The Long Look [Hardcover]

Richard Parks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2008

Everything you know about evil magicians is wrong.

Tymon the Black is the latest in a long succession of magicians to suffer under a curse called “The Long Look.” He gets glimpses of future horrors, horrors that will almost certainly come to pass unless he acts. When one such glimpse prods him to arrange for the murder of a headstrong young prince, he sets a cascading chain of events in motion that could lead to a future even more terrible than the one he tried to prevent.

Now all he has to do is hang on to a friend, train an apprentice, prevent a prince obsessed with revenge from destroying himself and his entire kingdom, help a princess come to terms with guilt and grief, make sure a wedding happens, make sure a war doesn't, and send a creature of ultimate darkness back to the void from whence it came.

All in a day's work for the world's most evil wizard? Not quite. There's also a goddess to contend with, and there's nothing like attracting the interest of a goddess to upset the balance of any evil scheme. No matter. No one ever said that the life of a fiend was an easy one.

The Long Look is a fantasy novel with a unique blend of action, introspection, speculation and humor that should keep any reader both involved and confused, but don't worry. It all makes sense. Eventually.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the beginning of this amusing but thoughtful sword and sorcery novel from World Fantasy Award finalist Parks (Worshipping Small Gods), evil magician Tymon the Black kidnaps Princess Ashesa and kills brave Prince Daras when he comes to rescue her. At least that's the official story. Tymon, blessed (or cursed) with an overabundance of foresight, is simply trying to prevent the damage a simple-minded, glory-addicted hero could do if he lived to become king, but even the magician's Sanchoesque dwarf companion, Seb, questions the magician's certainty that the ends justify the means. Tymon tries to make it right by helping Daras's bookish younger brother get together with spunky, guilt-ridden Ashesa, but initial intervention is increasingly complicated by the maneuverings of an exceptionally intelligent cast of characters. The tale doesn't overflow with crackling wit or moral complexity, but heroic fantasy fans will enjoy its clever tweaking of familiar clichés. (Sept.)
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From Booklist

Parks successfully conjures an evil magician with a difference. Tymon the Black, at heart a kind, gentle man, is the latest in a long line of magicians who suffer the curse called the Long Look, the ability to see future horrors that will occur unless action is taken. To prevent chaos this time, Tymon realizes he has to kidnap a princess; kill the headstrong, hot-tempered prince to whom she is unwillingly betrothed; and make sure a wedding takes place. All this sets in motion a complicated series of events involving not only the intrepid princess and the dead prince’s brother but also Tymon’s loyal companion, the dwarf Seb; an obscure and doddering pretender to a throne who is being used in a plot to take over a kingdom; an enigmatic goddess; a young man who becomes Tymon’s apprentice; and a fiend who must be banished. The upshot is a tale of multidimensional characterizations that is long on action, often-hilarious humor, introspection on the nature of good and evil, and the relation between cause and effect. --Sally Estes

Product Details

• Hardcover: 297 pages
• Publisher: Five Star (ME); 1st edition (September 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594147043
• ISBN-13: 978-1594147043
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,622,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Richard Parks lives in Mississippi with his wife and a varying number of cats. He collects Japanese woodblock prints but otherwise has no hobbies since he discovered that they all require time. His fiction has appeared in Asimov's SF, Realms of Fantasy, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, Fantasy Magazine, Weird Tales, and numerous anthologies, including Year's Best Fantasy and Fantasy: The Best of the Year. His first story collection, THE OGRE'S WIFE, was a World Fantasy Award finalist."


Photo by Carol Parks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take a Long Look at this Interesting SF Fantasy book., June 3, 2009

By 

Sonya "readaholic" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Long Look (Hardcover)

Tymon the Black has a reputation as an evil magician, capable of the most heinous crimes. What he really has is the gift of foretelling the future, which he visualizes during his "long looks", a kind of trance-like state. Alas, this gift is sometimes incomplete and often puts him in the position of taking actions that lead to the future he has seen during his "long looks." Most of his "visions" are of horrific ends to nations and people, that must be averted. His companion is Seb, a dwarf who's smart, resourceful and thoughtful, but who is not above attacking and defending if needed.

What is interesting about this book is that the main characters (there are many) are multi-faceted and have depth to their behavior and actions. Nobody is inherently evil or good, which I think reflects real life. There are twists and turns, lots of humor, sarcasm and wit...everything you want in a SFF.

I would definitely recommend this book to science fiction fantasy fans who like magic, intelligent dialogue and action in their books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book, July 10, 2009

By 

Katherine Dewey - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Long Look (Hardcover)

Yes, I love it for the lean and lyrical prose that never distracts. I love it for the wonderful characters that drive the plot. This is a can't-put-down-until-the-end sort of book, one that you'll read again and again. I did.

5.0 out of 5 stars very different, very good, January 21, 2012

By 

M. Landers (New York) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Long Look (Hardcover)

Solid plot, excellently developed characters, superb writing. As other reviewers have said, many unexpected turns. One quibble: the characters are all intelligent, principled (though not necessarily admirable) and courageous. Then I remembered that I was reading a fantasy.

Highly recommended.