The Elder Staves [Paperback]

Steven Oliverez (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 2005

The sky-city of Tyr, floating above the frozen wasteland of a dead world, is a place of spells and skyscrapers, where the ruling council of elders struggles to maintain its power against the growing influence of technology. A clandestine rebellion is underway, assassinating nobles and threatening to topple the Council entirely, while far beneath the city a haunting, malevolent presence from Tyr's mystical past silently gathers strength. But a far more pressing issue is at hand - for the first time since its founding millennia ago, Tyr has begun falling toward the surface.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This work deserves a look, there is a lot to like here..." -- FantasyBookSpot.com, August 8, 2005

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Aventine Press (May 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593302800
• ISBN-13: 978-1593302801
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,197,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Literary Fantasy, June 2, 2005

By 

SEH "Susan" (Herndon, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elder Staves (Paperback)

This was by far the best fantasy novel I've ever read. It put a new spin on a normally overdone magical world by opposing it against technology. Oliverez is a fantastic writer and really lures the reader into the story of a falling world. I would definately recommend this book to readers of both literary fiction and fantasy/sci-fi because with the central character development and vivid fantasical images, both genre of readers will love the story!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Branching Out, November 2, 2005

By 

Carl Tran "Carl Tran" (SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elder Staves (Paperback)

Having finished the Gunslinger and Sword of Truth Series (up to Chainfire), I needed a new author for my fantasy fix. I also wanted something with a different style from typical fantasy offerings. The Elder Staves was a refreshing change of pace (and length - wow, Goodkind can droll on for 500 pages and nothing happens. There was more in this single offering than several volumes of the series I've been plodding through.)

Bottom line, if you want an exciting and entertaining story, pick this one up. If you're only reading to get your elf or space battle fix, there are other books out there.

I hope Oliverez writes faster than the other guys.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, Well Worth The Read, August 1, 2005

By 

Rachael Crowley - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elder Staves (Paperback)

Oliverez presents us with a world where magic was once the norm, where the old power structure of near-invincible magic users is crumbling in the face of commoners armed with simple yet revolutionary weapons. Magic, it would seem, cannot stand against the natural forces of the world - chief among them being ingenuity and gunpowder.

The Elder Staves is thought-provoking, but to say that takes away from the exciting action that dominates the story. Above all else it is a highly enjoyable and entertaining read, with more excitement and quick page turns than I've seen in long time. It also stands in stark contrast to the thick, wordy, drawn-out tomes that dominate the fantasy genre. This work is concise and makes fantasy available to those of us who don't wish to plod through 600 pages of boring repetition.

Carn is the son of a noble and is poised to become the next Elder, one of a Romanesque triumvirate that rules the sky-city of Tyr. The main character of the story, however, seems to be Tyr herself. As we meet several of her finest (and not so fine) citizens, we see the underlying class struggles and distinctions that existed in a time when magic was unchallenged, and the changes brought about since the rise of technology. This may sound like a stuffy piece of literature until you actually pick it up and start reading - this is all just intelligent background to a city where buildings are being firebombed and magical guardians are being gunned-down by incomprehensible new inventions.

Will magic survive? Should it?

The Elder Staves also prompts this question for the avid daydreamer: If magic really did exist in our world, would we need it?

What I enjoyed most about this novel is the voice. At times it takes on a Hemmingway simplicity with poetic undertones. The description is not read so much as transferred directly to the reader's imagination. The action is expertly timed, starting out as a slow simmer while Oliverez sets up the events of the troubled city, then the dominoes begin to fall from all directions and you feel the tempo increase as tensions reach the breaking point and conflicts multiply. In the escalating battles between the forces of magic and technology it is often hard to distinguish between the two, and we see this in the characters as well. Carn is torn between two extremely powerful forces, both of which far exceed his understanding.

So many similarities can be drawn to today's culture, and yet one can never be sure if this was intentional or if it simply reflects how real and immediate the world that Oliverez has created is. The similarities are not allegory, because they are not meant to prove a position or make a statement. All sides are presented and, as in real life, the reader is on his own to decide who is right and who is wrong - and no matter who you chose, you will probably argue up and down that the author agrees with you.

This is an incredible debut and it seems that both Tyr and Oliverez have many more stories to give us.