The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew [Mass Market Paperback]

Elizabeth Willey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1994 | Series: Well-Favored Man

Members of the ruling Phesaotois clan must put aside winemaking and family intrigue when their realm is invaded by plagues of monsters, and some high-tech aliens show up asking questions. Reprint. AB. K. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Willey's first novel is an entertaining, though meandering fantasy strongly reminiscent of Roger Zelazny's Amber books. Lord Gwydion has been ruling the Dominion of Argylle since his mother, Freia, fell into the family's magical Spring during a sorcerous battle. Following that conflict, Freia's grieving brother and husband went into a self-imposed exile, leaving Gwydion and his four siblings without the help of their elders' prodigious magical and leadership skills. Alone they must face numerous tribulations: a gigantic dragon of immeasurable age and magical power who threatens their borders; an untrustworthy cousin from a neighboring realm; and most disturbingly, a young woman who arrives claiming to be a lost sister. Meanwhile, Gwydion stumbles across some highly sensitive secrets--including hints about his mother's true fate--which could exact a terrible price from his family. This book is an occasionally bewildering but interesting amalgam of medieval gentility, high-tech alternate worlds, family drama and the sometimes jarring inclusion of SF elements in a fantasy framework. Willey's characters and their interactions, if a bit derivative, are appealing; her potential as a fantasist makes her atmospheric tale worth reading.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Prince Gwydion faces his first real challenge as ruler of Argylle when a Great Dragon makes an unexpected appearance in his land. This first novel introduces a fantasy world where modern technology coexists with a magic that stems from the Earth itself. Reminiscent of Zelazny's "Amber" series, this quirky fantasy adventure takes a lighthearted approach to the genre. A tendency toward overcomplication is a minor flaw in an otherwise entertaining novel. Large libraries should consider this for their fantasy collections.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (October 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812519884
• ISBN-13: 978-0812519884
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,785,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Well Rounded Book, February 22, 2000

By 

"hawkroad" (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew (Mass Market Paperback)

Often fantasy books are full of fighting and blood, with very little character development. This book had some excellent scenes of conflict, but it also made you see the characters as people with needs, hopes, and ulterior motives. Even the hero is not always wonderful. Instead he ends up being one of the most likeable, human, and noble individuals I have ever encountered between the pages of a book. This might just be my favorite book of all time.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Charming Romp, May 29, 2009

By 

Reader in Matawan - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew (Mass Market Paperback)

Combine the most unlikely ingredients: Shakespeare's Prospero and his descendents, a bit of Sword and Sorcery, some domestic and parlor politics, and, oh yes, the sciences of the late twentieth century and some science fiction tropes. Can such a recipe succeed? Well, yes, actually, in the hands of Elizabeth Willey.
Prospero has retired and his heir presumptive Gwydion has taken over. The job provides Gwydion with a variety of challenges: there are manticores to be hunted, dragons to be deterred, suits at law to be settled, and a tragic death in the family to be reversed ... with the help of some twentieth-century science. Nor is Prospero's displeasure to be taken lightly as the old man's power and wisdom demand their due.

The unlikely milieu ingredients are cleverly seasoned with comedy-of-manners and lively characters. And it all works, and works well. The result is best described as "charming."

The story is continued in Willey's other books.

This series deserves to be back in print.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book., June 27, 2000

By 

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

This review is from: The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew (Mass Market Paperback)

Be careful as you read to avoid associations with Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, with which it shares many elements: multiple universes, a larger-than-life family full of political intrigue, powerful magic, first-person viewpoint. But unlike Zelazny's Corwin, Willey's hero is young, inexperienced, and uncertain of his place in the Grand Scheme of Things. He makes mistakes, steps on toes, and -- most endearing -- loves his mother.

Before you conclude that this all milquetoast and romance, I should point out the rollocking adventure, powerful magic, and especially the sense of mystery that pervades the book.

Hopefully, this will come back into print. It's one of my favorites, and I hate to think of what will happen when my well-thumbed copy disintergrates.