[Mithfânion]

This series grabbed my attention yesterday and I was hoping you folks might give me some info about it. What's the storyline about, superficially? What sort of characters are in it? Is it a more traditional Fantasy world (Middle-earth, Westeros) or more Sci-fi like?

What is the use of magic like? And what is this about Canadians being lifted into a Fantasy world? Sounds hokey.

Greets

[Warewolf]

Mith,

This is my favorite of all of Kay's series. It's more traditional fantasy than his historical based stuff. Yes, a group of people (they could be Canadians, I forget...it's been a while since I read the books) get yanked into a fantasy world. I normally don't like this kind of thing, but some authors pull it off really well (e.g., Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series). I can't really get into specifics since I've forgotten a lot of it, but basically, this group of people from our world must help the people of this fantasy world defeat a would be dark lord conqueror type of guy. It is very well written and I enjoyed it immensely. There are some other things I could tell you about it, but it would ruin the surprise, so I won't http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif If you like epic fantasy, you're almost sure to like this trilogy.

[Rob B]

It's been a few years, but here goes...

A few Canadian college students get transported by their college professor to Fionavar, the one true world. While there the college students somewhat assume mythical/fantastical identies. They get imbroiled in the classic good v. evil struggle.

As much as the main "bad guy" is in the shadows, he does also come out of the shadows and seriously affects the lives of these college kids.

My above description gives the series not enough justice, but I'll just say the trilogy was fantastic. Though the series does play on many fantasy tropes, it is how Kay masterfully spins them which makes the series so great. If you like Tad Williams, give him a try.

Kay is a superb writer, I believe he helped Christopher Tolkien with some of the compiling of Notes for much of the history of middle-earth.

[Mithfânion]

More specifically he helped write a significant part of "The Ruin of Doriath" http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

This Silvercloak fellow, is he like Gandalf, a grey-haired advisor?

[This message has been edited by Mithfânion (edited January 22, 2002).]

[Mithfânion]

Shameless bump.

[Rob B]

Silvercloak is actually Merlin. And no this isn't really a spoiler as it is revealed fairly early in the story.

[Mithfânion]

Cool.

So I suppose one of the students will become Arthur then http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

Uhm, do they keep their original names throughout the story? Paul, Jennifer etc.?

Have to say this is one of the coolest covers I've ever seen though:
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0451458265.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg



[This message has been edited by Mithfânion (edited January 23, 2002).]

[Rob B]

Yeah, the new trade paperback editions have phenominal covers by husband and wife Don Maitz and Janny Wurts. This is the first time they ever collaborated.

[wolfshead]

Yeah, it starts off with a bunch of canadian students (i remember that particularly, being Canadian, though i live in the UK now), kind of unusual...the student part seemed fairly 'standard', but once the story got going--wow! Kay writes extremely well and uses mythic archetypes in a brilliant and intelligent manner.

[estranghero]

'Sfunny but am I the only one who didn't like the series?

I read the first book, was okay. The second book was better but I could never get into the third one.

Of course maybe it's because I never liked cross-over books but still, GGK is one of my fave authors because of other works, i.e. 'Tigana', 'Song for Arbonne', 'Lions of Al-rassan', and 'the Sarantium Mosaic.'