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Title: The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Title: The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Series:
------
Author:
Patricia McKillip
Rating:
4.5 of 5 Stars
Genre:
Fantasy
Pages:
254
Format:
Digital Edition
|
Synopsis: |
Atrix Wolfe, a powerful mage, is drawn into a conflict between 2 Kingdoms. One fateful night he uses his magic to put an end to the conflict and things go horribly wrong. He conjures The Hunter, a living nightmare of pain, terror and death. One king dies, the other flees, broken completely.
Many years later, the 2nd
son of the dead king, is attending the Wizards School. He is recalled
home and takes a book with him. His elder brother, unable to have
heirs, makes him the heir and wants him to settle down and begin
stabilizing the royal line, ie, get married and start making babies.
Prince Talus agrees but still wants to study the magic book he
brought home, little realizing it is the Book of Atrix Wolfe and the
words contained are twisted by Wolfe's despair at what he had done
all those years ago.
In his mucking about, Talus calls the
attention of the Hunter again, gets kidnapped by the Queen of the
Faeries and is the fulcrum upon which turns the fates of many. The
Hunter's nightmare must end, the Faerie Queen's daughter returned,
Atrix Wolfe atoning for his misdeeds and Talus saving his brother's
life.
Just like a fairytale, there is a
satisfying ending, even if not a happy ending, for everyone's
storyline.
|
My Thoughts: |
The Book of Atrix Wolfe was
my first McKillip book. I read it back in '05 and over the next 2
years gobbled up her back list of books. I had never come across an
author who wrote like this and it blew my mind. I became a fan of
hers with this book and it holds one of those special places in my
mind.
So it
was with trepidation that I began my re-read. Things change in 12
years. My “little cousin” was in first grade and a bossy little
boy when I first read this. Now he's 6'4” and graduated highschool.
I am now married, bald [well, shaved. Receding hairline isn't fun for
anyone] and about 25lbs more muscular [hahaha]. Of course, most of
the changes are inside and not always easy to see or for me to even
know. * insert
Zen aphorism about mirrors and the back of one's head *
My
concerns were well founded, unfortunately. The story was just as
good, the writing even better. But I could not accept the lack of
communication between the various characters. The Faerie Queen's
lover and her daughter have disappeared on the fateful night and she
has been looking for them ever since. She knows that Atrix Wolfe is
responsible, but instead of asking for his help, she kidnaps Talus,
uses him as a go between and even then STILL doesn't actually tell
him what is wrong. Atrix Wolfe won't tell anyone about the Hunter,
even while it is active again. Talus won't tell his brother about the
Faerie Queen and just goes off and does his own thing.
It
was all extremely fairy tale like, so that type of thing is expected.
But it really bothered me this time around and I couldn't get past
it. I knocked off half a star for that. It didn't help that I'd been
dealing with a sore back, lack of work and issues at church. I didn't
have the patience or reserves to accept the foibles of fictional
characters.
Other
than that issue, this WAS just as good as before. McKillip is a
master wordsmith and her use of the english language is enchanting.
She doesn't just use words and sentences “correctly”, she knows
them and the rules well enough so that she can “weave” them. It
is the difference between a paint by numbers picture of the Mona Lisa
and the actual Mona Lisa.
★★★★ ½
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