. I had some doubts in the middle, wondering exactly where
this work was headed. Let me make it clear that all will be revealed by
the last page, and that the journey is eminently worthwhile. There is
something on the order of Jonathan Swift happening within these pages,
though it would take a more skilled reader than this one to figure it
out on first reading. This is a novel I may come back to. It is
beguiling reading, and most unreasonable!
The hero, one Fred Barber,
escapes England during a German bombing raid by falling through the
cracks and into Fairyland. He encounters Oberon and Titania, and is
given a quest. Most of the novel concerns the adventurous quests of
our hero, and his encounters with strange and stranger beings and
landscapes. It is a simple narrative, but one that should be read with a
painter's eye. Landscapes and scenarios are described clearly and in
detail, whether crossing a barren desert or swimming in the bottom of a
nasty pond. Foes and allies alike fill the pages with tenderness,
violence and mystery. The novel appears seamless, and it would not be
easy to identify which of the two authors wrote which passages. The book divides
itself into four sections; the introduction, where Fred is transported
to Fairyland and meets his hosts; his first adventure, which is to use
his diplomacy skills to appease the Kobolds; the second adventure, which
takes places within a pond (my personal favourite section), and the
third adventure, where the hero finally discovers himself, and is able
to get a grasp on what has been going on.
Though not recommended for
children, parts of the novel would appeal to them, especially the final
battle with the eagles and the ice men. This would make a very good
animated film!
*** stars
...To be Continued...
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