Category: Fantasy
The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris
(Cover picture courtesy of Rainbow Resource Center.)
“A lady,” the dwarf repeated. “I’ve just been disarmed and taken prisoner by a lady.” He shook his head slowly. “I really am pathetic.”
Lady Lynet’s life has become unbearable: Her castle is besieged by an evil knight who beheads her would-be rescuers. Her only chance for freedom is to ask King Arthur for help. But to do so, first she must get to Camelot. So one night she slips away and meets a dwarf named Roger. He doesn’t appear to be the most likely companion, but Lady Lynet soon learns that people can be more than they seem, including herself.
For those of you hoping Book 3 of The Squire’s Tales would contain more about the adventures of Terence and Sir Gawain, you’ll be sadly disappointed. Both Terence and Gawain do appear at various points throughout the novel, but the main focus is on Lady Lynet. This was disappointing for me at first, but then Lady Lynet became such a strong character I had no choice but to connect with her.
Although I know the basic story of Beaumains I really did not see the twist coming at the end. Wow. And it actually made sense, but was surprising at the same time! Gerald Morris also added much more depth to the original legend, most importantly in the case of Roger the dwarf and Lynet. Lynet isn’t just a nagging woman who constantly torments poor Beaumains and Roger the dwarf isn’t just comic relief.
The plot went a little more quickly this time, but that’s probably because we were introduced to the conflict right off the bat: evil knight keeping beautiful damsel captive and killing all knights who try to rescue her until she agrees to marry him. This time the beautiful damsel is not-so-nice and it is her sister, Lynet, who decides to do something to stop the bloodbath. The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf isn’t so much plot driven as character driven. You would think that would make it slow and boring, but the characters are so vivid and the world-building Gerald Morris did was incredible so it worked in this case.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Antares and the Zodiac by J and L Wells
(Cover picture courtesy of this site that will not load.)
Four friends, Daz, Eve, Oli and Ebony, meet at a fairground, but what appears to be an ordinary bonfire night couldn’t be further from the truth.
One fairground ride throws them into a very different dimension, where they set off on an incredible adventure that is completely out of this world.
Follow them as they embark on an amazing journey through the star signs of the zodiac.
(Summary courtesy of J & L Wells’ website.)
[Full disclsoure: J & L Wells sent me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.]
Antares and the Zodiac had such a great premise, but it lacked two things: maturity and a good editor. I’ll deal with the former first.
Much like with The Outsiders, you can tell the authors are really, really young. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being young and there are a few brilliant young authors, but J&L Wells’ youth really shows in their writing. They lack the experience that comes with age to pull off emotional scenes and they lack the writing experience to pull off what could be very compelling descriptions of the novel’s setting. I’m not saying that there aren’t good parts to the novel (because there are), it’s just that they are overshadowed by the teenage writing style, especially when phrases like this crop up in scenes that are supposed to be suspenseful:
“However, he was forced to eat his words for a second time as things were about to go from bad to worse … MUCH WORSE!” (Pg 132)
Now the latter: this book needed a good editor. How can I say that with absolute certainty? Well, as I read I made notes to myself and here are the numbers that I came up with:
- Capital letters were USED LIKE THIS to emphasize points 92 times.
- Multiple punctuation (as in !!! or !!) was used 16 times.
- ‘duck’, ‘ducky’ or ‘duckies’ was used 225 times.
Note that this all occurs in 255 pages. The use of various forms of ‘duck’ occurs mainly when one character, Daz, is speaking. Character quirks like favourite phrases are important parts of characterization, but when they are used too frequently it just becomes silly. Capital letters should rarely, if ever, be used in novels for emphasizing words—that’s what italics are for. Multiple exclamation points look rather silly, especially if the author(s) are fond of using single exclamation points for normal dialogue. Basically, they lose their punch and aren’t nearly as effective as when an author uses exclamation points only a few times throughout the novel.
Daz and Eve are decent enough characters, but Daz kept getting on my nerves. The constant use of ‘duck’ (in all situations, to all people) is grating and coupled with the fact that he constantly goes off seeking trouble in the Zodiac signs…well it didn’t help my overall impression of the novel.
J and L Wells are young writers with so much promise and I hope that with practice and time they reach their full potential.
I give this book 2.5/5 stars.
The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady by Gerald Morris
(Cover picture courtesy of Booktopia.)
“Either leave this island, or prepare now to do battle.”
“Then I must do battle,” Gawain said.
Squire Terence and Sir Gawain are on another quest, but this time their journey is overshadowed by their ultimate destination—a contest between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that could easily lead to Gawain’s death.
As they weave their way between the world of men and the Other World, both Gawain and Terence discover much about themselves. Terence learns more about his past and what the future holds for him, and Gawain is forced to confront the true nature of courage and honor.
Next to the legend of Tristan and Isolde, the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has always been one of my favourite Arthurian legends. So you could say I’m a bit biased in this review because this is exactly the legend Gerald Morris retells in The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady. And what a fitting tribute to such a great legend!
It’s been five years since the first book, which places Terence from age 18-20 and Gawain in his mid twenties. And unlike a lot of young adult books that are focusing on adults, the adults don’t act like children/young adults. They act their age! The Squire’s Tale mainly focused on Gawain instead of Terence (even though it was in his POV), but Book 2 most definitely focuses on Terence. In the first book Gawain was clearly the hero, but in this book Terence really gets his chance to shine. Rescuing Gawain, traveling to the Other World and falling in love…Terence really experiences some great character growth.
Gerald Morris mentions in his Author’s Note that he has drawn heavily on Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, especially in King Arthur’s battle against the Roman Emperor. All of the Arthurian legends I’ve read take place long after the fall of the Roman Empire, but I also don’t see why they can’t take place during the fall, when Rome was losing its grip on its empire. Gerald Morris was brave when he did that and it worked out very well. It also gives the perfect introduction to that central character in every Arthurian legend: Lancelot.
If you’re a hardcore fan of Lancelot or Guinevere, I would advise you not to read this series. Gerald Morris does not exactly paint the two ‘lovers’ in the most flattering light. But at least he justifies it with his writing and King Arthur is given depth when he realizes that his wife does not love him and never will. One of the most touching passages in the entire novel is this one, when Arthur is speaking with Gawain about Guinevere:
“Am I a fool to love her, Gawain?”
“If so, it is a divine foolishness,” Gawain said. (Pg 33)
Ah, the pangs of unrequited love!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Squire’s Tale by Gerald Morris
(Cover picture courtesy of Tower.)
“What is your name?” Morgause whispered fiercely, almost desperately. “You are no ordinary magician.”
“I am a squire,” Terence said.
But he is no ordinary squire, either. Abandoned as a baby at the door of Trevisant the Hermit, young Terence never expects he will be more than the hermit’s servant. Until one day when a stranger shows up—Gawain, a young man destined to become of the most famous knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. As Gawain’s squire, Terence journeys with him to Camelot and what begins as an adventure soon turns into nothing less than a quest to uncover the secrets of his past.
I have loved the legend of King Arthur ever since my English teacher introduced it to me in grade 5. Everyone has heard different versions of the same story, but that’s the beauty of the Arthurian legends: they grow and change with time, as they were meant to. In The Squire’s Tale Gerald Morris takes an interesting approach, as he states in his author’s note. He is “trying to restore the reputation of this most honored of all knights on earth.” It’s not Lancelot, but Gawain, The Maiden’s Knight.
It is not Gawain, but Terence, his squire who tells his story. Terence himself is a great character: the son of unknown parents with the ability to see faeries. He doesn’t seem all that remarkable in the beginning, but Terence goes through a wonderful character arc as he embarks with Gawain upon his quests. To me it is Gawain who steals the show because Gerald Morris’ version of him is similar to that of Rosemary Sutcliff’s (an author I have always admired). However, Terence is the one that readers will most likely sympathize with because this book is aimed at younger teens and tweens and he is very much the voice of adolescent uncertainty.
The plot of The Squire’s Tale moves along quite a bit faster than I’m used to in books incorporating the Arthurian legends, but it suits Gerald Morris’ writing style. There are really no places where the plot sags, not even in the beginning when we are introduced to Terence. The characters are quirky and memorable and there’s plenty of humour to offset some of the serious elements. Overall, a fitting retelling of the Arthurian legends, except for the ending. Gerald Morris kind of stuck Morgause in there at the last minute and I felt that the ending scene was rushed, but it does at least make sense. This is one series I will be continuing.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
(Cover picture courtesy of Lusty Reader.)
The land of Terre d’Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.
Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by a nobelman, the first to recognize that she is one pricked by Kushiel’s Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. He trained Phèdre in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber—and, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze.
When she stumbled upon a plot that threatened the very foundations of her homeland, she gave up almost everything she held dear to save it. She survived, and lived to have others tell her story, and if they embellished the tale with fabric of mythical splendor, they weren’t far off the mark.
The hands of the gods weigh heavily upon Phèdre’s brow, and they are not finished with her. While the young queen who sits upon the throne is well loved by the people, there are those who believe another should wear the crown…and those who escaped the wrath of the mighty are not yet done with their schemes for power and revenge.
While it may disappoint some readers, Kushiel’s Chosen has much less sex and far more political intrigue than Kushiel’s Dart did, which suits me just fine. But hey, each to their own.
The thing I most admire about Jacqueline Carey’s novels is how she weaves mythology and history together to establish Terre d’Ange and all the lands around it. As I mentioned in my review of Kushiel’s Dart, Jacqueline Carey draws on real historical events and combines them with the tale of Elua and his Companions to create an alternate Medieval Europe. To truly appreciate the scope of her world-building it helps to have a background in ancient history, particularly that of ancient Rome. It’s not necessary to understand the books, but it really does enhance your reading experience.
There were a few times I was annoyed at Phèdre for being a Mary Sue, but then I realized something: she is a rarity, the first anguisette in three generations and was the ambassador to Alba for the Queen Ysandre. Of course she’s going to be revered and looked on with curiosity by people. That’s what happens when people achieve legendary status within their own lifetime. Phèdre also goes through a lot more character development, particularly when she’s in Kriti. She’s a lot more aware of her actions and how they affect people and by the end of the novel she’s a better person for it.
The plot of Kushiel’s Chosen is much faster than that of the first book, mainly because we don’t have to go through Phèdre’s childhood again. Instead, we can skip right to the action where she’s trying to figure out where Melisande escaped to and why she sent the sangoire cloak back. The search for Melisande is, of course, more complicated than it seems at first but it really is amazing what Phèdre goes through in order to find her. Hint: Melisande is not hiding where you would expect her to be. In hindsight I probably should have guessed where she was hiding, but I had no idea until the dramatic reveal. In the hands of most authors, a reveal like that would be very cliché, but Jacqueline Carey definitely pulled it off.
I give this book 5/5 stars.