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Elizabeth Bear

1971-

Reviewed by Rebecca,
Rob R., Stefan, Robert T.

Elizabeth Bear also writes science fiction. She won the John W. Campbell award for best new writer in 2005 and the Locus best first novel award in 2006. Here's Elizabeth Bear's website.
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Promethean Age — (2006-2008) Publisher: Spellbound by the Faerie Queen, the woman known as Seeker has abducted human children for her mistress's pleasure for nearly an eternity, unable to free herself from her servitude and reclaim her own humanity. Seeker's latest prey is a Merlin. Named after the legendary wizard of Camelot, Merlins are not simply those who wield magic, they are magic. Now, with rival mages also vying for the favor of this being of limitless magic to tip the balance of power, Seeker must persuade the Merlin to join her cause-or else risk losing something even more precious to her than the fate of humankind.

Elizabeth Bear Promethean Age 1. Blood and Iron, 2. Whiskey and Water, 3. Ink and Steel, 4. Hell and Earth

Blood and Iron: "We Do the Good We Can Do On the Ways to the Gallows..."

Elizabeth Bear may have given her novel a rather generic title, but within the covers of the book is a story of intrigue, politics, family relations, romance, mystery and magic, as well as one of the best depictions of Faerie I've read in a long time. If you love fantasy, but are sick of boring Tolkien knock-offs, then Blood and Iron should fix you up nicely. Reminiscent of several other original fantasists, (Patricia McKillip and Jan Siegel spring to mind) this is an interesting take on the world of Faerie and its relationship to our own world.

The realm of Faerie and the world of men have been engaged in a cold war for centuries. Whilst Faerie agents known as Seekers steal away human-beings with a faerie heritage in order to swell their dwindling ranks, the human-magi known as the Prometheus Club attempt to close all ties between the two realms and secure their own race.

Two members of each side come head to head over a young potential named Hope: Matthew Szczegielniak (whose brother was stolen away by Faerie) and the woman only known as Seeker, who is bound against her will to the Faerie Queen Mebd. Seeker wins this particular confrontation, racing back to Faerie with Hope and a new servant, (a kelpie named Whiskey) but soon both sides become aware of another target that could tip the balance in the ongoing stalemate of the battle. A being known as 'the Merlin' has been born again, which inevitably means that a Dragon Prince will emerge too, and the pattern of violence, betrayal, sacrifice, bloodshed and cataclysmic change that inevitably follows these two figures will once again take place. The most famous Dragon Prince is obviously King Arthur Pendragon, but Bear makes some fascinating connections between him and other 'Dragon Princes' in legend and history: Emperor Huang Di, Sigurd, Harold Godwinson, and Vlad Dracul, all of whom were doomed to fate.

But this time the Merlin is a vivacious and beautiful woman, whose loyalties are divided between her own people and her affinity with Faerie. Furthermore, Seeker finds that her own family is firmly caught up in the conflict, acting as the playing pieces of the drama as it unfolds. How far will a fey creature go to protect her kin? What does it take to thwart fate? How can a war be won when neither side is either completely innocent or totally condemnable? Is the cost of one soul worth the victory of a war? Don't you love fantasy books that tackle the big questions? Bear juggles a range of story threads, including the intrigues of the faerie court, the power struggles of factions like the Prometheus Club, the Unseelie Court and even Hell itself, the tensions within a werewolf pack, the decay of Faerie and the inner struggles of Seeker's family: her ex-lover, her parents, her servants, her son and her bondage to the Faerie Queen. All of this can be confusing at times, as often Bear's language gets rather dense at times, obscuring what's going on in the actual story. This being the case, it is also fair to say that Blood and Iron demands a second reading; it is so full of meaning, foreshadowing, twists and interesting storytelling techniques (my favourite being an unexpected, but entirely workable switch from third-person to first-person narrative) that one read could never do it justice.

What is best about Bear's portrayal of Faerie is her acceptance of its mutability. As we know, the figure of King Arthur Pendragon is a legendary figure, with very little grounding in historical fact. Bear acknowledges this, but nevertheless Arthur appears as a character within the story — because humanity's mythology translates into reality when in Faerie. As one character puts it: "Bard's tales shape history as much as history shapes the tales. Especially here, where will is the shape of the world." As such, characters such as Morgan le Fay and Robin Good fellow (a.k.a. Puck) appear as the changeable reflections of their portrayals on this earth.

Blood and Iron is also full of mythological and literary references, everything from old ballads to Victorian children's literature, the Bible to Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis to Tolkien. It's impossible to catch every single quote and allusion to our own literary history, but its still fun to keep one's eyes open for them. It's certainly not a perfect book, nor an easy one to read; but it is memorable and thought-provoking, and has increasingly rare features of the fantasy genre: creativity and imagination. Wow. —Rebecca Comments

New Amsterdam — (2007-2009) Publisher: Abigail Irene Garrett drinks too much. She makes scandalous liaisons with inappropriate men, and if in her youth she was a famous beauty, now she is both formidable — and notorious. She is a forensic sorceress, and a dedicated officer of a Crown that does not deserve her loyalty. She has nothing, but obligations. Sebastien de Ulloa is the oldest creature she has ever known. He was no longer young at the Christian millennium, and that was nine hundred years ago. He has forgotten his birth-name, his birth-place, and even the year in which he was born, if he ever knew it. But he still remembers the woman who made him immortal. He has everything, but a reason to live. In a world where the sun never set on the British Empire, where Holland finally ceded New Amsterdam to the English only during the Napoleonic wars, and where the expansion of the American colonies was halted by the war magic of the Iroquois, they are exiles in the new world--and its only hope for justice.

Elizabeth Bear New Amsterdam, Seven for a Secret

Forthcoming:
The White City
Another novella

Seven for a Secret

In 1938, in an alternate London occupied by the conquering German-Prussian empire, the ancient vampire Sebastien, attended by his 'court' of servants, awaits the death of his lover, the venerable sorceress, Abigail Irene. One night, however, two teenage girls—cadets in one of the empire's schools and each a seventh daughter—pique the vampire's curiosity. Sebastien and Abigail Irene begin to investigate the girls' backgrounds and the school's true activities, even as the girls progress toward an unorthodox graduation that will transform them into the empire's ultimate stormtroopers. But one of the girls has a secret of her own, and the course of history will hinge on the difficult choices of Sebastien and herself.

This short novella, a sequel to New Amsterdam, by the talented Elizabeth Bear is a skillful blend of alternate history, fantasy, and the macabre. Bear's writing is clear and brisk, and the character-driven plot tightly woven. I was amazed at Bear's ability to bring the characters to life with such economy, vividness, and subtlety.

My only non-subjective criticism is that a number of typographical errors appear throughout the text. As just one example, on page 108: “damn carpets” was used when “damp carpets” was apparently intended. (I say apparently because “damn” could technically work in context, but it seemed out of place.) In such a short, otherwise well-written work, such errors are particularly unfortunate. As far as a subjective concern: some readers may not wish to pay the full $25 hardcover price for a book of approximately 115 pages.

I did not read New Amsterdam prior to this book; however, Seven for a Secret was still engaging and, presumably, would appeal even more strongly to anyone who enjoyed its predecessor. I will certainly add New Amsterdam to my reading list. As for Seven for a Secret, I highly recommend it—as a discounted purchase or library loan—for fans of alternate history or post-medieval fantasy/macabre, especially those who enjoy a British or European setting. —Rob R. Comments

Iskryne world — (2007-2013) With Sarah Monette. Publisher: A Companion to Wolves is the story of a young nobleman, Isolfr, who is chosen to become a wolfcarl — a warrior who is bonded to a fighting wolf. Isolfr is deeply drawn to the wolves, and though as his father's heir he can refuse the call, he chooses to go. The people of this wintry land depend on the wolfcarls to protect them from the threat of trolls and wyverns, though the supernatural creatures have not come in force for many years. Men are growing too confident. The wolfhealls are small, and the lords give them less respect than in former years. But the winter of Isolfr's bonding, the trolls come down from the north in far greater numbers than before, and the holding's complaisance gives way to terror in the dark. Isolfr, now bonded to a queen wolf, Viradechtis,must learn where his honor lies, and discover the lengths to which he will to go when it, and love for his wolf, drive him.

Elizabeth Bear Sara Monette A Companion to Wolves

Forthcoming:
A Reckoning of Men (2011)
An Apprentice to Elves (2013)

A Companion to Wolves

When I first started A Companion to Wolves I thought it was just going to be another run-of-the-mill fantasy. I mean you had humans who bonded telepathically with wolves, trolls and wyverns for enemies, and Norse culture/mythology as a major influence in the naming of characters, places, and things, the northern setting, and the religion (Othinn, Ragnarok, Freya, etc.).

Of course I should have known better. While I hadn’t yet had the pleasure of reading any Elizabeth Bear, I have read and enjoyed Ms. Monette’s The Doctrine of Labyrinth books, which are known for being of a different breed. One of the most intriguing aspects about her series is the way she explores relationships and sexuality, both of which are carried over into A Companion to Wolves. Basically, the bond shared between the wolves and the humans is very intimate and closely follows the rules of a pack mentality. In other words, each ‘pack’ is led by a dominate female or konigenwolf, with the rest of the wolves and their partners falling into a hierarchical rank. For the humans bonded to the wolves, they are driven by the same primal urgings as their brothers or sisters. Nowhere is this more evident than when a bitch or she-wolf goes into heat. Since all of the Wolf-Brethren are male, mating season obviously introduces a number of interesting conflicts; not just among the wolfheall, but also with how the bonded are perceived by some of the wolfless.

While the sexual practices of the wolfheall was the most startling difference in an otherwise familiar fantasy tale, there were other variations that I appreciated. For instance, I liked how the humans and wolves communicated not by words, which is a common trope, but by smell and imagery — sun-warmed pine boughs, the scent name of the konigenwolf Viradechtis is one such example. I also liked the pack mentality which led to different takes on politics and relationships, and the more matriarchal gender roles practiced by the trolls and svartalfar (a dwarf-like race) though I thought the authors didn’t spend enough time in this area.

What I didn’t like as much were the names. There’s a whole smorgasbord of them, both wolves and bonded, and since a lot of them are similar, it’s kind of hard to keep track of who’s who even with the dramatis personae included by the authors. Plus, tithe-boys, potential wolfcarls, select a new name if they are chosen and that just adds to the confusion. Also, I was a little disappointed that the history behind how humans and wolves first started bonding with each other wasn’t explored in fuller detail, that the trolls were depicted mainly as monsters without any say on their part (except towards the end), and the svartalfar were almost as underdeveloped.

Of the story, it’s fairly conventional. Told in a third-person point-of-view, A Companion to Wolves centers on Njall, a boy on the cusp of manhood who becomes bonded to Viradechtis, a konigenwolf who will one day lead her own pack with Isolfr — Njall’s chosen name — by her side. Learning the ways of a wolfcarl, developing friendships and love, submitting to the passions of the heat, regaining the respect of his father, are all part of the more intimate storylines. The broader picture deals with the increased threat of trolls invading the wolfhealls’ lands, the dwindling numbers of the wolfcarls, and a race thought to be mere legend who hold the key to defeating the trolls once and for all, if Isolfr can discover the way.

According to Ms. Bear’s website, A Companion to Wolves originally started as a satirical novella on the “companion animal fantasy” subgenre, but eventually evolved into something much more profound. What Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear have done with A Companion to Wolves is taken a worn-out idea and breathed new life into it, delivering a richly crafted fantasy that is familiar enough to let readers feel right at home, while opening their eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. Because of its uncompromising sexuality, A Companion to Wolves is definitely geared more toward an adult audience and may turn off certain readers, but I thought it was easily the most accessible novel that I’ve read by Ms. Monette, and I think fans of Robin Hobb, Lois McMaster Bujold, Anne McCaffrey and of course the collaborating authors, should think highly of the book. In the end, I may have had a few quibbles with the novel, but it was nothing serious and I’m sure that I won’t be the only one clamoring for Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear’s swift return to the world of Iskryne. —Robert T. Comments

Jacob's Ladder — (2007-2010) Publisher: On a broken ship orbiting a doomed sun, dwellers have grown complacent with their aging metal world. But when a serving girl frees a captive noblewoman, the old order is about to change... Ariane, Princess of the House of Rule, was known to be fiercely cold-blooded. But severing an angel's wings on the battlefield — even after she had surrendered — proved her completely without honor. Captive, the angel Perceval waits for Ariane not only to finish her off — but to devour her very memories and mind. Surely her gruesome death will cause war between the houses — exactly as Ariane desires. But Ariane's plan may yet be opposed, for Perceval at once recognizes the young servant charged with her care. Rien is the lost child: her sister. Soon they will escape, hoping to stop the impending war and save both their houses. But it is a perilous journey through the crumbling hulk of a dying ship, and they do not pass unnoticed. Because at the hub of their turning world waits Jacob Dust, all that remains of God, following the vapor wisp of the angel. And he knows they will meet very soon.

SFF book reviews Elizabeth Bear Jacob's Ladder 1. Dust 2. Chill 3.

Dust

While Dust is categorized as science fiction, there were actually a lot of familiar fantasy elements in the book, which I found a little bit surprising but quite enjoyable. For example, a number of medieval concepts are employed in the novel, such as a ruling family of nobles; politics regarding bloodlines, successors and inheritances; knights; castles; swords as the preferred choice of weaponry; chivalry; and so on. Then there’s the story, which features a servant girl who discovers she’s someone important, a couple of quests including one to prevent a war between the House of Rule and Engine, and the presence of near-omniscient angels who play the role of “meddling gods.” On top of that you also have the Garden of Eden and other Christian references, prophecy told through a deck of cards, the appearance of a dragon, a basilisk side character and a necromancer…

If Dust had been a straight-up fantasy novel, it would be hard to ignore all of the tropes that Ms. Bear uses, but because of the sci-fi setting, they actually complement the story. And that’s where things get interesting. For starters, the “world” that the book is set in is actually a gigantic generation colony ship called Jacob’s Ladder, which, over the centuries, has forced evolution on its occupants through nanotechnology colonies and symbionts, resulting in the angelic-like Exalts. Overseeing this world are “angels,” who are actually fragments of one large entity called Israfel. The problem is that the star system Jacob’s Ladder has been orbiting is on the verge of going supernova and to have any chance of survival, the ship must be moved to a new location. In order for that to happen however, the ship has to be repaired first and all of the Israfel fragments united as one. That means war between the different remnants — namely, Jacob Dust the Angel of Memory, Samael the Angel of Biosystems and Asrafil the Angel of Blades — each of whom have their own selfish objectives. Tangled up in the middle of this conflict is the Exalt Percival Conn, the key to success for whichever angel comes out on top, but it’ll actually be Rien the servant girl and her companions who determine the fate of Jacob’s Ladder.

Besides the fun story that mixes traditional fantasy with space opera adventure, Dust also features interesting characters. I liked Rien the most because she changes the most throughout the novel being Remade from a common Mean into an Exalt, consuming the memories of a Chief Engineer, and discovering a family she never knew she had. Of the other two main characters, I thought Jacob had the most entertaining scenes especially his interactions with the other Angels, and I enjoyed the struggle that Percival faced with Pinion, a set of sentient wings that act as her ‘guard and warden.’ A lot of the supporting cast, including Lady Ariane, Benedick Conn, and Tristen Conn, were pretty generic and undeveloped, but I was fond of Mallory and the basilisk Gavin. Additionally, there were some interesting SF concepts in the book, such as the symbiosis between the nanotechnology colonies and their hosts; the deadly unblades that create unhealable wounds; the way Angels and Exalts can “consume” others to gain memories and knowledge; and the whole idea of a ship existing as a world complete with different cities and societies.

As far as the writing, there’s not much to criticize. Dust is deftly paced and plotted; the main characters are well-constructed; action scenes are dutifully exciting; and the prose is descriptive, elegant and accessible. Furthermore, Ms. Bear is pretty open when it comes to sexuality. Dust includes a Kant (an ungendered character referred to as sie or hir), a hermaphrodite, and relationships that would be considered taboo in our society. In fact, the only thing that I can really complain about is the cover art, which doesn’t do the book justice, but I don’t believe Bear had anything to do with that!

Dust is the opening volume in the Jacob’s Ladder trilogy. I know that some readers don’t like to start a series until it’s been completed, but I think this could be an exception. While the story stops at a climactic point, Bear resolves a lot of the novel’s subplots and I have a feeling that Chill is going to have a much different vibe. I can’t wait to see what happens with it. —Robert T. Comments

The Edda of Burdens — (2008-2010) Steampunk alternate future. Publisher: In the beginning was the end of the world. The children of the Light and the fallen Tarnished met at the edge of the great ice, and there they warred and died. Brother fought brother; lover slew lover. And when it was done, and the snow drifted over the blood, three were left: "the one who fled, the one who stood, and the one who walked away." Muire is a waelcyrge, an immortal maiden of the shield, sworn to defend the Light and to hold a place in the world for the return of the All-Father. But the All-Father never came. And Muire was not like her sisters — she was a historian and a poet, a sculptor and a thinker, littlest and least of her kind. A sparrow among falcons. From afar and quietly, she loved the greatest and brightest of the einherjar, the chosen warriors: Strifbjorn. But her courage failed her, and on the Last Day she fled the armies of the Tarnished, and did not die with her love. Kasimir is a valraven, war-steed of the choosers of the slain. Two-headed, great-hearted, winged and horned for battle. On the Last Day, his rider was killed, and he wounded unto death. But that great heart remains indomitable in defeat as it was in victory, even as it pumps his life-blood into the snow. And Mingan — Mingan is the Grey Wolf, last child of a dead god, grandson of giants. Mingan is old, older than the fallen children, older than the young and dying world. This is not his first apocalypse. He would prefer it to be his last.

1. All the Windwracked Stars (October 2008)
2. By the Mountain Bound (October 2009)
3. The Sea thy Mistress (October 2010)

Forthcoming:
The Sea thy Mistress (October 2010)

All the Windwracked Stars

All the Windwracked Stars is the first book in the EDDA OF BURDENS trilogy by fantasy and SF author Elizabeth Bear. The novel is a very original blend of fantasy, science fiction, steampunk and mythology, and while it has some weaknesses, its originality sets it apart in a genre that's all too often filled with cookie-cutter material.

Surprisingly, All the Windwracked Stars actually begins with Ragnarok, the final battle between the Children of the Light and the Tarnished. Muire, a waelcyrge (valkyrie) is one of the only survivors, together with Kasimir, another valkyrie's wounded valraven, who (in a sign of things to come) is transformed from his old two-headed, winged horse form into a more steampunk-ish guise.

Fast forward more than two millennia, to a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity only has one semi-viable city left. Eiledon is ruled by the Technomancer, who lives in a university/fortress floating above the city, and enforces her rule over the general population with a force of "unmans" (animal/human hybrids). Early in the novel, Muire learns that Mingan the Wolf is still stalking the world, and that the Technomancer's goals may not be entirely benevolent.

All the Windwracked Stars is a challenging but ultimately rewarding novel — challenging, because it takes a good 200 pages before the plot really emerges. Until that happens, you're reading a novel set in a world that's so unique it can be confusing, populated by characters that are extremely hard to connect with, especially in the first handful of chapters. The original setting, combined with Elizabeth Bear's beautiful prose, will carry patient readers to the point where the story really takes off, but it's hard not to feel that this novel could have been more accessible.

Regardless of this, All the Windwracked Stars is amazingly successful at combining mythology and science fiction in an intriguing and unique way. If you are interested in Norse mythology, and your tolerance for challenging reads is high, this book will deliver for you in spades. —Stefan Comments

By the Mountain Bound

By the Mountain Bound is the second book in Elizabeth Bear's The Edda of Burdens trilogy, but is actually set before the events described in book 1, All the Windwracked Stars. It explains how the final battle between the Children of the Light and the Tarnished came about, as well as the histories of some of the major characters of that book.

Muire, the main character of All the Windwracked Stars, returns in this novel, but the focus definitely shifts towards the other two viewpoint characters: Strifbjorn, the Warleader of the immortal Children of the Light, and his lover Mingan the Grey Wolf. Strifbjorn rescues what he believes is a mortal girl, but it quickly becomes clear that she is something very different... and her arrival will change the Children of the Light forever.

On the plus side, Elizabeth Bear's take on Norse mythology is extremely original, and that's not even taking the truly inventive addition of steampunk and SF elements of All the Windwracked Stars into account. Together, the two novels trace an impressive line from the mythical origins of the world to a gritty, almost post-apocalyptic future. By the Mountain Bound is simply a very original entry into the fantasy genre, miles away from your average medievaloid high fantasy. It'll also be interesting to see if The Sea Thy Mistress (book 3 in the series, due in October 2010 from Tor) will go even further back in time, or if it will fill in the roughly 2000-year gap between the first 2 books, or take a different direction altogether.

Unfortunately, I found it hard to have any sort of connection with the characters in book 1, and found it even harder in By the Mountain Bound. In addition, if you've read All the Windwracked Stars, you already know how By the Mountain Bound will end: you'll find out many details that were only hinted at in the first book, but at the same time it sometimes feels like watching a recording of a sports event when you already know the final score. Despite Elizabeth Bear's beautiful prose and the originality of the novel's concept, I found it hard to stay motivated enough to keep reading, because I didn't care about any of the characters AND already knew what would happen to them.

If you enjoyed All the Windwracked Stars and are curious about how it all started, definitely check out By the Mountain Bound. It contains some powerful scenes, tons of beautiful, poetic prose, and a highly original fantasy universe. However, while I have the utmost respect for Elizabeth Bear's talent, I simply didn't enjoy By the Mountain Bound as much as I wanted to. —Stefan Comments

Stand alones

Bone and Jewel Creatures — (2010) Publisher: Dark magic is afoot in the City of Jackals… Eighty years Bijou the Artificer has been a Wizard of Messaline, building her servants from precious scraps, living with the memory of a great love that betrayed her. She is ready to rest. But now her former apprentice, Brazen the Enchanter, has brought her a speechless feral child poisoned by a sorcerous infection. Now, Messaline is swept by a mysterious plague. Now the seeping corpses of the dead stalk the streets. Now, finally, Bijou’s old nemesis — Bijou’s old love — Kaulas the Necromancer is unleashing a reeking half-death on Bijou’s people. And only Bijou and her creatures wrought of bone and jewels can save the City of Jackals from his final revenge.

Photo Credit: S. Shipman

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