turner%rand-unix@sri-unix.UUCP (07/07/83)
I just finished re-reading the RIDDLE OF THE STARS trilogy and can heartily recommend it to anyone. In my opinion it is a classic work of fantasy, a rival with LotR and Earthsea. In flavor, it is more like Earthsea. It is the story of young man growing into his power and inheritance in a world threatened by the onslaught of Evil and the breaking of the balance. Like most fantasy, it has magic, monsters and great quests, but it is largely a story of characters. McKillip's land is populated with many interesting and absorbing characters. Above all, this trilogy has a sense of wonder. McKillip has another book, THE BEASTS OF ELD (?), which is also a fantasy, and also quite good. It has a different flavor than RotS, being a more archaic style. It is also something of a love story. But I recommend this book also. I'd like to put in a plug too for one of my favorite authors: Orson Scott Card. He has written a book that will no doubt stand as an all time classic in the field of science fiction: SONGMASTER. This book tells the story of a young songbird and his rise into prominence in the galaxy. A songbird is a singer of a very special kind. This book is science fiction but has such a strong element of fantasy about it that one walks away totally unaware of the science fiction element. It is the fantasy that dominates: the protaganist has the magic of his voice and of his caring, and that is all that is needed, though the price is some-times great. This is a must read book for all science fiction fans. I can praise it no higher. Another fine book by Orson Scott Card is HART'S HOPE. This is a fantasy, but a fantasy that doesn't follow any of the classic patterns. The protaganist is a bit like Cain from KUNG FU. He struggles always to do the right thing without worry about his importance or about his power. He is motivated by a love that colors all his actions, and not by any personal ambition. Like SONGMASTER, this is a tale of sacrifice by a man who gains nothing from his sacrifice.