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Title: The Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt-Evans ISBN: 1-58715-282-7 Publisher: Wildside Press Pub. Date: 01 December, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.31 (32 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A Light Fantasy Classic
Comment: This novel is the first of the Ethshar series, though these novels can be read in any order, and takes place as a several centuries' long war is coming to a close. Lost behind enemy lines and with enemy scouts in hot pursuit, the protagonist, Valder, stumbles across the hut of an ancient hermit, who happens to be a wizard, and happens not to be too pleased with the sudden loss of his privacy. He is even less pleased, when in the confrontation with Valder's pursuers that follows, his home and most of his possessions are destroyed. The novel revolves around the consequences of what follows -- the wizard enchants Valder's sword with all the spells he has the supplies to perform as a way of appeasing the soldier and sending him on his way. However, in the dark and with his life turned upside down, he makes a mistake. The novel then follows Valder as he figures out exactly what has been done to his sword, and what the consequences of that enchantment means.
This is not heroic or epic fiction: Watt-Evans writes in a gently mocking way about likable and well-drawn characters just trying to get by. He treats the magic of his world familiarly, but it lacks nothing for not being mysterious. In fact, the qualities that make his books fun to read are traceable to this lack of wonder: the down-to-earth magic creates down-to-earth problems which his characters must then resolve.
An appealing, enjoyable book with a twisted take on a classic fantasy motif, that you might even end up rereading several times over the years. However, don't go into this book expecting an epic journey through another person's imagination, filled with thrilling intrigue, tragic deaths, shocking betrayals, and great voyages. You'll be disappointed.
Rating: 5
Summary: a terribly enjoyable fantasy book... finally
Comment: Hi. I'm not usually into fantasy. Let's face it... most are poorly written (geared to 14 year old boys), take themselves too seriously, or try to be Tolkien (failing miserably). Watt-Evans' book, the Misenchanted Sword, is a welcome, fun, light, and intelligent exception. Its a joy to read. He creates a great protagonist - Valder, an ordinary, run of the mill ex-soldier. In many ways, he is an antithesis of most fantasy heroes: not exceptionally brave nor intelligent nor wise nor bloodthirsty. Nonetheless, he's thrust into an extraordinary situation (possessing a sword that gives him immortality until he has killed 100 people... at which point the sword turns on him...oh yeah, the sword does not protect him from aging or being wounded). With that, the story takes off, and you'll be through the book in about two nights. Great fun!
Rating: 2
Summary: Thoroughly Mediocre
Comment: THE MISENCHANTED SWORD is the first of Lawrence Watt-Evans' Ethshar novels. The world is soaked in magic - one of those mid-'80s creations of heavily D&D-influenced fantasy. The attitude can, perhaps, best be summed up by a quote from the book itself: "They wanted to believe in heroes, not ordinary, everyday magic." (Think about it.)
The concept of the plot is a fairly clever twist on familiar themes: The main character, trapped in the middle of a generational religious war between the followers of the gods and the northern demon-worshippers, is gifted with a magic sword. Unfortunately, as the character rapidly learns, the sword's enchantments include some rather annoying side-effects - among them the fact that the main character can't get rid of it. (One might even say it was cursed.)
The back cover blurb on my copy of the book gives the impression that this will all result in something of a farce - like Asprin or Anthony in their prime. In reality, there's nothing particularly funny about the book at all, and it's rather clear that Watt-Evans never meant it to be. The story would better be described as something of a melancholic character drama.
The prose (or, perhaps more appropriately, the storytelling) can be awkward at times: There seems to be no trust that the reader will hold on to certain concepts (like the emerging nature of the sword's enchantment), and thus the same information will be repeated incessantly.
In fact, there is a general lack of authorial confidence: Even the smallest details are given awkward justifications (as if the author were constantly fearful that someone were going to shout "gotcha!"). Every fact is repeated, and the main character goes round in circle after circle as he considers every possibility two or three times before finally taking action.
The setting also poses some problems. Ethshar is formed on the foundation of some rather intriguing and unique ideas, but the details seem to vary randomly between cleverly suggestive and puzzlingly vague.
Ultimately, the biggest problem is that the story seems to simply meander without much of a point. On the one hand, the most interesting sequences are simply glossed over - probably because the book is meant to be a character drama, not an adventure book. On the other hand, the main character never seems to achieve that vivid depth which would make his story interesting in-and-of itself. And, on the gripping hand, the flaws in the storytelling cause the entire book to wander with wild abandon.
All in all, I found this to be a solidly mediocre book - neither exceptional nor horrendously flawed. It would be a better book if it had been ruthlessly trimmed of its repetitive elements, with the freed-up space being used to move several incidents banished to exposition into the active narrative. As it is, this isn't a book I'll caution you against - but it's not a book I'd recommend, either.
I'm glad that this wasn't my first Watt-Evans, because otherwise I might draw very different conclusions about his quality as an author. (Instead my first was NIGHTSIDE CITY, and that's an excellent book.) As it is, I'll almost certainly check out the second Ethshar book at some point to see how the intriguing and cleverly suggestive elements of the setting develop in the hands of a more mature author.
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Title: With A Single Spell by Watt-Evans, Lawrence ISBN: 1587152851 Publisher: Wildside Press Pub. Date: 03 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Night of Madness by Lawrence Watt-Evans ISBN: 0812577949 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Blood of a Dragon (Legends of Ethshar) by Watt-Evans, Lawrence ISBN: 1587153572 Publisher: Wildside Press Pub. Date: 03 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: The Spell of the Black Dagger (Legends of Ethshar) by Watt-Evans, Lawrence ISBN: 1587153602 Publisher: Wildside Press Pub. Date: 03 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Ithanalin's Restoration (Legends of Ethshar) by Lawrence Watt-Evans ISBN: 0765340550 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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