Sorcerer & Gentleman

by Elizabeth Willey

Book Overview

Centuries ago, the wizard Prospero was cut out of the imperial succession by his brother Avril. In the intervening years Prospero has found his own land and people to rule, but he has not given up his claim to the throne. Now, finally, he is going to war.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812550471
• ISBN13: 9780812550474
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.8" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

beyond compare

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!

Not like the first book at all.

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.

Wonderfully creative fantasy

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.

A Great story and lovely play of words

I fine myself reading this book over and over. The characters are all interesting and different from the main stream. But the use of language is the real pleasure here. In a few words much said.

An atypical and well-written fantasy novel

This fantasy novel was a welcome change from the typical. The "apocalyptic battle between good and evil" plot is fine, but it's been done once or twice before. This story is different in that its story is character-driven -- the characters all have interesting motivations, and instead of being "good" or "evil," they are almost all of varying shades of gray. The plot isn't incredibly fast-moving, but the fact that it's character-driven, along with Willey's (and her characters') use of language, more than make up for that.