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A review by bluestjuice
Legends II by Robert Silverberg
4.0
Having read the first Legends anthology, I came to this one with a better idea of what to expect. Some of the authors are repeats, some are new, and like any anthology I had my favorites and the ones I didn't care so much for. My purpose in reading this was to get access to the second Dunk and Egg story by George R. R. Martin, so I was especially pleased that it was placed early in the anthology, so I could enjoy it and then enjoy the other stories without perpetually waiting for that one.
"Homecoming" - Robin Hobb: This is not a world with which I have any familiarity. This story managed to place it within what I felt to be a well rounded and developed world, without giving too much unnecessary background that was immaterial to the story itself. It quickly moved the protagonist off into an otherwise-unexplored sector of the world, such that the discovery of this area is new both to the characters and the reader. This worked very well! The protagonist was utterly unlovable at first but grew to become a much more well-rounded and sympathetic character by the end, and I was very interested in the archaeological and sociological bent of the plot. The themes also touched on the nature and purpose of art, which I really enjoyed.
"The Sworn Sword" - George R. R. Martin: As I said earlier, I was looking forward to this story. It picks up a year or two after the first story, and I felt that it wasn't as strong from a plot perspective - the major relationship between Dunk and Egg has been established, and so this felt smaller in scope, and more episodic. Nevertheless, Martin asks some meaningful questions about the nature of loyalty and duty, and Dunk got his first kiss. Awwww.
"The Yazoo Queen" - Orson Scott Card: I'm not a huge fan of the Tales of Alvin Maker - I like the theory of them but the world just doesn't enthrall me. This story was pretty okay, taking that into account, but it just didn't light me up.
"Lord John and the Succubus" - Diana Gabaldon: I have to say, I've never read any of the Outlander books. I'm told I should! Maybe I will. I liked the characterization and the way this story was written, and that was what made it really interesting for me. I would like to read more of her work.
"The Book of Changes" - Robert Silverberg: In the previous Legends work, this author's work was my least favorite, because it dwelled distractingly on the backstory of the main body of work. I liked this story much, much better. Although I believe the details of the work of epic poetry that the protagonist creates would have much richer meaning for someone familiar with the world, the tale of its creation and the powerful effect it has over the author is compelling in its own right, as well.
"The Happiest Dead Boy in the World" - Tad Williams: I had to look up this story to remember which one it was, which doesn't bode well. However, once I did that, I remembered I actually liked it quite a lot. The futuristic virtual universe is more sci-fi than fantasy in some ways (or at least that was my impression from this reading), but since the universe is full of landscapes mostly drawn from literature of various kinds, its inclusion is perhaps not so incongruous. In either case, the story was clever and also rather sad, leaving me interested in reading some of the other related works.
"Beyond Between" - Anne McCaffrey: Oh, Pern novels. I loathe them and I love them. It's an odd thing. This story tells the tale of the final days of Moretta, dragon rider, which was pretty bittersweet although likely would have been more meaningful to me if I were less removed from the series at this point. Still, it worked nicely.
"The Messenger" - Raymond E. Feist: Military adventure stories are about the last kind I expect to enjoy, and I know little about the setting of the world for this short story. Despite all that, this was a really enjoyable piece to read. I got caught up in the protagonist's simple but extremely treacherous mission, and held my breath every time he encountered another seemingly insurmountable barricade. Surprisingly interesting!
"Threshold" - Elizabeth Hayden: Another world about which I knew essentially nothing. Despite that, this story was exceptional. I came to know the characters well, and the setting was contained yet fit within the larger framework of the world so that it seemed at home without having to be under-explained. The nature of sacrifice is always an interesting theme, and I actually cried at one of the final scenes.
"The Monarch of the Glen" - Neil Gaiman: I love Neil Gaiman's writing and I very much liked American Gods, so I became quite excited when I saw this sequel was included. This tread more upon the notion of monsters and heroes than gods and mortals, and I think it could bear a re-reading or five. It's a dense and significant piece but also very subtle.
"Indomitable" - Terry Brooks: I never got into the Shannara books, and I have to be honest, this story did not particularly make me want to go read them. It was a pretty normal 'adventure quest' story with a young protagonist who learned something about himself, a few somewhat cardboard companions, and the memories of other companions (characters from the original works I presume) who drive the plot forward. It just wasn't all that exciting, and seemed kind of phoned in.
"Homecoming" - Robin Hobb: This is not a world with which I have any familiarity. This story managed to place it within what I felt to be a well rounded and developed world, without giving too much unnecessary background that was immaterial to the story itself. It quickly moved the protagonist off into an otherwise-unexplored sector of the world, such that the discovery of this area is new both to the characters and the reader. This worked very well! The protagonist was utterly unlovable at first but grew to become a much more well-rounded and sympathetic character by the end, and I was very interested in the archaeological and sociological bent of the plot. The themes also touched on the nature and purpose of art, which I really enjoyed.
"The Sworn Sword" - George R. R. Martin: As I said earlier, I was looking forward to this story. It picks up a year or two after the first story, and I felt that it wasn't as strong from a plot perspective - the major relationship between Dunk and Egg has been established, and so this felt smaller in scope, and more episodic. Nevertheless, Martin asks some meaningful questions about the nature of loyalty and duty, and Dunk got his first kiss. Awwww.
"The Yazoo Queen" - Orson Scott Card: I'm not a huge fan of the Tales of Alvin Maker - I like the theory of them but the world just doesn't enthrall me. This story was pretty okay, taking that into account, but it just didn't light me up.
"Lord John and the Succubus" - Diana Gabaldon: I have to say, I've never read any of the Outlander books. I'm told I should! Maybe I will. I liked the characterization and the way this story was written, and that was what made it really interesting for me. I would like to read more of her work.
"The Book of Changes" - Robert Silverberg: In the previous Legends work, this author's work was my least favorite, because it dwelled distractingly on the backstory of the main body of work. I liked this story much, much better. Although I believe the details of the work of epic poetry that the protagonist creates would have much richer meaning for someone familiar with the world, the tale of its creation and the powerful effect it has over the author is compelling in its own right, as well.
"The Happiest Dead Boy in the World" - Tad Williams: I had to look up this story to remember which one it was, which doesn't bode well. However, once I did that, I remembered I actually liked it quite a lot. The futuristic virtual universe is more sci-fi than fantasy in some ways (or at least that was my impression from this reading), but since the universe is full of landscapes mostly drawn from literature of various kinds, its inclusion is perhaps not so incongruous. In either case, the story was clever and also rather sad, leaving me interested in reading some of the other related works.
"Beyond Between" - Anne McCaffrey: Oh, Pern novels. I loathe them and I love them. It's an odd thing. This story tells the tale of the final days of Moretta, dragon rider, which was pretty bittersweet although likely would have been more meaningful to me if I were less removed from the series at this point. Still, it worked nicely.
"The Messenger" - Raymond E. Feist: Military adventure stories are about the last kind I expect to enjoy, and I know little about the setting of the world for this short story. Despite all that, this was a really enjoyable piece to read. I got caught up in the protagonist's simple but extremely treacherous mission, and held my breath every time he encountered another seemingly insurmountable barricade. Surprisingly interesting!
"Threshold" - Elizabeth Hayden: Another world about which I knew essentially nothing. Despite that, this story was exceptional. I came to know the characters well, and the setting was contained yet fit within the larger framework of the world so that it seemed at home without having to be under-explained. The nature of sacrifice is always an interesting theme, and I actually cried at one of the final scenes.
"The Monarch of the Glen" - Neil Gaiman: I love Neil Gaiman's writing and I very much liked American Gods, so I became quite excited when I saw this sequel was included. This tread more upon the notion of monsters and heroes than gods and mortals, and I think it could bear a re-reading or five. It's a dense and significant piece but also very subtle.
"Indomitable" - Terry Brooks: I never got into the Shannara books, and I have to be honest, this story did not particularly make me want to go read them. It was a pretty normal 'adventure quest' story with a young protagonist who learned something about himself, a few somewhat cardboard companions, and the memories of other companions (characters from the original works I presume) who drive the plot forward. It just wasn't all that exciting, and seemed kind of phoned in.