by Jack Vance
Published by whoever
Description
'Vance's incomparable fantasy trilogy...Dazzingly imaginative, fascinatingly
intricate, delicately controlled, engagingly peopled, and set forth in the
inimitable Vance prose style. Fantasy at its brilliant best' Kirkus Review
Synopsis
The Elder Isles, located in what is now the Bay of Biscay off the the coast
of Old Gaul, are made up of ten contending kingdoms, all vying with each other
for control. At the centre of much of the intrigue is Casmir, the ruthless
and ambitious king of Lyonnesse. His beautiful but otherworldly daughter,
Suldrun, is part of his plans. He intends to cement an alliance or two by
marrying her well. But Suldrun is as determined as he and defies him. Casmir
coldly confines her to the overgrown garden that she loves to frequent, and
it is here that meets her love and her tragedy unfolds. Political intrigue,
magic, war, adventure and romance are interwoven in a rich and sweeping tale
set in a brilliantly realized fabled land.
In Lyonesse II: The Green Pearl and Madouc the magical lands of high enchantment
- the Elder Isles, the land, long-vanished beneath the ocean, from which King
Arthur's ancestors fled to Britain - come to brilliant life again. In this
ancient land the realm of chivalry and the world of faerie exist side by side
and it is a place of strange beauty, high adventure and eerie magic. Warring
kings renew their conflicts, opposing magicians devise ever more strange and
sinister stratagems and Madouc, ostensibly the daughter of the ill-fated Princess
Suldrun but in reality a changeling, becomes embroiled in political rivalries,
military adventures - and the quest for the Grail.
Review
The American SF writer has achieved that rare feat- an original fantasy novel
of magic, wizards, fair maidens, a handsome prince, faerie folk and kings,
without a cliché in even one sentence. The trilogy is set in The Elder
Isles, of which Lyonesse and Ys are part of. This is a trilogy to rival Lord
of The Rings in its characters, quests and sheer epic proportions. The trilogy
has it all- moments of beauty and haunting sadness, romance, magical forests
and beings, hilarity and intrigue. There is even the inclusion of the Grail
Quest used in a quirky and different way than in other fantasy novels. If
you loved Lord of The Rings, you will love this trilogy. It is not, however,
derivative of Tolkein’s work but stands as a classic work in its own
right.
Fawn - 19th September 2005
Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden Bk.1
Paperback 448 pages
Publisher: Gollancz (March 14, 2002) (UK) Berkley Pub Group (Mm) (March, 1983)
(US)
ISBN: 0575073748 (UK) 0425058735 (US)
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Lyonesse: Green Pearl and Madouc Bk. 2
Paperback 784 pages
Publisher: Gollancz (February 13, 2003) (UK) Orion Pub Co (January 31, 2003)
(US)
ISBN: 0575075171
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Lyonesse: Lyonesse: Book 3
Paperback
Publisher: Grafton Books August 9, 1990 (UK) Ace Books; Reprint edition (August,
1991) (US)
ISBN: 0246136871 (UK) 0441505325 (US)
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