Review of The Devil in a Forest by Gene Wolfe

A copy of this classic was a gift from a talented friend of mine whose opinion I value, so clearly it had to go right to the top of my reading pile – and I’m not sorry that it did as it started my 2012 list on a really high point.

Deep in a forest wilderness lay a village so humble, so insignificant, that only a handful of people knew it existed – yet it was here that a mighty battle was waged in the endless struggle between Good and Evil.
Led by Fate into the timeless struggle were:
WAT the savage and charming highwayman…
MOTHER CLOOT the cunning and cruel possessor of mysterious powers…
BARROW MAN the awesome spirit of a long-dead warrior… and
MARK not yet totally seduced by Evil, not yet totally convinced by Good…

And there you have it – the back cover blurb. As you can see they did things slightly differently back in 1976 – for starters they didn’t see fit to tell you at least half the plot although there were lots of capital letters and slightly portentous pronouncements due to the Tolkein effect still rippling through the genre at the time. And the blurb gives no insight whatsoever as to what the book is actually about. Neither does the cover. I was expecting major battle scenes… nasty armoured beasties lurking around every tree… which simply doesn’t happen. It’s SO much better than that.

Told in third person limited pov from Mark’s viewpoint, this little book gives you a slice of the gritted business of surviving in an isolated community that has seen better times when their religious shrine brought in a steady stream of pilgrims. But now, thanks to the depredations of their very own highwayman, Wat, that trickle has all but dried up and everyone is having to tighten their belts. A lot.

Mark is an orphaned fourteen year old apprentice to the village weaver. Which means he often goes hungry and has learnt to take care of himself – something that stands him in good stead when a foray into the forest with the innkeeper’s daughter turns into a dark and dangerous adventure. Where his future and very soul is at stake…  Wolfe has a trick of utterly subsuming you into his created world. We accept that Mark spends a large chunk of time so hungry that his stomach gripes with the pain. That he has to always pick his words carefully to the adults around him, because there is no one who innately cares about him. We learn just how unnerving Mother Cloot’s behaviour can be – and what Mark does when he comes across a murdered man…

The huge forest rustles with hidden food and threats, the river offers fish and the risk of drowning – and threading through all this is the scalding knowledge that life is precarious and cheap. And Mark has been caught between forces that he cannot hope to prevail against. All this occurs without an ounce of sentimentality and in just over 220 pages, Wolfe produces a gripping adventure that had me reading faaar into the night to discover what would happen to Mark, and Wat and Mother Cloot. The writing is pin-sharp and exquisite, with wonderful dialogue, superb scene setting and an interesting cast of characters, who are initially offered up as ciphers – and then, refuse to behave as you’d expect.

So Mark is less defiant and more accepting of the clear injustices that Life has dealt him; more suspicious of nearly everyone and their motives for being friendly; and very aware of the occult and dark forces in play around the village. Mother Cloot is a tough, wise old woman – and then something else a whole lot darker… As the violence escalates and events spin out of control, this tale gripped me and would not let go. And by the end, I felt I had a far clearer understanding of what it meant to part of an underclass in a small village during the Dark Ages – despite the fact that I have a teaching Degree in History and regard myself as reasonably knowledgeable about that period.

As you might have gathered, this 1970’s offering mightily impressed me and confirmed what I’ve always known – that superb writing is timeless. If you enjoy excellent adventure Fantasy in an historical setting, then hunt down this little book – it’s worth the effort.
10/10

Review of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

This supernatural historical thriller is set in 1991, with flashbacks to the era of the notorious Salem witch trials. Don’t worry, though. You will not have to endure the whole harrowing business all over again – Howe has managed to put an interesting spin on this much-visited subject.

While clearing out her grandmother’s cottage for sale, Connie Goodwin finds a parchment inscribed with the name Deliverance Dane. So begins the hunt to uncover the woman behind the name; a hunt that takes her back to Salem in 1692 and the infamous witchcraft trials.

But nothing is entirely as it seems and when Connie unearths the existence of Deliverance’s spell book The Physick Book, the situation takes on a menacing edge as interested parties reveal their desperation to find this precious artefact at any cost.  What secrets does The Physick Book contain? What magic is scrawled across its parchment pages? Connie must race to answer the questions – and reveal the truth abuot Salem’s condemned women – before an ancient family curse fulfils its dark and devastating prophesy…

This story does have its creepy moments, but it is far more bound up in the everyday with the oddness and discordant details sneaking in when you’re not necessarily paying attention. I really like the way that while in Connie’s viewpoint, we gradually become aware that things are not exactly normal. So when we are confronted with the more gruesome details – they really provide full shock value.

One of the recurring themes in this enjoyable story, is the relationship between mother and daughter – and how circumstance and genes can conspire to create friction between the generations. Connie and her hippie mother, Grace, certainly have been at odds throughout Connie’s life. I found the telephone conversations between mother and daughter one of the book’s highlights, both managing to be poignant and amusing at the same time.

In setting the book in 1991, Howe has been smart. This is before the computerisation of records had really got going and mobile phones are not widely used. So as a historical researcher, she spends hours combing through the primary source materials in cotton gloves and when alone in her grandmother’s derelict cottage, she is truly marooned in a way that these days with wireless internet and mobile phones would be almost impossible.

Howe’s connection to this story is more than just keen interest – she is related to two of the victims of the Salem witch trials, one survived and one didn’t. In these sceptical times, the accepted version for the Salem witch trials is that the whole sorry business was as a result of an overly repressive regime, raging teenage hormones and an hysterical reaction to both the power and the attention. But, what if there really was an element of magic clouding the whole issue? The contemporary accounts certainly absolutely believed that witchcraft was in evidence. And this is the premise that Howe uses as the foundation and starting point for her tale, providing her with an enjoyably original and yet plausible version of the Salem trials.

This is book, while not necessarily found parked alongside the other Fantasy offerings on the bookshelves, offers a delightful slice of supernatural happenings from a refreshingly original angle by an accomplished writer. If you are feeling a tad jaded with the genre right now, I suggest you look this book out. You won’t be sorry if you do.
9/10

Review of In Ashes Lie – Book 2 of The Onyx Court by Marie Brennan

I thoroughly enjoyed Brennan’s first book in this series, Midnight Never Come, a tale of faerie plot and counterplot set in Elizabeth I’s England. Therefore, I was keen to sample Brennan’s next offering.

The year is 1666. The King and Parliament vie for power, fighting one another with politics and armies alike. Below, the faerie court has enemies of its own. The old ways are breaking down and no one knows what will rise in their place.

But now a greater threat has come, one that could destroy everything. In the house of a sleeping baker, a spark leaps free of the oven – and ignites a blaze that will burn London to the ground. While the humans struggle to halt the conflagration that is devouring the city street by street, the fae pit themselves against a less tangible foe: the spirit of the fire itself, powerful enough to annihilate everything in its path.

Mortal and fae will have to lay aside the differences that divide them, and fight together for the survival of London itself…

As anyone who has more than a nodding acquaintance of English history can see, this book isn’t a straight sequel. Despite some of the same characters, there is a jump from the time of Elizabeth I’s reign between 1588/1590 and the timespan of In Ashes Lie, which hops between 1639 and 1666. One thing you can’t fault Brennan for is her ambition. Using any historical setting requires a degree of research and knowledge before putting word processor to paper – and even then it can all go horribly wrong. To swing between two major, disparate events throughout the first half of a novel as the setting for your action is brave to the point of being recklessly daft. I’d love to report that Brennan pulled it off. But sadly, I don’t think she does.

For a start, the big threat facing the faerie at the beginning cannot get our blood racing too much – for the simple reason that throughout that narrative arc, we keep getting yanked forward to the start of the Great Fire of London. So immediately, the reader realises that whatever is facing our plucky crew – they are going to get through it in 1639, because there they are in 1666 confronted with this big old fire… I have to say, I found the juxtaposition of the two story arcs annoying and distracting.

This brings me onto my next point. I don’t think I’m giving too much away when I reveal that the first of these deals with the unsuccessful reign of Charles I, ending in his execution in 1649. Once again, in Brennan’s world, this event is strongly influenced by what is happening in the faerie court. However, the series of political crises surrounding the relationship between Charles and Parliament is quite a complicated story in its own right. My personal knowledge of this period allowed me to pick my way through the admirable amount of historical detail included, here. But I did wonder how readers wholly ignorant of this period would cope and felt that maybe the pace of the novel floundered at times, which added to the lack of narrative tension.

All in all, getting through the first half of the book wasn’t exactly a struggle – but it came perilously close. Which is a real shame, because if any readers did give up at this point, they missed a cracking (and crackling) second half that really did have me at the edge of my seat and wholly made up for the rather creaky start.

The concept of having the Great Fire become a powerful dragon is a lovely notion – and the power struggle between the faerie courts that endangers London is an excellent idea. I did feel that some of the main protagonists were not so sharply depicted in this book, mostly because of its overly complicated structure. However, despite its evident flaws, this book still managed to be a stimulating, enjoyable read with some excellent ideas and memorable scenes, especially when battling the Great Fire. I recommend it – and if you get initially bogged down, grit your teeth. The rest is worth it, I promise…
8/10

Review of The Dark Mirror – Book One of The Bridei Chronicles by Juliet Marillier

Set in the far north of England, in approximately 500AD, this is the story of the embattled Priteni. Marillier based them on the Picts, who were wiped out of history by the end of the Dark Ages. Recent archaeology reveals them to have had a sophisticated society with developed art and a deep religious belief and interest in the animals and plants around them.

Marillier, as ever, weaves her knowledge and interest into a compelling story. Her version of High Fantasy pulled me back into regularly reading this genre and although there are others who do it equally well, there is no one in my opinion who does it better.

Marillier normally writes in first person POV, with a female protagonist. In this tale she has gone inside the head of Bridei, a young boy destined for great things. Taken from his family to live with the forbidding Druid, Broichan, in his structured household at the age of four, Bridei is often lonely and frightened. Until one freezing December night, he discovers a child on the doorstep. Bridei already knows enough to realise that she is no human baby, and immediately conjures a basic hearth charm to protect her from being rejected by the other members of the household. Fortunately the dour Broichan is away at the time, for the old man instantly dislikes and distrusts this unwanted intrusion onto his ambitious plans for Bridei and his training as a king-in-waiting. This doesn’t stop Tuala growing into a fey, adventurous child who adores Bridei. He, in turn, finds that she is the only person he can confide in. But, where does Tuala fit in Broichan’s grand schemes for Bridei? And what happens when she inevitably gets in his way?

If you haven’t yet encountered Marillier’s excellent Sevenwaters series, but enjoy well written, tightly plotted Fantasy in a strong historical setting, then I highly recommend this book. Marillier’s knowledge about the time shines through every page. Authentic details litter the everyday doings of these characters, without impeding the pace or obstructing the storyline.

You won’t find a host of sword-waving heroes dripping in lots of blood and gore. But when Marillier does give you action, the encounters seem all the more desperate because you really care about the characters. And war is constantly in the background. There is talk of it; discussions about how to deal with the aftermath by old warriors; long gruelling hours of practice and drills. Unlike many other Fantasy tales of derring-do, however, a dread of warfare and its cost to the society is depicted very clearly by those with most to lose. Interwoven amongst the everyday, is a strong blend of magic and Otherness that fans of Marillier will recognise. The power and ability carried by a few comes at high price. Magic is about blood and sacrifice and most right thinking people avoid it whenever they can.

This is a book about conflict. Circinn’s king has turned to the new Christian faith, creating a rift with other rulers who still hold to the Druidic traditions. This schism creates opportunities for the marauding Gaels. But there are also tensions on a more personal level. Ambitious contenders target Bridei. High-born women destined to be married off to secure treaties and produce heirs are bitter at their fate.

This is no dewy-eyed gloss on a lost, glorious past but far more grittily political and aware. I am just waiting for the library to send me Blade of Fortriu, so I won’t have to wait too long for the next slice of life in this gripping series.
9/10

Review of ‘Midnight Never Come’ Book 1 of The Onyx Court by Marie Brennan

Are you a keen fantasy fan that loves tight-wound intrigue interspersed with action? Enjoy a well-constructed, historical setting with a strong sense of danger and ‘otherness’? Appreciate a fantasy that isn’t hip-deep in graphic sex and bad language? If so, you might feel right at home tucking into Marie Brennan’s world of faerie politics set in Elizabethan England – Elizabeth I, that is…
England flourishes under the hand of its Virgin Queen: Elizabeth, Gloriana, last and most powerful of the Tudor monarchs. But a great light casts a great shadow…
In hidden catacombs beneath London, a second Queen holds court: Invidiana, ruler of faerie England, and a dark mirror to the glory above. In the thirty years since Elizabeth ascended her throne, fae and mortal politics have become inextricably entwined in secret alliances and ruthless betrayal whose existence is suspected by only a few.
And two courtiers, struggle for very different royal favours, are about to uncover the secrets that lie behind these thrones…
It is an interesting proposition – and particularly in this first book – I think that Brennan has magnificently succeeded. Her thorough research of the history has given her sufficient command of the subject to portray a real flavour of the age, liberally sprinkling the story with actual historical characters and events, without burying us in a mound of dry historical facts. Her characterisation of Elizabeth certainly gives us a sense of the old Queen’s capriciousness and charm – and the tightrope she was forced to walk all through her reign.
Elizabethan London is also depicted with loving care – becoming a character in its own right, which lays the groundwork for the action-packed sequel In Ashes Lie.
But the heart of this book lies with the protagonist, Lune. After falling out of favour with the ruthless faerie Queen Invidiana, Lune struggles to regain her position in the underground court, agreeing to spend time in the mortal world as a spy. The book charts Lune’s battle for survival as she becomes embroiled in the plots and counter-plots of both the faerie and mortal courts – which impact on each other. Even the outcome of the Armada, we learn, was down to the intervention of some powerful water entities, who Lune managed to persuade to help Elizabeth, at Invidiana’s command. It’s a neat device – and if you are at all interested in historical fiction, this is a real treat. Brennan manages the wealth of detail and scene setting with sure-footed dexterity.
Any quibbles? Well, there are times when I felt that characters could have been given a little more depth with a tad more ‘show not tell’. But when juggling quite so much detail, both historical and supernatural, as Brennan’s faerie court is every bit as hidebound in tradition and history as its human counterpart, I can understand why there were times when she opted to keep the pace going, possibly at the expense of some characterisation. However, it’s a picky point and shouldn’t deter anyone from picking up this novel.
I didn’t start this book with great enthusiasm – I happen to know too much about this particular slice of English history to enjoy reading sloppy fictitious renditions of the era. However, by the time I was a third of the way through this book, I was able to completely relax and enjoy the ride – to the extent that as soon as I completed this book, I immediately ordered the sequel from the library.
9/10