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Mishalak Reviews: The War of the Flowers
Mar. 8th, 2005 04:12 pmI've never read a Tad Williams story before though I've heard quite a bit about him so on a whim I picked up The War of the Flowers quite some time ago in the massive hardcover edition. But then I didn't read it for more than a year, but now that I have I wonder why I found a used copy when I did. I feel like I should go back and re-read it to see what I missed in speeding through 675 pages. Then again it won't all be new when I get around to that.
In its breaking of faerie tale conventions it is somewhat predictable, smart talking six inch tall faeries with wings and miniskirts. Then there are the goblins as working class sorts who live in vast slums in the grand city of the faeries, like I didn't see that coming. Other bits were delightful in the reimagining of the traditional roles of creatures such as Doonies who now tend to be chauffeurs and hacks instead of guardians/keepers of roads.
Running throughout was sort of wistfulness for the way that faerie used to be, which I didn't really care for. Then again one could take that as a commentary about them being not very different from humans who long for some past perfect age of happy yeomen farmers and Indians roaming free upon the plains and so on. Also the hero seemed to be of the class of dense people who lament the adventures they're on endlessly to the annoyance of everyone around them and readers. He triumphs in the end because of luck and coming to care about people other than himself (gag me with a spoon). People who like a good bit of escapist literature may well enjoy this because it lacks the jaw dropping stupidity of the standard Extruded Fantasy Product.
What: The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams
US$25.00 from DAW Books in hardcover US$8.00 in paperback
Who's it for: People who like their fantasy grim gritty and realistic, except for having a happy ending and all the main character surviving against all odds.
Who won't like it: Readers who hate whiney protagonist adventurers of the not quite as silly as Arthur Dent mode and people who want faerieland to be forever stuck sometime in the 15th century.
Personally: Moderate thumbs up. I enjoyed it but it probably won't become a personal favorite.
In its breaking of faerie tale conventions it is somewhat predictable, smart talking six inch tall faeries with wings and miniskirts. Then there are the goblins as working class sorts who live in vast slums in the grand city of the faeries, like I didn't see that coming. Other bits were delightful in the reimagining of the traditional roles of creatures such as Doonies who now tend to be chauffeurs and hacks instead of guardians/keepers of roads.
Running throughout was sort of wistfulness for the way that faerie used to be, which I didn't really care for. Then again one could take that as a commentary about them being not very different from humans who long for some past perfect age of happy yeomen farmers and Indians roaming free upon the plains and so on. Also the hero seemed to be of the class of dense people who lament the adventures they're on endlessly to the annoyance of everyone around them and readers. He triumphs in the end because of luck and coming to care about people other than himself (gag me with a spoon). People who like a good bit of escapist literature may well enjoy this because it lacks the jaw dropping stupidity of the standard Extruded Fantasy Product.
What: The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams
US$25.00 from DAW Books in hardcover US$8.00 in paperback
Who's it for: People who like their fantasy grim gritty and realistic, except for having a happy ending and all the main character surviving against all odds.
Who won't like it: Readers who hate whiney protagonist adventurers of the not quite as silly as Arthur Dent mode and people who want faerieland to be forever stuck sometime in the 15th century.
Personally: Moderate thumbs up. I enjoyed it but it probably won't become a personal favorite.