fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book reviews Jack Vance Lyonesse 3. MadoucMadouc by Jack Vance

Well, here’s the finale of Jack Vance’s Lyonesse, and I’m sorry to see it end. This novel was about Madouc, the changeling princess of Lyonesse, and her interactions with Casmir, Sollace, Aillas, Dhrun, Shimrod, Throbius, Sir Pom-Pom, Umphred, Twisk, et al.

Madouc maintains the quality of this excellent trilogy — it’s filled with clever prose, charming characters, and lots of imagination. Jack Vance’s careful planning produced a tight plot and Madouc wrapped up all the loose ends from Suldrun’s Garden and The Green Pearl.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lyonesse, but it may not be for everyone. It occurs to me that these books are a lot like Monty Python. They’re fast-paced, weird, silly, outrageous, and (somehow) smart.

I’ll give you one example: the magician Murgen realizes he’s being spied on by a man who has transformed himself into a moth, so he sends Rylf to follow the moth and find out who it is. The moth flies away and joins a thousand other moths who are flying around a flame. As Rylf watches, one of the moths eventually drops down, turns into a man, and walks into an inn. But Rylf doesn’t take note of the man because, as he figures, the laws of probability suggest that the particular moth he’s after must still be flying around the flame.

If you don’t find that hilarious, you may not enjoy Lyonesse as much as I did.

Part of what I love most about Jack Vance’s humor is that he doesn’t tell us it’s funny. It’s a completely deadpan delivery. So, when King Throbius (King of the Fairies) assures Madouc that “fairies are as tolerant as they are sympathetic,” there’s no narrator or character who explains to Madouc (and, thereby, us) that this does not mean that fairies are tolerant. I have never read any author who does this as beautifully as Jack Vance does, and I loved it.

I’ve said it twice before, so I won’t say again that Lyonesse ought to be reprinted.

UPDATE: Now available in ebook formats.

Lyonesse — (1983-1990) Omnibus editions available. Publisher: The Elder Isles, located in what is now the Bay of Biscay off the the coast of Old Gaul, are made up of ten contending kingdoms, all vying with each other for control. At the centre of much of the intrigue is Casmir, the ruthless and ambitious king of Lyonnesse. His beautiful but otherworldly daughter, Suldrun, is part of his plans. He intends to cement an alliance or two by marrying her well. But Suldrun is as determined as he and defies him. Casmir coldly confines her to the overgrown garden that she loves to frequent, and it is here that she meets her love and her tragedy unfolds. Political intrigue, magic, war, adventure and romance are interwoven in a rich and sweeping tale set in a brilliantly realized fabled land.

Jack Vance Lyonesse 1. Suldrun's Garden 2. The Green Pearl 3. Madouc fantasy book reviews Jack Vance Lyonesse 1. Suldrun's Garden 2. The Green Pearl 3. Madouc fantasy book reviewsJack Vance Lyonesse 1. Suldrun's Garden 2. The Green Pearl 3. Madouc fantasy book reviews

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  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.