Tagged: masq1
The Ballad of Sir Dinadan by Gerald Morris
(Cover picture courtesy of Booktopia.)
Dinadan rode out of the front gate of his father’s home, promising himself that he would never again enter those walls.
Young Dinadan has no wish to do any of the knightly things expected of him. But he was born to be a knight, and knights, of course, have adventures. So after his father forces his knighthood upon him, he wanders toward King Arthur’s court in the company of a misguided young lad named Culloch. There Dinadan meets Sir Kai and Sir Bedivere, and the three find themselves accompanying Culloch on the worst sort of quest. Along the way, Dinadan learns that though minstrels sing of spectacular heroic deeds, honor is often found in simpler, quieter ways.
The first four books in The Squire’s Tales have had humour in them, but they never reached into the realm of laugh-out-loud humour. The Ballad of Sir Dinadan does because of Sir Dinadan’s attitude toward love and knights and because of the sheer craziness of some situations he gets into. This is the most cynical, irreverent take on the Arthurian legends and I absolutely love it. In some ways, it makes the first four books seem pale in comparison.
This is the first time we’re actually in the point of view of a knight. The problem is, he doesn’t want to be a knight. Dinadan is no good at sword fighting, jousting or wooing ladies. He is cynical to begin with because his father knighted him while drunk, but he is also hopeful that the world outside his childhood home will be better. But after an incident with a beautiful maiden, Dinadan turns full cynic and that attitude is proven correct time and time again throughout the story. The ineptness of Culloch, the horror of discovering what his older brother Sir Tristram is actually like and the folly of Queen Isuelt…wouldn’t you be cynical too?
The plot of The Ballad of Sir Dinadan moves along fairly quickly and is mostly driven by Dinadan, who seems to get himself into all kinds of trouble. He also solves a lot of problems and encounters a lot of people we now consider legendary in the Arthurian canon. To some it will seem like Gerald Morris is going out of his way to be irreverent toward beloved figures, but when you think about it, these people (if they really existed) were probably like that. I guarantee that Gerald Morris’ fifth book in The Squire’s Tales will change your view of at least one character. If you’re looking for a traditional happy ending, you won’t find it, but the ending isn’t tragic either. In the context of the story, it makes sense.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Parsifal’s Page by Gerald Morris
(Cover picture courtesy of Better World Books.)
Piers, watching from the door to the shop, gaped with awe at the night.
Piers is desperate to escape the dirty, tedious labor of his father’s blacksmith shop. So when a knight shows up and says he’s on “the quest,” Piers begs to go along. Surprisingly, his father lets him, and soon he is off on a series of adventures he never dreamed possible. However, Piers’s knight quickly runs into difficulties and is slain by an odd character named Parsifal, who is on his own quest. Piers has no other choice but to join him. As their journey continues, Piers begins to realize what being a knight really means.
Apparently the legend of Parsifal is quite famous, although I have only heard of it through the title of Richard Wagner’s opera, fittingly called ‘Parsifal‘. And no, I had not even watched the opera, just heard of it. My only encounter with Parsifal thus far was briefly when Gawain wrestled with him in the Other World. However, I’m glad Gerald Morris saw fit to bring Parsifal to the front of the stage.
This story is not told by Parsifal himself, but rather by Piers, his page. Piers was raised to believe knights should follow a strict code of courtesy and that questions were impertinent. It is this latter belief that gets both of them into trouble and in the end Piers’ views of knighthood are drastically altered. Since this fourth book in The Squire’s Tales is told from the point of view of Piers, we do not get to see Parsifal’s thoughts, which is a real shame. I personally would have liked to learn more about Parsifal’s motivations and his life in the Other World, but Piers is a decent enough narrator.
Once again the story is not so much about Terence and Gawain, although they appear in it and definitely challenge Piers’ views of the relationship between squire and knight. While Parsifal’s Page is not my absolute favourite book in The Squire’s Tales, it’s certainly a good book and a fitting retelling of yet another popular Arthurian legend. Sometimes authors lose their steam by the third or fourth book in a series, but this is certainly not the case for Gerald Morris. He has attacked the legend with all the enthusiasm you would expect and delivers a heartwarming tale of friendship and love.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
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.
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.