CAIN@SRI-AI.ARPA (04/25/84)
In regards to Donn Seeley's review of R. A. MacAvoy's TEA WITH THE BLACK DRAGON: I think the review missed the mark. In fact, reviews like this which do little more than summarize the plot of a book have never impressed me as being fair to the author. The plots of many of my favorite books sound pretty trite when put through such a narrow filter. To me, the impact of a book comes from a less tangible source; from the writer's commitment to the story. This expresses itself in the writer's ability to conjure true-to-life characters, to engage them in dialogue in which I feel a part, and then to confront them with problems to draw them out of themselves. If the writer fails in these, then I am tempermentally incapable of reading the story. For that reason, two out of every three books I start end up in the trash by page seven. However, any story succeeding in these things finds a home on my bookshelves. TEA is the kind of book I read with pleasure. The characters begin to come to life in the first sentence and are allowed to grow and to change throughout the book. The dialogues are fun to read, and the plot, though simple, is calculated to explore each of the character's strengths and weaknesses. It is the kind of book which goes onto a smallish shelf I have for books to be re-read every couple years. That Seeley's review summarizes the main woman character (Martha) as "dotty" or the main man (Mayland) as "reclusive" tells me the two of us read distinctly different books inside the same cover. No mention is made of the fact that this love story involves two people over the age of 50 (one possibly much older), or that the most intriguing mystery is Mayland Long's past. Mention of the distinctly Zen/Tao flavor of the book is also omitted. In addition, Seeley refers to the cover blurbs as "overkill." Do I rightly hear him saying the book did not deserve the favorable reviews it received from others (which is tactless at best)? Am I then to assume that nominations received by TEA for the Nebula, the Hugo, the John Campbell, the Phillip K. Dick, and the Compton Crook awards are mere gaudy trappings? Sorry, but for all these reasons I feel the review was unfair to a very good book. Ron Cain CAIN@SRI-AI -------
agb@ucbvax.UUCP (Alexander G. Burchell) (05/01/84)
I wholly agree with the rebuttal -- Tea with the Black Dragon is one of those books that you want to read as slowly as possible -- can't bear to have it end... Now, *Damiano*, on the other hand (The 2nd [?] book by R.A. MacAvoy [sp?]), I found to be "one of those books that end up in the trash before the seventh page"... I just could not stomach it, and put it down after about 20 pages, never to be picked up again... Is this book really worth reading? Am I missing a book as good as black dragon? -- Alexander Burchell [agb@ucbarpa] [ucbvax!agb]
ehrlich@sunybcs.UUCP (05/04/84)
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Are you missing something as good as TWTBD (by discarding Damiano)?
Depends on why you liked the black dragon. The two books of the Damiano
series out so far (there will be three) are different in many ways from
TWTBD. Personally, I enjoyed them just as much, and am looking forward
(if not with bated breath) to the third. I think it helps to be a history
buff. This is pretty good historical fantasy, not mainstream sf (but then,
neither was Macavoy's 1st book). Strikes me as a pleasing story with a
blend of action--much of it magical, and dream. The period (~petrarchan)
is not my specialty but the setting has a ring of athenticity. More, the
fantasy itself seems appropriate to the time. The magical beings and
happenings are not so much what one finds in current "medieval" fantasy,
but seem closer to such things a fantasist of the time might have written.
For all that, the prose is not stilted or pseudo-archaic, and though
the fantasy and the characters are of largely Christian flavour, by the
end of book 2 there is a distinct touch of ecumenism which may be closer
to the 20th century author's mind set than that of the period. There's
also more than a little wit/humour. The plot: Young man who has lived
somewhat sheltered life is forced by circumstance to set forth on journey
wherein he discovers the world and self. Nothing new as basic plots go,
but there've been some fine things done with it over the years. Damiano
may not be the finest ever, but I found it an enjoyable read... not a break-
neck pace, but far from boring.
If you liked TWTBD because there was mention of computers and/or
Zen, you won't find them in the Damiano books. The characters are also
rather different. Still, if you threw down the book after a few pages,
you might find it worthwhile to pick it up again. (Kept me up until 3AM,
but...)
Karen Ehrlich
k