Customer Reviews

Song Of Mavin Manyshaped

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Mavin's trilogy is a prequel to Sheri Tepper's stories of the lands of the True Game. When we meet the famous shape-changer in the other six novels, she is a grown adult. We know her as Peter's mother and Himaggery's sometimes lover, but mostly she is an occasional actor whose critical importance to the series only flowers at the end. However, Mavin is a spectacular person all on her own, and with this novel we start with her beginnings in Danderbat keep.

Shape-changer culture is more than a little odd. The ability to be almost anything creates a certain tricksy attitude and a need for a very different set of rules than apply to other gamesmen. In Danderbat, female shape-changers are rare, and their lot is to bear children for the keep before they can find their own freedom. This is not a very pleasant fate, and Mavin's sister Handbright, unable to conceive, has been thoroughly worn down by the pressures of being an available resource. When Mavin's talent finally surfaces, she has no desire to take Handbright's place. Instead, she works her sister's release, and then escapes with Mertyn, her brother.

On her way to another shifters' keep, Mavin falls in with the entourage of the seer Windlow who is gathering students for the school he is starting at High Demesne. A stop at Pfarb Durim on the way exposes Mertyn to ghoul-plague, which has been released by Blourbast. He is a gamesman of extremely indelicate tastes whose demesne is Poffle, called Hell's Maw by most. Blourbast's hunger for the Shadowpeople is the source of the infection. And since Healers refuse to come to Poffle or Pfarb Durim, only the Shadowpeople can undo the infection.

But for them to do that they need the return of a special token, a gift from the Ganver the Eestie. Mavin to the rescue, of course. But not without several unnerving experiences and a great deal of self-discovery. The shape-changer's unorthodox mind defamiliarizes what was already the unpredictable world of the True Game.

Readers of the first six books in this series will find many old friends (and enemies) who appear here (pre-appear here?) for the first time. Prepare for the appearances of Huld and Huldra, Proom, the Wizard Himaggery, Mertyn, Windlow and countless others too numerous to name. The tale's richness comes from its connections to the earlier tales that follow it as well as its own narrative uniqueness. It can almost stand alone, or be read first, but the story relies on some experience of the True Game to make complete sense.

This was the first Tepper book I ever read, and I'm very glad I did. As a teenage misfit myself, I had a great deal of sympathy for the protagonist; but I also found it to be fast-paced and smooth reading despite the tongue-twisting names. The characters are strong despite (or maybe because of) their very human fallibility and stubborness. She also creates some truly despicable bad guys, which only adds to the fun.

Mavin is the only young female shapeshifter behind the p'natti, the barrier that separates the home of the shifters from a hostile world. If her talent does not manifest itself, she will be exiled and she will be forced to forget her home and her people; but if the talent does manifest itself she will become a sexual target for a number of very unsavoury males. How she meets this challenge is only the beginning of an adventure of escape for herself and her little brother, introduction to the world of the True Game, and ghoul-plague. The world is peopl! ed with humans of manifest talents and personalities, many on a level with those of the shapeshifters, and some people (?!) who predate the human presence on that world and who probably have very mixed feelings about the human presence there now.

The book stands very well as a novel on its own, but to be honest, if you start on it you will really need to read the other two Mavin books, the Jinian books, and the True Game books based around Peter, Mavin's son, just to see what happens to everybody. I believe the Mavin books to be the best of the lot.

It's a shame it is out of print--if it becomes available again, try it! It became a favorite book of mine, read again and again until it was very thoroughly dog-eared.

Incidentally, if you have ever wondered why so many of Sheri Tepper's early books feature small furry creatures with sharp pointy teeth and big ears, who like to sing--I had the opportunity to ask her this once, and she said "Cats on my desk."

Everybook in this series is excellent. I have read this entire series more times than I can remember and enjoyed every word. These are the books I want in my coffin (with a light) in case eternity gets boring! It doesn't matter whether you are 5, 15 or 55, these books have a story for you.

This is the first of the Chronicles of Mavin Manyshaped trilogy, which collectively are the prequel to the three books that make up The True Game. Here we learn something of Mavin's early life, along with her brother Mertyn and the Wizard Himaggery, and the plot is set up for the following two books in the trilogy.

I certainly found this book an enjoyable read -- more so as a teenager than I do now -- but Tepper's style has changed a little in this and the other two Mavin books, as compared with the True Game trilogy. The plot is more straight-forward, lacking the interconnectedness which gave The True Game good re-reading potential; having read the book once, there is less to gain from reading it again.

The Song of Mavin Manyshaped (1985) is the first Fantasy novel in the Mavin Manyshaped subseries of the True Game series. This subseries is a prequel to the other True Game novels.

In this novel, Mavin is a girlchild of the Danderbat family. She and her older sister Handbright are the only remaining maidens in the family. The Danderbats are shapeshifters, but Mavin does not know if she also has that Talent.

Mertyn is the younger brother of Handbright and Mavin. He is eight years old.

In this story, Mavin has been absorbing information like a child learning to talk. She has many pieces that have never been assembled into a whole. Since there are no other girls her age, she is still naive and trusting.

Then one day she is sitting in the shadows making her toes grow and retract for her first shapeshifting. She vaguely hears two older men talking about Handbright and herself. As their discussion filters into her mind, Mavin puts these facts together and understands her role as a sex toy and broodmare within the family.

Mavin wonders why her sister has not left the keep as so many other young women have done. She goes to ask more questions of Handbright. But Handbright is teaching a class on shapeshifter lore, so Mavin holds her questions.

An Elder comes to the class to quiz and instruct two boys who graduating soon and leaving the keep. They will be going to Schlaizy Noithn, where they will be practicing their shapeshifting skills among others of their kind. Another boy in the class will be leaving soon for Tragamor school after Forgetters erase all knowledge of shapeshifter lore from his mind.

After the class, Mavin talks to Handbright about her future. She discusses Handbright's desire to shift to a great bird and fly away. Then she tells Handbright that she is starting to shapeshift and begs her sister not to inform the Elders.

Then comes the Assembly, when shapeshifters come from everywhere to fete and feast at the Danderbat keep. During the ceremonies, Mavin practices shapeshifting for hours each day. But then Handbright is forced to tell the Elders about Mavin's Talent.

Mavin convinces Handbright to leave the keep immediately. After she flies off, Mavin prepares a trap for three oldsters who have abused Handbright. Then she takes the shape of a horse and carries Mertyn off to visit their kin at Battlefox Demesne.

This tale stretches her ability to shapeshift. It also introduces her to a group of travelers heading toward Pfarb Durim. Some are very kind and others are exceedingly arrogant.

This story illustrates the author's ability to paint with words. Her prose reminds one of the style of Jack Vance, using exotic and colorful terms to fill the imagination of the readers. She provides elements of mystery that are shown, but never explained.

This novel concludes with Mavin leaving Mertyn in the hands of friends and going her own way. The next installment -- The Flight of Mavin Manyshaped -- takes her on other adventures. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Tepper fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of high fantasy, colorful settings, and determined young women.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I read these books back when they first came out. Recently, I talked my daughter into reading the first "Mavin" book. She is a big fan of the "Twilight" series and the "Nightshade" & "Wolfsbane" books by Andrea Cremer, and loved "The Song of Mavin the Many-Shaped" early on when reading it. She devoured it and wants to borrow the second "Mavin" book already.
Parents: Rest assured that this series, while containing many romance elements, is much cleaner and less gory and violent than the more recent series mentioned above.
Unlike many fantasy books, this one is MUCH more than just a long series of strange names, with all-too-human characters with superhuman abilities. The heroine's challenges and journey, while seemingly cliche in description, is anything but. It is an excellently done story with some very sympathetic characters.
"Mavin" is one of the book characters that I will never forget. She has many characteristics and ideals that are positive role models for young girls. She's strong in her own beliefs, in spite of the pressures of those around her, all the while struggling to grown into womanhood and decide more about what she wants to do and be. A GREAT read for anyone (male or female), but especially for lovers of the supernatural and fantasy genres.

While entertaining this book lacked the depth of Ms. Tepper's other works. I was a bit disappointed

Set before all the true game books, this is the story of Mavin when she
was younger. Shapeshifters are an odd bunch, and the women are seen as
important breeding resources. Mavin and her sister aren't big fans of
that, and they bail.

Wow, I loved this book ,or the first half I read before my copy was ruined :( any hoo the strong character of Mavin and her mythical search for her place in the world and her brother's talent is bueatifuly depicted by Tepper's flouent writting style. I have just got my hands on "King's Blood Four" about Mavin's son ,very cool.