Voyage of the Fox Rider [Hardcover]

Dennis L. McKiernan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1993

Lady Jinnarin, a foot-tall woman who is one of the legendary Hidden Ones, emerges from her sanctuary to embark on a quest to find her missing mate who disappeared while seeking the source of mysterious plumes.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Recurring nightmares send the diminutive (12-inch-tall) Lady Jinnarin in search of allies to help her find her missing mate, even though such an undertaking will involve revealing the existence of her kind--the Pysks, or Hidden Ones--to the world. McKiernan continues to delve into the land of Mithgar's history in a heroic adventure that features an endearing protagonist. Fans of The Eye of the Hunter ( LJ 9/15/92) will be particularly drawn to this related work, which has a place in most fantasy collections.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Another expansive yarn set in the fantasy world of Mithgar, occurring this time in the First Age, thousands of years before the events in McKiernan's last outing, The Eye of the Hunter (1992). Here, the Mage Alamar is visited by Jinnarin, a diminutive and magical Pysk, a race long vanished from the ken of other beings; Alamar owes the Pysks a great debt. It seems that Farrix, Jinnarin's mate, has gone missing after observing some astonishing auroras. Jinnarin, convinced that Farrix is in terrible danger, has had wrenching dreams of a green sea, a crystal castle, and a black ship. So Alamar must enlist the aid of the legendary Elf, Aravan, who in his magical ship has sailed all the seas of Mithgar for 3,000 years in voyages of derring-do. Aravan agrees to help. Many adventures later, they discover that Farrix is a prisoner of the Black Mage, Durlock, who not only worships the evil god Gyphon but receives orders from him. Durlock steals the astral fire from his sacrificial victims, thus augmenting his enormous power; not even the combined efforts of the good Mages can contain him. Yet, somehow, Mages, Elves, Pysks, Dwarves, and Men must find a way to defeat him, lest Gyphon win his ages-old struggle with the good god Adon. Fairly standard stuff: without originality or particular charm, it just seems to meander on forever. Evidently, the formula to please McKiernan fans. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 576 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover; First edition (October 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451452798
• ISBN-13: 978-0451452795
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,582,910 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

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read for the serious-minded, September 23, 2000

By 

M. Barber "geek girl" (south-central PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voyage of the Fox Rider (Mithgar) (Paperback)

_Voyage of the Fox Rider_ takes the reader on a journey around the world of Mithgar in Aravan's specially-crafted Elven ship. He is accompanied by Jinnarin, a Pysk, and Alamar, a Mage, who are searching for Farrix, Jinnarin's mate. Although the story does involve quite a bit of action and adventure, it is primarily designed as a mystery: what has happened to Farrix, and what is the meaning of Jinnarin's strange dreams?

This book is a must-read for any fan of McKiernan's Mithgar novels, as it fills in the early history of Mithgar and Aravan's sea-faring days (Aravan pops up again later in _The Eye of the Hunter_ and _Silver Wolf, Black Falcon_). However, like all of McKiernan's longer works, _Voyage of the Fox Rider_ also poses some heavy philosophical questions. Alamar and Jinnarin have an extended discussion concerning the definitions of good and evil.

If what you're looking for is a quick read, heavy on the battle scenes and light on character development, this book is not for you. If you're like me, though, you want something that will stay with you long after you've put it down--and _Voyage of the Fox Rider_ does just that.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Mithgarian Tale so far, November 30, 2001

By 

"kartien" (Poulsbo, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voyage of the Fox Rider (Mithgar) (Paperback)

I believe this is Mr. McKiernan's finest work. Well thought out, plot travels along nicely without giving anything away before it's due time, and extremely well built characters. I thouroughly enjoyed this book. Even better than Iron Tower Trilogy. Recommend to all fantasy readers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice work, April 19, 2006

By 

G. Bird "DarkHeartGenius" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voyage of the Fox Rider (Mithgar) (Paperback)

Voyage of the Fox Rider is a good work, for those who enjoy a book focused on more than action. A basic fantasy work, it includes Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Fox Riders, Mages, and about anything else you can ask for. It starts out well, with the Pysk Jinnarin asking the Mage Alamar for help in finding her mate.

The book does have its lulls, in which characters discuss moral issues, sail, and travel. This only adds to the book in my opinion, rather than going wildly unrealistic in a fantasy, it includes enough elements to make the characters and conflicts much more believable. The archiac speech of Aravan can be a little hard to get into or believe, but after a while you become used to it. For the hardcore Mithgar fans, a lot of the beginning of the book is repetitive, telling you things you already know about the world of Mithgar. However, it quickly moves from explaining everything to getting on with the plot.

If you are a person who likes books that are high-paced the entire time, you probably own't enjot it. I think the book does a good job of balancing fights and dialouge, and a reader who doesn't mind the occasional lull or moral debate will probably find this a good read.