Customer Reviews

Dark Horn Blowing

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I first read this book when I was a teenager, nearly two decades ago. The plot is a melding of folksongs and ballads: A young wife is stolen to be nursemaid to the child of the evil king of elfland, leaving behind a beloved husband and newborn baby. Nora hates her situation but she pities the elf-queen and her weak child and gives him all the love she yearns to give her lost baby. This selflessness is rewarded when her foster child learns human love in spite of his father. This love will save both of them from the elf-king's cruelty. Unfortunately for most readers the language *is* lyrical, owing more in its rhythms and word-choices to old ballads than to modern prose. The characters are archetypes rather than individuals: A Dark Horn Blowing is driven by setting, mood and plot rather than by an in-depth exploration of character. Fans of the mythopoeic, however, will not be disappointed.

A Dark Horn Blowing has several factors in its favor: its publication in the generally decent Magic Carpet series (including better entries such as The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip), a very appealing cover, and an intriguing mix of old ballads and poems. They are, unfortunately, insufficient to cover its faults. The prose tends to be overwritten, only very occasionally possessing the beauty it intends. (For lyrical fantasy, I strongly recommend anything by Patricia McKillip and Robin McKinley.) The story line is also detracted from by the constant change of first person narrators. While it can be interesting to see what other characters are thinking, it causes the story to become rather choppy. It is annoying and unrealistic how the five year old prince, Eelie, speaks, thinks and acts like an adult. As to the use of old ballads, they often seem awkward and disjointed, and are inserted sporadically. Things that are never in the least hinted at just suddenly happen (particularly the magic, which is very superficially explained), and the plot sprawls out in several directions, with only the sketchiest of character motives. The characters never seem real or elicit compassion from the reader.

With all that said, it must be fair to concede that A Dark Horn Blowing did create a decently surreal and enigmatic atmosphere. A decent attempt to combine ballads, but a far better one is The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope, which is a retelling of "Tam Lin" with some of "The Twa Sisters" mixed in.

Ailanna

'A Dark Horn Blowing' is the kind of book that is impossible to put down. The characters are described in such detail that I can relate to them, and understand how they feel, even though I have never been in their position. The main reason that I enjoyed this book is because it showed how each character was feeling about the same (or almost the same) situation. I knew exactly what the setting looked like from the author's explainations. I love the descriptions of Ornhest, the horse. I adore all the characters, Owen, Eelie, Eben, and especially Nora. She shows strength and loyalty. Owen is brave and Eelie is sure of himself. Eben wishes only for the best. I wish that there were a dozen books like this one!

This book was brief but, to me, very satisfying despite a flaw or two. The book is based on Norse and Scottish folk ballads and myths (e.g. Hugin and Munin, Odin't two ravens, make a couple of appearances).

It's written in a lyrical way, reading very much like those tales and myths as they would have been told by some bard at a feast in a great house. Yet in the case of the two youngest characters, you do get into their heads and their experience quite thoroughly. The characters feel much more sympathetic and real than Farmer's characters did.

There was the occasional weak point, like the swiftness with which the prince solved his personal problem, or the blank spot where the reader wanted to witness a long-sought family reunion. Those weren't minor, and the book is weaker because of them.

But on the whole, I really loved the book, and for the most part, it was an enchanting tale.

I believe I first read Dark Horn Blowing in the 70's. I adored it -- not so much for the plot or even the characters -- but for the masterful way in which Dahlov Zorach Ipcar created such a moody, compelling, atmospheric world for the reader to explore and become part of.

From the moment Nora succumbs to the draw of the dark horn, which lures her away from hearth, husband, and babe, the reader is likewise compelled to follow...and remains caught-up until the last page.

If you are someone who longs for a really excellent literary escape, this is the book for you. I find myself re-reading it once a year, or more.

Truly enchanting.

I've read this book over and over again, usually before I go to bed. I like how you see the story from different points of view, and I like the characters. The tone is kind of strange and surreal, which may have turned other readers off. To me, it just set the story more firmly in that distant, vague, dream-like time that old legends are set in.

I wanted so much to give _A Dark Horn Blowing_ at least three stars! It's based on a ballad, "The Fairy Queen's Nurse", and I always love books based on ballads, in general. Plus, the story was pretty decent most of the way; although the writing could get a little choppy and weirdly paced (Oops, three years just passed, and barely a sentence is given to it). I found it hard to get truly interested in any of the narrators, since they just seem to be Generically Nice People without many quirks or anything. The most three-dimensional character was the villainess Bab Magga. But all in all, it was going okay.

Then the ending approached. As the book progressed toward a climax, almost nothing seemed to work right for me as a reader. Eelie did a memory regression to figure out why he couldn't walk; his solution was so simple and obvious that he shouldn't have needed to meditate to get it. And then suddenly he knows this, and he can walk. All in about 2 pages. Also, and more importantly, a big and moving reunion scene between Nora, Owen, and Eben was being set up throughout the novel. Then, when it finally happens, whose POV are we reading it from? Eelie's, and he's watching from a distance. No emotional release. Argh. Then there is a long digression at the end that just seems to be Eelie going for a joyride. It's like someone told the author, "I need you to tack ten more pages onto the end."

_A Dark Hown Blowing_ could have been so good, but wasn't.

Actually, this book is more like 4 1/2 stars, but I couldn't put that. Anyway, we need to bring up the average review. I don't know about what you others are saying about the characters. I thought it was great. It was a neat story and it was cool how the author wrote it from different characters'point of view, though she could have written a little less from Eelie's POV. It was a lot better than I thought it would be. When I got near the end I couldn't put it down! I would DEFINATELY read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After reading the other reviews of this is book and the book itself this I have concluded: I myself throughly enjoyed this wonderfully written book. I found the changing point of views shows the story in many different and always interesting ways. Ipcar weaves a web of fantasy and enchantment. The many worlds in this book open the doors left closed in many other fantasy books. Your mind is twisted in many ways as you live the life of the characters. I think this book fits the taste of teenagers and not so much the adults. language that Ipcar uses fasinates the younger readers but may be dull for others allthough I do suggest trying it. Others may dissagree but I enjoyed every page I read of this book.

when i first read this book i only put it down when my eyes couldn't stay open because i was so tired. but as soon as i woke up i had the book in hand again. i don't know why it did not get good reveiws, i think it is extremly well done. if you want a fantasy with good, evil, love, hate, strange creatures, and a compelling plot, this is the book to read.