Customer Reviews

Green Pearl

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Green Pearl is the second book in the Lyonesse Trilogy. While the volume stands on its own, I think you'd be hard pressed to get caught up. If you can, read the first volume, Suldrun's Garden, before starting The Green Pearl.

The book continues the chronicles of the Elder Isles, the lost islands of fantasy between France and Britain. As is the first book, Vance skillfully weaves together seemingly unrelated stories into a coherent whole. Mostly, the book centers around the adventures of Ailias, now a king, and his efforts to solve the personal and royal problems that beset him.

As was the case in Suldrun's Garden, there are long stretches that are almost dreamlike in their tone. A long interlude between Ailias and a barbaric Ska princess is remarkable for its combination of lucidity and dreamlike character; when that particular adventure ends, you very much feel you, with Ailias, have wakened from a dream.

The book does suffer the problem of any second book in a trilogy: it's primarily a bridge between the discoveries in the first book and the denouements in the last. But there are enough new characters and new ideas to keep you fascinated. There are comically sinister magicians, recalcitrant nobles, dying kings and a different view of the barabaric Ska. The book is much less obviously derivative than Suldrun's Garden.

Altogether a most satisfying read. Strongly recommended.

Pearl skillfully unfolds different scenarios and weaves all together similar to some of Shakespeare's plays. Jumping through time and space within the story and with the story's format reveals nimble Vance storytelling magic. It would take a real tugboat not to become involved with the various characters and their quests, loves, hates, and power struggles. Vance salts his story with heroes and humour. He peppers Pearl with plenty of villans, human weaknesses, and humour. I could not get enough of the many absurdities and bizarre creations Vance dreamed into his story. Finishing the book left me with the choice of using my imagination to tie up some unveiled mysteries or mindmelding with Vance or waiting for his next book about this world.

In my opinion, this is the best fantasy book ever written. Vance shows nearly limitless imagination, and this is Vance at his finest.

I must say that it is refreshing to read fantasy that isn't just a copy of The Lord of the Rings. The Green Pearl Draws very loosely on the legends of King Aurthur, but also establishes it's own unique mythology. It is worth reading over and over.

The Green Pearl is another engrossing adventure in Jack Vance's whimsical world. This installment of Lyonesse mainly follows Aillas, now King of Troicinet, as he seeks revenge on the Ska, tests his infatuation with Tatzel, deals with a couple of traitors, and tries to thwart the ambitions of King Casmir of Lyonesse who, unbeknownst to Casmir, is Aillas's son's grandfather. We also spend quite a bit of time with Shimrod, Glyneth, Melancthe, and some new and excellent characters such as the duplicitous innkeeper Dildahl, the dogged but distractible Visbhume, and The Notable and Singular Zuck (Dealer in Objects Unique Under the Firmament).

There are two main reasons that I love Lyonesse. First, I admire Vance's florid imagination. His world and its creatures are unique and, while not as bizarre as Lewis Carroll's, there's plenty of weirdness. Second, I love Jack Vance's odd but irresistible style. There's no message, no lesson, no pretensions -- it's just pure fast-paced entertainment. But best of all, Vance's deliberately peculiar and droll prose makes me laugh:

"A crippled ex-soldier named Manting for ten years had served the county as executioner. He did his work efficiently and expunged Long Liam's life definitely enough, but in a style quite devoid of that extra element of surprise and poignancy, which distinguished the notable executioner from his staid colleague. ... [then Manting comes into possession of the Green Pearl which Long Liam had carried] ... Thereafter, all who watched Manting declared that they had never seen the executioner's work done with more grace and attention to detail, so at times Manting and the condemned man seemed participants in a tragic drama which set every heart to throbbing; and at last, when the latch had been sprung, or the blow struck, or the torch tossed into the faggots, there was seldom a dry eye among the spectators."

And the dialog is truly humorous -- so many authors try, but Vance gets it right. Just two short examples:

* The barber said politely: "Sire, I suggest that you hold your feet motionless while I am cutting your toenails."
* When the beautiful but empty-headed Melancthe tries to seduce Shimrod, he says: "My character is intensely strong, and my will is like iron; still, I see no reason to demonstrate their strength needlessly."

Again I shake my head in bewilderment that this charming trilogy can not be acquired by the usual book-obtaining methods. What a shame!

All of Vance's best qualities are present in this book, along with a less commonly seen depth of characterization, avoiding the tendency he sometimes (with great elan) displays to make his characters examplars of mordant satiric qualities or cruel irony. The characters are sympathetic, the setting intricately detailed, the tortures and jests as pungent as ever, and the underlying sense of mystery quite gripping. It is too bad this book is not currently in print; I look forward to its re-release.

Jack Vance's The Green Pearl is one of the three greatest book I have ever read. I am an avid fantasy reader, but the moment I read Vance's work, I was unable to enjoy any other author. His plot lines are intricate (finally, someone who *works* to make a good story!), and his characters are far more developed than those in any other book I have read. You really get to know who you're dealing with, and he makes you absolutely adore the good guys, while the bad guys you despise, and wish curses upon them as if you yourself were actually part of the story. The setting is beautifully imaginative, and his names are enjoyable to read: Shimrod, Aillas, Casmir, the Forest of Tantrevalles and Swer Smod... the list goes on, but all the names are perfect! I was duely impressed with The Green Pearl, and look forward to reading more of Vance's work.

The Green Pearl is the best of Jack Vance's best trilogy. It has some of the most memorable, funny dialogues that Jack Vance has come up with, and in my opinion they are what you read his books for. His turn of phrase is unique. Don't read it for character development!

This is the awesome 2nd installment in the mega-awesome Lyonesse trilogy. If you like hard-core fantasy with an almost scientific approach to the application of magic, a great storyline, wry humor, witty dialog, and good struggling against evil, this book can't be beat.

This is the second book in the Lyonesse trilogy, and differs from its predecessor in some respects. The tone is much lighter, offering many more dialogues with the typical Vance wit and humor. Casimir plays a much smaller role in the story, removing one of the more brutal antagonists. The sorceror Visbhume is introduced and resembles Cugel more than any other Vance character I have read recently.

The story moves forward the efforts of Ailias to counter the Ska presence in the Ulflands, including reunion with the ska noblegirl Tatzel, and a number of combat scenes. Ongoing machinations of Tartumello (sp) continue, though the sorcerors play an overall small role in the story, Visbhume excepted.

A major plot thread resolution here (the ska presence in the Ulflands) has a resolution which is far too easy, resembling other major political resolutions seen in some other stories by Vance, including The Pnume, The Wankh, and arguably The Dirdir - essentially, protagonist dictates terms to enemy from position of (sometimes) apparent strength, and enemy accepts unconditionally, end of problem.

This is a fabulous book, and I am looking forward to re-reading Madouc in the near future.