Neil Fein's Blog
Home + Bicycle Touring Journals + Gig Calendar + Photosite + Blog
Music Downloads + Book Reviews + Contact + Bike Routes
Please sponsor me for the MS City to Shore ride
Monday, November 14, 2005
The Wizard Knight Concluded
Book Two of The Wizard Knight
by Gene Wolfe
In The Knight, the first book of this two-lobed tale, Able becomes Sir Able, a knight in all but name. In the second and final book, Able deals with the consequences and responsibilities of being truly a knight. In the world of Mythgarthr, Able encounters patrons, knightly contests, and Gods.
While we learn the answers to many questions, many of the answers, while as enthralling as the first volume, are somehow unsatisfying. This book felt rushed in many places, particularly the second half. While Mr. Wolfe's trademarked "unreliable narrator" is in force here, it takes the form of multiple viewpoints that fail to provide a cohesive whole. The great promise of the first book is here squandered on a misguided attempt at diversity of people and places. The tone established was more than sufficient to the great task of providing a worthy ending to this short saga, and this is truly a shame.
There are many moments of greatness, such as the jousting contest, and, earlier, the king and patron who tests his knight Sir Able who is holding a bridge for him. Gylf and Cloud and Mani reveal just enough to leave the reader wanting to know more.
However, the siege of the giants' castle, and the subplot with Toug and Etela, feel shoehorned in, and in many ways it feels as if there's a great section of plot that was pulled out. This missing bit of the story was likely for effect's sake, but the fact that we have no idea where Sir Able has been for some time when first we see him disconnects this volume from the first book.
Mr. Wolfe has said in interviews that The Wizard Knight was written as one long book, and published in two volumes by his publisher. If so, this decision was to the detriment of the second book. It doubtless reads better as one story, and I'd like to hear from anyone whose read it all in one go.
If you must find out what happens, read this book. But be aware that it is a letdown after the grand, perfect tale that was The Knight.
Tags: books
Archives
March 1994 February 1999 May 1999 September 1999 December 1999 January 2002 February 2002 March 2002 April 2002 May 2002 June 2002 July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]