The Fall of the Kings by Ellen KushnerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I found this novel to have a rather dreamlike quality, where myth and reality rub up against one another in an unsettling way. But it also deals with intellectual concerns such as whether one should restrict oneself to studying the works of other scholars or dig into the archives and documents in order to come to one's own conclusions through original research. I would hope that most of us would prefer the latter. Having spent some of my working life on archival projects may have prejudiced me in this regard.
I admit that although I read Swordspoint (and rated it 4 stars) I really don't remember the details of it. I hope I am more successful at holding the details of this novel in my memory. It seems to me that Basil is Merlin to Theron's Arthur, both of them being manipulated by magic that shimmers on the edge of their comprehension. How many times do ancient patterns unexpectedly take our lives hostage, causing chaos of our otherwise satisfactory lives? Old patterns of behaviour or childhood roles may sabotage the best of us when we least anticipate it and when we may even believe them to be dealt with, ancient history. Like most myths, there is no unequivocally happy ending, but there is hope. And really, what more can a reader ask for?
Thomas Canty has provided an attractive cover, beautifully illustrating both the book's mythology and its handsome protagonist. It is reminiscent of a stained glass window. Perhaps it is meant to recreate one of Ysaud's paintings?
If you enjoyed this book, I would recommend that you try Song for the Basilisk by Patricia McKillip and Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint, both of which seem to me to have a similar atmosphere and outlook.
Book number 410 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
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