Sorcerer and a Gentleman Pb [Paperback]

Elizabeth Willey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 1996

Centuries ago, the wizard Prospero was cut out of the Imperial succession by his brother. Since then, Prospero has found his own land and people to rule, but he has not given up on his claims to the throne. Now, finally, he intends to go to war.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Willey returns with fair success to the universe of The Well-Favored Man (1993). In all the kingdoms of Landuc, Noroison, and Phesaotois, war looms as the feud between the emperor Avril and his sorcerous brother Prospero threatens to break out openly. Throw in a baker's dozen of subplots and vignettes, woven together in an almost aggressively picaresque style, and you have a novel almost devoid of conventional narrative passages but by no means devoid of virtue. Willey could have profitably included a glossary and cast of characters for the unconfusing of her readers, but read they will, nevertheless. Hers is a real comic talent, which is hardly as common in fantasy as some think and deserves its place in fantasy collections. Roland Green --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Tor (August 23, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330349848
• ISBN-13: 978-0330349840
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,812,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not like the first book at all., June 27, 2000

By 

R. Hardin "Dantalion64" (Mad Lake) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Sorcerer and a Gentleman (Sorcerer & a Gentleman) (Paperback)

Which isn't a bad thing, just don't go into this book thinking it'll be like _The Well-Favored Man._ Willey goes back in time, long before Gwydion was born and Argylle transformed into the beautiful realm it had become in the first book.

The tone is harsher, much more solemn, much more tragic. While I miss Gwydion's first-person viewpoint, Willey has a larger story to tell, and needs a grander canvas on which to paint it.

I supppose this could be read on its own without first reading _Well-Favored Man,_ but readers of the first book will be nodding their heads, seeing the seeds of later conflict and entanglements sown here. It was also gratifying to learn more about the touchstones of this universe only hinted at in the first book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beyond compare, July 11, 2002

By 

Olegario Craig (Amherst, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Sorcerer and a Gentleman (Sorcerer & a Gentleman) (Paperback)

If you like fantasy but find yourself cringing at the formulaic pap constantly churned out by Terry Brooks, Piers Anthony, or the various corporate-authored "series" such as the DragonLance(tm) [stuff]; if you delight in crisp, elegant language artfully juxtaposed with terse colloquialism; if you are tired of Tolkien-cookie-cutter worlds (without being tired of the master himself, of course) then I urge you to read this book. You will not be disappointed. Willey here displays style that successfully melds a lyricism and elegance reminiscent of Jane Austen with the grit, vision, and swirling plots of the late Roger Zelazny. (Nota bene: this book and its successor, The Price of Blood and Honor, are not separate tales -- as often happens, Willey's publisher apparently balked at the size of the proffered manuscript, and required her to split them.) The first 5 chapters can be read online at [URL]-- surely there is no better advertisement for the book itself. My only complaint? She hasn't written anything since finishing Blood and Honor!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully creative fantasy, July 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Sorcerer and a Gentleman (Sorcerer & a Gentleman) (Paperback)

I wasn't sure that Shakespeare and a fantasy series could mix as well as they did in this book. A great introduction for me to a great series. Excellent characterization, detailed setting, and an exciting plot all make this a must-read.