Customer Reviews

The Kedrigern Chronicles vol. 2 (Dudgeon and Dragons) (The Kedrigern Chronicles, Cvolume 2) (v. 2)

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In the mid-1980s, author John Morressy began writing about Kedrigern of Silent Thunder Mountain, a most puissant wizard. Expertly combining traditional sword-and-sorcery Fantasy with humor, these stories are laugh-out-loud funny, and an excellent addition to the library of any Fantasy reader.

This book combines two of Morressy's full-length novels with six short stories, many of which I have never seen before (the second novel appears nowhere in English, except in this book). If you have never read the Kedrigern books, then I suggest that you get this book, and join the ranks of the Kedrigern fans. If you are already a fan, then all I can say is that you *must* get this book!

The following stories are included in this book:

Kedrigern in Wanderland (209 pages) - Princess develops a desire to obtain a magic wand and prods the reluctant Kedrigern into undertaking yet another journey. Along the path, Kedrigern and Princess encounter a princess who was cruelly turned into a sword by an evil wizard; who also turned her brother into a shield, her sister into a crown, and her cousin into . . . a wand!

To Market, To Market (12 pages) - When a farmer's daughter goes off to the goblin market to obtain fresh fruit, she falls afoul of their evil magic. Kedrigern is only too happy to help, but it might just be that Princess's years in the bog might be of more help. (This is actually the weakest of the stories.)

Reflection and Insight (12 pages) - King Sigert has hired Kedrigern to find him a magic mirror that will flatter his wife, and hopefully save his marriage. However, when Kedrigern shows up with a mirror that cannot tell a lie, things work out quite differently than expected.

Conhoon and the Fairy Dancers (20 pages) - When Conhoon of the Three Gifts, the most famous wizard in all Ireland, has a hero come to his door, he finds that a new adventure awaits him. The Sidhe have ensorcelled the poor mans wife, and so it is up to Conhoon to once again outwit the Good People. (A great story!)

A Legend of Fair Women (23 pages) - Tristaver is an old friend of Kedrigern, but the only field of magic that he has ever excelled in was the production of love charms. But when a warrior maid drags him onto a deadly quest, it seems that his magic will be of little aid...or will it?

Kedrigern and the Dragon comme il faut (212 page) - When Kedrigern sets out to save an old friend from a demon, he runs into more complications than even he thought possible. Along the way he encounters a con-man wizard, the fiancé of a prince (now a cricket), talking spiders, an enchanted ruby, and a dragon who needs to get in touch with his inner-dragon.

Fair Weather Fiend (20 pages) - When Kedrigern is summoned to aid a king who has suddenly lost his wits, he must use his wits to find out who did it and why.

The Indispensable Little Prince (15 pages) - Kedrigern is summoned by the King of the Darkwood to defeat an evil enchantment that has befallen the kingdom. However, little does Kedrigern realize that he faces an ancient and malicious evil. (In spite of its size, this is probably the best story in the whole book!)

Cold Comfort (18 pages) - Returning to Silent Thunder Mountain, Kedrigern finds that that Princess and Spot (his house-troll) have been kidnapped. Bending all his magic towards finding them, he finds that the trail heads north, towards the biggest threat Kedrigern has ever faced!

The Game is A Foot (21 pages) - While staying at an inn, Kedrigern meets a most ill tempered fellow, a bullying knight who is used to getting his way. But, when the knight turns up murdered, with no wound or trace of magic on him, it's up to Kedrigern to solve this baffling mystery.

For anyone who loves Kedrigern, Princess, Spot and all the eccentric characters created by John Morressy, this book is a delight. Each tale can stand alone, but are mostly organized to create a continuing saga. A must read for Kedrigern lovers.

In the mid-1980s, author John Morressy began writing about Kedrigern of Silent Thunder Mountain, a most puissant wizard. Expertly combining traditional sword-and-sorcery Fantasy with humor, these stories are laugh-out-loud funny, and an excellent addition to the library of any Fantasy reader.

This book combines two of Morressy's full-length novels with six short stories, many of which I have never seen before (the second novel appears nowhere in English, except in this book). If you have never read the Kedrigern books, then I suggest that you get this book, and join the ranks of the Kedrigern fans. If you are already a fan, then all I can say is that you *must* get this book!

The following stories are included in this book:

Kedrigern in Wanderland (209 pages) - Princess develops a desire to obtain a magic wand and prods the reluctant Kedrigern into undertaking yet another journey. Along the path, Kedrigern and Princess encounter a princess who was cruelly turned into a sword by an evil wizard; who also turned her brother into a shield, her sister into a crown, and her cousin into . . . a wand!

To Market, To Market (12 pages) - When a farmer's daughter goes off to the goblin market to obtain fresh fruit, she falls afoul of their evil magic. Kedrigern is only too happy to help, but it might just be that Princess's years in the bog might be of more help. (This is actually the weakest of the stories.)

Reflection and Insight (12 pages) - King Sigert has hired Kedrigern to find him a magic mirror that will flatter his wife, and hopefully save his marriage. However, when Kedrigern shows up with a mirror that cannot tell a lie, things work out quite differently than expected.

Conhoon and the Fairy Dancers (20 pages) - When Conhoon of the Three Gifts, the most famous wizard in all Ireland, has a hero come to his door, he finds that a new adventure awaits him. The Sidhe have ensorcelled the poor mans wife, and so it is up to Conhoon to once again outwit the Good People. (A great story!)

A Legend of Fair Women (23 pages) - Tristaver is an old friend of Kedrigern, but the only field of magic that he has ever excelled in was the production of love charms. But when a warrior maid drags him onto a deadly quest, it seems that his magic will be of little aid...or will it?

Kedrigern and the Dragon comme il faut (212 page) - When Kedrigern sets out to save an old friend from a demon, he runs into more complications than even he thought possible. Along the way he encounters a con-man wizard, the fiancé of a prince (now a cricket), talking spiders, an enchanted ruby, and a dragon who needs to get in touch with his inner-dragon.

Fair Weather Fiend (20 pages) - When Kedrigern is summoned to aid a king who has suddenly lost his wits, he must use his wits to find out who did it and why.

The Indispensable Little Prince (15 pages) - Kedrigern is summoned by the King of the Darkwood to defeat an evil enchantment that has befallen the kingdom. However, little does Kedrigern realize that he faces an ancient and malicious evil. (In spite of its size, this is probably the best story in the whole book!)

Cold Comfort (18 pages) - Returning to Silent Thunder Mountain, Kedrigern finds that that Princess and Spot (his house-troll) have been kidnapped. Bending all his magic towards finding them, he finds that the trail heads north, towards the biggest threat Kedrigern has ever faced!

The Game is A Foot (21 pages) - While staying at an inn, Kedrigern meets a most ill tempered fellow, a bullying knight who is used to getting his way. But, when the knight turns up murdered, with no wound or trace of magic on him, it's up to Kedrigern to solve this baffling mystery.

The Kedrigern Chronicles, Volume 2: Dudgeon and Dragons proves to be yet another delightful and leisurely read by breezy fantasist John Morressey. No, it's not epic blood and guts Sword & Sorcery stuff, but is rather a more genteel and frothy form of fantasy. Kedrigern doesn't wield a soul-thirsty sword or carve up evil henchmen like so much sirloin steak. Like most civilized, learned mages, he uses instead his hard-earned knowledge and talent for wizardry to resolve his clients' dilemmas. Kedrigern is a homebody who dresses unassumingly and would rather wile away his time at his cozy cottage on top of Silent Thunder Mountain, in the company of his beloved wife Princess and their enthusiastic, ugly but loyal house-troll Spot. Alas, fate seems to be ever conspiring to send the reclusive wizard away on long, inconvenient trips to accommodate his vocation and, sometimes, to also oblige the whims of the more outgoing and convivial Princess.

This lighthearted second omnibus contains two full-length Kedrigern novels: Kedrigern in Wanderland and Kedrigern and the Dragon comme il faut, and seven short stories, 5 of which feature our favorite crusty wizard and 2 centering on his wizardly acquaintances. The author also writes a one-page foreword (a quick blanket recap of events leading to this point) and a 2-and-a-half page afterword. Nice to also hear that there are two more omnibus collections forthcoming.

Here are the contents:

Kedrigern in Wanderland (novel) - As their third year wedding anniversary looms, Princess announces that she wishes to have a magic wand as an anniversary gift. So, with reluctance (as usual, he'd rather stay home), Keddie takes his wife on the road again, and becomes embroiled in a quest involving the sentient magic sword Panstygia, Mother of Darkness (formerly a princess named Louise) and her ensorcelled royal kin (now in the forms of an iron shield, a crown, and a wand).

"To Market, to Market" (short story, first published anywhere) - Inspired by Christina Rossetti's poem "The Goblin Market," this one's about Kedrigern and Princess coming to the aid of a farmer, whose daughter Nell has been ensorcelled by nasty goblins.

"Reflection and Insight" (short story) - There is dissent in the marriage of King Sigert and Queen Brissault. Kedrigern has been commissioned to procure a magic talking mirror, as a birthday present by the king for his wife, in hopes of reconciling their differences. Of course, it's never that easy...

"Conhoon and the Fairy Dancers" (short story) - This one features the Irish wizard Conhoon of the Three Gifts, a colleague of Kedrigern's. Conhoon comes to the aid of a Hero, whose princessly wife has been bespelled by the capricious fairy Twisty Mike: her hand has been turned into a lobster claw. Conhoon must go in search of Twisty Mike and petition or force him to reverse the spell.

"Legend of Fair Women" (short story) - Tristaver is another contemporary of Kedrigern. Tristaver is not that proficient in wizarding, thus he specializes mostly in love charms. One day, he is prevailed upon to help a warrior maiden on a quest for the Grove of Desperation, where they must face a Gruesome Monster. Tristaver finds himself having to resort to base cunning and what lowly magic he does possess. His solution is fairly brilliant.

Kedrigern and the Dragon Comme Il Faut (novel, first appearance in English) - This one is an episodic adventure centering on Kedrigern and Princess's dealings with the romantic and magical entanglements of a haughty prince, a cursed (with cowardice) heir to the kingdom, a just-elevated princess (formerly a commoner and an enchanted cricket, but now chaperoned by a "civilized" dragon), and a doughty female knight out to prove herself. The last one mentioned also appears in "Legend of Fair Women." Keddie also encounters 5th-rate charlatans posing as wizards, verbal arachnids, a demon-possessed lord, and foul sorcery involving the mythical All-Tree.

"Fair Weather Fiend" (short story) - Kedrigern and Princess look into the problem of a king, who, on a bright and clear blue day, was seemingly struck by lightning and made addle-witted.

"The Indispensible Little Prince" (short story, first appearance in English) - Kedrigern rides to the rescue of the King of Darkwood, whose kingdom is under attack by malignant forces and whose princely son has been reduced to carrot size.

"Cold Comfort" (short story) - Kedrigern returns home after a month away and discovers that Princess and Spot have gone missing. He determines that a shapeshifting frost giant has stolen away his wife and his devoted house-troll. He turns to his old friend Bess the Wood-witch and comes away with two weapons with which to face the deadly frost giant: a camel-bite spell and a vial of Bess's noxious brew Old Fenny Snake.

"The Game is A Foot" (short story) - Shades of John Dickson Carr! Kedrigern, while staying at an inn, must play sleuth and solve the locked-room mystery of the murder of an abusive, loutish knight.

The Kedrigern series belongs to the best in fantasy. Unfortunately the author is dead and the publisher went belly up, so you can get it only second hand (or illegally on the net).
Hopefully there will be a reprint or an e-edition.

What more needs to be said, it's the Kedrigen series !!!