Helpful Score: 2
Weird, strange, and stupid. But when the wizard turned a sheep into a dragon that was the best part.
Helpful Score: 1
Confusion reigns in this often funny, frequently precious fantasy about usurped thrones and lost heirs. After the Gorgorian barbarians conquer the civilized kingdom of Hydrangea, their leader Gudge makes himself king, marries Hydrangean Princess Artemisia and settles down to a highly satisfactory life of drinking and debauchery. Royal triplets, separated at birth because of a Gorgorian superstition that multiple births suggest the mother's infidelity, receive very different upbringings. The only girl, Avena, is brought up in the palace as Prince Arbol, heir to the throne and a fearsome swordsman. One brother, Wulfrith, is raised by a shepherd; although a young ewe is his favorite companion, his size makes him a fearsome battler. The other brother, Dunwin, reared by the outlawed wizard Clootie, develops into a talented magician. To this basic brew Watt-Evans (the Ethshar series) and Freisner ( Gnome Man's Land ) have added a couple of dragons, some attempted seductions, mistaken identities and misguided spells to produce a lighthearted fantasy.
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderfully zany, campy book. Pretty strong element of dark humour to it. If you like the MYTH books by Robert Asprin, and don't mind your reading a bit twisted, give this a read.
Book Description
To Gudge's bride, Queen Artmeisia of Hydrangea, are born a set of royal triplets. But traditional Gorgorian belief holds that triplets are a sure sign of the mother's adultery--for which the tradition Gorgorian punishment is death. And Gudge is nothing is not a traditionalist.
So in secret the Queen sends her faithful servant Ludmilla on a desperate mission, to bear the girl and the younger boy to the secret forest redoubt of the last Hydrangean resistance. The oldest boy will remain, to be raised as the heir.
Unfortunately, Ludmilla takes both boys instead...
What a delightful book according to Murphy's law... Anything that can go wrong will go wrong! I chuckled a couple of times throughout this read!
To Gudge's bride, Queen Artmeisia of Hydrangea, are born a set of royal triplets. But traditional Gorgorian belief holds that triplets are a sure sign of the mother's adultery--for which the tradition Gorgorian punishment is death. And Gudge is nothing is not a traditionalist.
So in secret the Queen sends her faithful servant Ludmilla on a desperate mission, to bear the girl and the younger boy to the secret forest redoubt of the last Hydrangean resistance. The oldest boy will remain, to be raised as the heir.
Unfortunately, Ludmilla takes both boys instead...
What a delightful book according to Murphy's law... Anything that can go wrong will go wrong! I chuckled a couple of times throughout this read!
If zany fantasy is your cup of tea, drink deeply here. And if you have read both authors before, then it's easy to determine who wrote which chapters. I really enjoy Watt-Evans' work, but I'm not as much a fan of Friesner. While I enjoy humor and parody, having it thrown at me in every sentence she writes is a bit much.
a fun fantasy!
