Shadow Magic -- Patricia C. Wrede

[mneme]

I last (and first) read Shadow Magic oh, about 20 years ago, and it was one of the books that made me a Wrede fan.

I've been going back and reading some books I don't remember so well, and read Daughter of Witches, and then this. Daughter? Isn't bad, but isn't all that great, either.

But this? Oh, god yes. Genre fantasy at its finest, and in one book, not three-or-more (she has other novels in Lyra, of course, But they're telling different stories, about different characters).

Yum.

Comments

Pat Wrede novels

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

It is interesting, how radically different people's tastes may differ. I thought Shadow Magic was okay (and it is the book that launched the Scribblies writers' group -- look it up on wikipedia) but *Daughter of Witches* was the one that really, really launched Pat's career. (Note: I feel a bit of parental pride here. I didn't do anything to help write the book, and this was not one of the Scribblies books that I critiqued extensively; however, I gave the book its title.) Somebody at Ace suggested to Pat that *Shadow Magic* be published under a pseudonym, so that her real name could be used for her later books, which would obviously be better. I did not agree about the pseudonym (and neither did Pat) but still consider *Shadow Magic* to be weaker than her next six or seven. By the way, have you read *The Harp of Imach Thyssel*? I liked this one a lot too.)

Nate

Re: Pat Wrede novels

[mneme]

Shadow Magic is very much genre fantasy -- but that's rarer now than it was (that said, I could do with the baddies being a bit less...uniform, I guess), and it hits the eucatastrophe very, very well.

I loved The Harp of Imach Thyssel. And remember it with the vague fondness I remember many books of ~20 years ago that I never reread. It's in the queue as well.

(hmm. I'd think the book that -really- put her on the map was Sorcery and Cecelia, but that was much later, of course).

[kgbooklog.livejournal.com]

How many Lyra books are there? I thought it was just the trilogy (which I haven't read) and Caught in Crystal and The Raven Ring (which I have).

[mneme]

I believe it's five, as stated -- though I wouldn't call "Harp of Imach Thistel", "Daughter of Witches", and "Shadow Magic" a trilogy by any means.

"The Seven Towers" has some of the same feel, but isn't putatively set in the same universe.

[badgerthorazine.livejournal.com]

Oooh...sounds like I should...NO! I just bought 30-odd books this weekend! ;-D