Matthew Hughes

The Archonate — (1994-2010) Science fantasy set in the same universe. Publisher: In the Penultimate Age of the Archonate, callow young fop Filidor Vesh is perfectly content to spend his days in the pursuit of shallow amusements, until he is summoned by a wizened old dwarf in need of a voluntary good deed — deliver a parcel to his uncle, the all-powerful and original 98th Archon, sole ruler of the world. So begins Filidor's reluctant odyssey through peculiar provinces peopled with odious denizens, including such road killers as mutant rodents, alien ants and a vengeful thamaturge. Now in terra incognito, his narrow conception of life shaken to the extreme, Filidor will strive to say and do the right things... and grow up in the process.

The Tales of Henghis Hapthorn


OTher books in the archonate universe

Majestrum

Majestrum is a relatively short (232 page trade paperback) science fantasy set in our own far-future universe which has been colonized far and wide by humans from “Old Earth.” The protagonist, Henghis Hapthorn, is a “discriminator” (“he unravels conundrums, picks apart puzzles, uncovers enigmas”) who uses his keen logical skills to solve mysteries.

But some strange stuff is going on: Mr Hapthorn's integrator (a sentient computer which assists him in his work) has recently donned flesh and blood and become more like a familiar than a computer. Also, the small intuitive part of Henghis's psyche has suddenly asserted itself as a separate personality which shares Henghis's brain and body. These occurrences seem to indicate that sympathetic association (magic), which waxes and wanes across the eons, is now rising again. And soon Henghis Hapthorn's double personality and his familiar find themselves hunting an ancient evil force which is trying to resurface.

Majestrum is a fast-paced novel which reads much like a crime thriller (Matthew Hughes writes those under the name Matt Hughes) with a heavy dose of sarcasm, irony, and dry humor. The few characters are well-drawn and I am interested enough in one of them — the archon Filidor — that I may read the previous Archonate novels in which he was the main character.

Matthew Hughes' droll writing style is amusing, and there are many laugh-out-loud moments such as when Henghis has to put on upper-class ornamentation so that the nobles can perceive him, when his integrator/familiar falls asleep at crucial moments, and when hardened criminals are given to the Corps of Buffoons, fitted with coercion suits, and compelled to publicly act in bawdy plays. Even the character names are funny: Glam Botch, Bristal Baxandall, Vhobald Hammis. Mr Hughes confesses to being a Jack Vance fan, and this influence is definitely noticeable. I thought I also detected some echoes of Ursula Le Guin — especially in the spare style and the importance of names in the magic system.

This was an inventive and entertaining novel but (as usual) I've got a few minor complaints to mention. The writing style, which seemed clever at first, was overdone to the point where I really wanted to take my blue pencil to it. There were too many ten-dollar words (e.g., peregrinations, transmogrification, pansophical, ratiocination) and the characters “ascend” rather than go up, “peruse” instead of read, and “ascertain” instead of figure out. And I started to tire of these sorts of constructions (all of the characters speak this way):

• The ensuing conversation was one of those colloquies that occur when no one wishes to mention the particularly salient fact that is nonetheless in the front of each participant's mind.
• She made no answer but the set of her mouth told me that she had sustained worse injury than being made ridiculous before all whose opinions she valued, bad as that hurt must have been to one of her milieu.
• She turned her head away and I could see her undertaking the uncharacteristic effort of thinking.
• I then executed the precise formal motions that would register in the hyperesthetic circuits of his aristocratic neural net.
• But my fear is swept away by a presentiment that I am about to experience astonishments.

The ending of Majestrum was so far-fetched that I suspect that Mr Hughes was actually going for camp. (If I had read any of his other novels, I'd have a better feel for this.) Henghis Hapthorn who, according to his alter-ego is “trapped in linear rationalism,” dismisses key facts and comes to a ridiculously and obviously wrong conclusion about the strange case they're working on, and ends up putting themselves in danger. But the climax unravels itself so quickly and painlessly that there's not much feeling evoked from the reader. This seemed inconsistent with the way that the evil enemy had been portrayed up to this point, and I was a bit let down.

But, overall Majestrum is an entertaining and quick read. If you're already a Matthew Hughes fan, if you enjoy Jack Vance style science fantasy, or if you're looking for something a bit quirky and light, then I recommend Majestrum. If you're only into traditional epic fantasy or sword & sorcery, or if you have no patience for a magniloquent writing style, look elsewhere. —Kat Hooper

Template

Template opens with an exciting scene as the protagonist, Conn, a skilled swordsman, successfully defends himself from three opponents. You'd think this would turn into another action/adventure SF novel but Template instead drifts into mystery and philosophy as our protagonist suddenly finds himself with various choices when he previously had none.

Conn is likable enough at the start although later on we discover that his paradigms are alien. This becomes a recurring theme as Matthew Hughes presents planets and races with varying ethics, which enables him to insert philosophical discourse in a way that flows naturally with the story.

The language is easy to get into and quite functional. The text isn't too long but what Hughes lacks in density, he makes up for with his pacing and depth.

Where Template really shines is the way it draws you in through the mystery and the drama. It piques the reader's curiosity and sense of wonder rather than using the immediacy of “what happens next” to keep the reader going. For a protagonist whose main asset is his combat skills, there's little action to be found here (although the few action scenes are remarkable) and the narrative is instead propelled by the characterization and plot.

Template reminds me of Isaac Asimov’s FOUNDATION and ROBOT series. The story is tight, it appeals to my intellectual curiosity rather than adrenaline, and much is conveyed through dialogue and introspection. With this novel, I can easily imagine Hughes to be the modern successor of Asimov.

Template is an enjoyable read that goes beyond the premise of an adventure or mystery. It features a refined writing style that's both easy and engaging to the reader. —Charles Tan     
FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.