Yes, I know. Deryni Magic, written by Katherine Kurtz, is an old book. Old enough that it's out of print and I had to buy one to replace my old one from eBay. Still, I've decided to review the books I've been reading, and since I just re-read this one, time for a review.
If you're interested in Kurtz's Deryni series, this book will help you further explore that world. It gives some additional details into the history of the Deryni and explains much of they magic they use in the many Deryni books. It's also a good way to fill in the gaps. If you want some specifics on the magic used in the novels, this is the book you need. Especially for those trying to figure out all the references to warding cubes in the novels. It's all well explained here.
That said, it's not a good stand-alone book. If you haven't read any Deryni books (or didn't enjoy them), this one is likely to be more than a little boring. It is written rather like a history, so it's a bit dry. You need to be a fan of the many Deryni novels to get anything out of Deryni Magic. Remember that this book is not a novel. It's not a story with character development, or really any characters at all. It's a companion book, a grimoire, and should be approached as that. If you're looking for a story, this is not the book for you.
All in all, I'd give Deryni Magic 4 stars out of 5. Why not a full five? The prose leaves something to be desired. Even a history can be written so that it's not entirely boring.
I've been flooded with e-mails lately asking me what I've read lately and what I thought about what I've been reading. I'm a little surprised that anyone's interested in what I read, but since it seems that some people out there do care, I've decided to post reviews about some of the books I've read lately. Not all of the books I've read. I read 4-5 books a week and I want to post about more than my own reading habits. But a review every few weeks may be just the thing. Fair warning: I read a lot of fantasy. Don't be surprised if many of my reviews focus on this genre. I'm a fantasy author, after all.
A few weeks ago I read A Game of Thrones. It's the first book in "The Song of Ice and Fire" series by George RR Martin. It was well crafted, well written, and intriguing, which I don't say about many books. A thoroughly wonderful read, at least in my opinion. But I'm assuming you want a little more detail than that.
There are a few things about this book that will either make you love it or hate it, depending on your tastes and your attention span. First of all, this book is an epic, and I mean that in the truest sense. The novel spans vast amounts of time and moves all over place. Also, the story is not wrapped up by the end of the novel, so I immediately launched into the second book (A Clash of Kings is next, if you're interested). If you're waiting a long time between the first and the second, you might want to review the first book. A lot of detail revealed in that first book is necessary to fully understand the second. Think of the series as one very long book.
A Game of Thrones is a heavy book and it's not a quick read. Seriously, it's 700 pages and there are dozens of characters, each of whom has their own slightly different story. Subplots abound and you have to pay attention. What seemed like an insignifigant subplot at the beginning of the book might rear its head by the end of the book (or in a later book). There is little to no information presented in the book that has no meaning. If you don't like to focus and pay attention while reading, this book probably isn't for you.
But if you enjoy an epic fantasy whose characters come to life on the page, A Game of Thrones is definately a book to grab. The plot is incredibly complex, but it's also coherent. Everything makes sense and is part of the greater whole. Beware, however, that this book is full of death, bloodshed, and abject cruelty (as are the books that follow). If you don't like a lot of bloodshed and you're looking for "happily ever after" you might want to look elsewhere for your entertainment.
As for the story itself ... well, it's definately modeled after The War of the Roses and even the Hundred Years War. When you think of the struggles between the Starks and the Lannisters (in the book), think of the parallel struggles between the Yorks and the Lancasters (from history). Because of this very-obvious parallel, I wouldn't necessarily call the book "original" since the plot has been done before. But Martin does it better than anyone has in the last 25 years.
It's certainly not the traditional formulaic fantasy, so it's at least refreshing. For example, I'm sure we're all familiar with the modern fantasies where books and books pass and no one of any importance actually dies. Dangers are thrown at them, but everyone survives and lives happily ever after. Martin doesn't do that. Beloved characters do get into situations they can't get out of and they do die. And, unlike some other fantasy stories, dead is dead. They aren't magically resurected later in the story.
Another nice little different between A Game of Thrones and many other modern fantasy novels is the villians. Take a look at some of the fantasy produced in the past 15 years. Most of the villians are ... well, idiots. The bad guys tend to be stupid, arrogant, or easily manipulated, all of which leads to their downfall. Again, Martin doesn't do that. His villians are sneaky, intelligent, and have plans of their own. They don't simply react to external stimuli. This is exciting and, while not exactly new, it's at least not the norm.
But there are a few things readers may not like. Favorite characters will die. My favorite character died. It's just a fact in this book. Yes, there will be other likeable characters to follow, but the favorites are not coming back. If you can't deal with that, read another book.
And the characters are not exactly black and white. In fact, there are very few truly good or truly evil characters. Most are an interesting shade of grey and can be pulled in either direction. Deciding who's good and who's not isn't an easy process, but this makes things interesting. If you like things a little more black and white, there are other fantasy novels to choose from.
This book is written so that you can dip into the minds and hearts of any character in the book. In fact, most characters get to be in the spotlight at some point. The book, since it spans such a vast world, couldn't have been written any other way, but if you don't like head-hopping, you'll get dizzy reading A Game of Thrones.
Warning: Lots of sex and the language is colorful. Don't read it to your kids. And if you don't like excessive swearing, pick another thing to read.
All in all, I'd give A Game of Thrones 4.5 stars out of 5. Why not 5? Once in a while (a very rare while), the prose falls a little flat.
You can use short stories to practice writing a novel. To do this, you should look at some good examples of short stories. The stories in Mother Superior, while fairly normal in nature, are well written and interesting. If there's one flaw in these stories, it's that many of them, including "Mother Superior," are quite predictable in nature. However, this isn't always a bad thing.
In the short story “Mother Superior,” by Saleema Nawaz, the narrator is a lesbian secretly in love with a young pregnant woman by the name of Joan. While this story is simple and presents relevant information in a straightforward and sensible manner, it is nonetheless quite predictable in regards to plot. Additionally, there is little insight given into characters other than the narrator.
Both the language and style of this story are almost painfully simple. Her vocabulary and even sentence structure are bare and to the point. This allows the reader to perhaps give more attention to the story itself, and a little less to the exact form with which it is presented. Given the controversial subject matter, from homosexuality to a mother-to-be who smokes and drinks alcohol, this basic approach seems quite appropriate.
Nawaz quite carefully arranges the information in “Mother Superior,” likely in an attempt to disguise the exact plot of the story. She certainly gives enough detail for the reader to understand what is happening in the moment, but no more than that. For example, it is quite necessary to understand that the narrator is a lesbian, as indicated on page 1, but to reveal any more of her motivations in regards to Joan would give the plot away far too soon.
Furthermore, in regards to Larry and his character, Nawaz reveals that Larry “…begins to weep…” (Nawaz 9) when Joan first goes into labor, leaving the reader to infer that he is not very enthusiastic about the impending birth. While the author does not state that Larry will leave immediately before the birth of the baby, it is implied. It is not until the following page that Nawaz reveals that Larry did indeed desert Joan. Nawaz’s decision to delay the revelation of information at many points in the story provides a method by which to keep the reader engaged.
Despite the attempt to hide the plot, the basic story of “Mother Superior” is easy enough to discern early on from the text. The core of the story, which is the attraction of the narrator to Joan, may unfold across ten pages, but it becomes quite predictable by page 2. Nawaz first gives an indication of this attraction when she writes, “Joan used to think I’d go to hell for being a lesbian, but now she thinks I’ll make it to purgatory because I’m practically a nun anyway” (Nawaz 1). While the narrator is supposedly paraphrasing something Joan had said to her, this information can lead the reader to conclusions that are confirmed later in the story. The reference to sexual orientation and the narrator’s lack of sexual activity on the first page of the tale indicates that this has some relevance to the plot. Since “Mother Superior” was written in a time when stories of unrequited love abounded, it could easily be assumed that this single quote might indicate such a theme, regardless of any other facts the story might present.
Nawaz quickly gives additional hints to the narrator’s feelings when she reveals that the narrator looks forward to the day when it can be “just the two of us” (Nawaz 2). This is in reference to Joan, and combined with the statement from page 1, gives the reader the definite feeling that the narrator is strongly attracted to Joan. Not long after this, the narrator plainly thinks that the man who has entered Joan’s life, Larry, should just disappear as she wishes “…for this to really be a convent…” (Nawaz 5) so that she might be alone with Joan. This only reinforces the idea that Joan likely does not return the narrator’s feelings, and that the narrator feels as if the only way she can have Joan in any way at all is if she has Joan completely to herself.
However, it is really impossible to be sure of Joan’s feelings and motivations. As “Mother Superior” is written from the first person point of view, there is very little insight into her thoughts and motivations; what insight is given is skewed by the perceptions of the narrator, so the reader never really knows the truth about Joan. While the reader may desire additional information about Joan, the story itself is about the narrator and her feelings. For the reader, Joan is a secondary character, despite appearing on every page. Nawaz effectively puts the reader directly into the story, first by her choice of voice, but also by denying the narrator a name. Without a name, the reader becomes the narrator. Given the content, first person narration is particularly suitable.
“Mother Superior” is an interesting mix of simplicity and controversy. Its use of a particular narrative voice and the careful and studied revelation of detail keeps the reader engaged and interested, even when the plot becomes obvious.
Works Cited
Nawaz, Saleema. Mother Superior: Stories. Calgary: Freehand Books, 2008.
