Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quintessence of dark fantasy, May 12, 1998
Bailey weaves a plot unbelievably believable. He has a thousand twists, most of which are unforseen yet set up. Looking back in the book, you'll find yourself wondering how you missed it, until the next twist comes at the turning of the page. The characters are alive with real human motivations, and the magic is a subtle thread woven throughout the story, something that dominates from the background. Don't expect any knights fighting dragons with enchanted swords -- the magic is rare and powerful, with a price that makes one understand its scarcity. Although there is some bisexuality (gasp), it's done masterfully well. There are no gay parades, no coming-out chapters. It simply is, something portrayed neither as good nor evil, right or wrong, but simply as there. All of this combines with a storyline that puts most soap operas to shame, yet still is ruled by cause and effect rather than "coincidence". The only weakness is that it may be more than most are ready for, as it is very much both dark and fantasy, neither of which the mainstream is particularly fond. If you enjoy either, though, this book will take your breath -- and sleep -- away.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid fantasy, on the dark side., August 14, 1998
By A Customer
A good fantasy about a crippled young man who is given the ability to walk at night by a passing sorceress, though his magical compulsion to dance causes unpredictable results in those who watch. Lots of twists, most of them logical, though one begs the question of why one character doesn't recognise another for what he is straight away. I also wish the Witch had been more developed - are female characters Bailey's weakness? There are only two in the novel. I did like the refreshingly matter-of-fact way in which the characters' sexuality was handled. Very well written, and a good story despite the above glaring flaw.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
grim mycenaean fantasy, July 15, 2005
Mixed are my impressions on this most peculiar book: the five stars is homage to the writer's skill and originality.
Set in a world clearly going back to a pre-historical Greece, a fact supported also by the choice of garments, warfares and proper names, this book stands out of the several novelizations of past history because of the supernatural touch in it.
The plot itself is not particularly interesting: the quest of the main character, a crippled boy healed by a mysterious witch, for his past and for his true self. As another reviewer pointed out the plot twists are such as to shame any soap opera writer and this flaw taints the novel so much as to make it very slow at times.
On the other hand we are faced with a most talented writer: his descriptions are minute, detailed to the point of being fastidious. His use of the language is simply beautiful: night and shadow are a constant background but every description he conceives is lyrical at least. Mr Bailey pays much attention to all everyday aspects of life but in a way he manages to sublimate them into poetical images.
His treatment of characters is a subtle one: in a most dark, ambiguous, grim atmosphere which stifles even the most gruesome deaths (and there is a lot of violence in this book, only muted) Innowen and the others slide silently as if afraid to stir the wrath of the rarely mentioned but omnipresent gods of their land.
Only in time we are explicitly told that the deep attachment of Innowen and Razkili is love: though we understand this love to be an extremely passionate one, we watch it on tip toe, fearful of disturbing the hero while he discovers he does not love the witch as he believed before and he slowly comes to admit he cares for his friend and companion of five years. By the way here is a major contradiction: in this world homosexuality is no issue for anyone and still Innowen seems ashamed to love his companion: I guess Mr Bailey wanted this to be a fear to love in general but he omitted any explanation and it looks like he fears his love of men.
Luckily enough he does not forget anything else and though sex between the two is never graphic, well it is never mentioned as such, actually, we look with pleasure at the growing intimacy of their touching.
An original, interesting read suited for anyone (gay or straight) who is at least 16 y.o. provided s/he has some superficial knowledge of history and a love for beautiful writing.
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