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The sword of Rhiannon

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This is Leigh Brackett's finest evocation of the classic Mars of the pulp fiction magazines of a century ago. Originally Sword of Rhiannon appeared in the pulps under the title Sea Kings of Mars in the late 1940s during Brackett's most productive period of writing before being printed in book form under the current title. Brackett does many things in this novel, ranging from giving a vivid description of the second-best Mars after Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom to showing her love of things Celtic in the nomenclature of the characters to simply providing a wonderfully enjoyable, wholly engrossing read. There are some interesting plot twists along the way, and Matt Carse, the hero of the tale, is definitely intended to be grittier than most pulp heroes. Unfortunately after this novel, Brackett would largely move away from the solar system as a venue for her writing (although she would still pen the occasional short story in this vein and two decades later would write the masterful Skaith trilogy in an effort to transport her seemingly favorite genre of writing to places still acceptable to science.) The book is hardly deep, but it doesn't need to be. It is enjoyable and contains just enough darkness to avoid making the plot boring. As with anything written by Brackett, Sword of Rhiannon is a treat to be savored and revisited.

Leigh Brackett was a pulp writer and hollywood scriptwriter both, and Sword of Rhiannon (an expanded version of Sea Kings of Mars) is one of her all too rare novels. Matthew Carse is an Indiana Jones type archeologist on Mars - a Mars of aging, decadent civilisation slowly drowing in dust - who is thrown back in time when he tries to rob one ancient grave too many. The opening vision of the new world he finds himself in is beautifully juxtaposed with the same scene on "modern" Mars: what are "now" old stone quays jutting into dust far away from the low-canals are vibrant and alive to a pounding Martian white surf.

From there a rousing tale follows - a mixture of magic and technology, of winged men and fearsome monsters, and a femme who is most definitely fatale. This is old-time planetary romance, with swords and beam weapons and slave-driven galleys coursing across a glittering sea. In the background is Rhiannon, a being (god?) of fearsome power who has a definate interest in Carse. Whether Rhiannon is friend or foe is unclear - and actually, who are friends and foes in this distant past is always murky.

This is Brackett, so there is keen dialogue with a witty sidekick, stunning cinematic scenery, and a gritty edge to everything. Its easy to see how this could be adapted to the big screen, and to an extent I am surprised no one tried.

I first read this back in the late 60's when I came across a dog-eared copy at a used bookstore. Having already read the Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, I quickly got caught-up in this story that starts and ends on a dying Mars. Back then, the fact that most of the story takes place on a "wet" Mars was more fantasay than science fiction. Today, we know that there once was a "wet" Mars. It's a great book by a great author, Leigh Brackett.

If you like to read old books even when their ideas are now complete obsolete you would like the book. It is old science fiction, with alien humanlike species in Mars, an adventurer looking for treasure and a travel in time. All the ideas are topics now, but the book was good and is still good. I like it a lot, but it is not for you if you are looking for actual science fiction and new ideas or thoughts. It is now like a fantasy adventures book.

I just read the 1953 paperback of The Sword of Rhiannon by Leigh Brackett. Like her other work in this vein you have to suspend your disbelief, as the means of getting into this fairy-tale world is corny (in the same way that Star Trek is or will be one day.) But if you go along with it you find the stock characters trying a bit harder than most to convince you they are for real. The hero is Carse, mercenary, educated treasure hunter who gets mixed up with the disembodied Rhiannon. The woman, Ywain, enslaves him but the tables are soon turned. Rhiannon will finally get control of Carse's body but not before Carse manages to upset the whole careful balance of society. So who gets the girl? c'mon, read the book.

Brackett admitted that plotting was the hardest aspect for her, but for her efforts she found logical circumstances to back up the formulas.