The Last Castle by Jack Vance
The Last Castle by Jack Vance
Ace Books, ISBN 0 441 47072 6
Price paid: 1,00$
What a strange little book. Part science-fiction, part Arthurian tale; The Last Castle tells the story of vain, arrogant "gentlemen", suffering a rebellion from a race of alien creatures they have used as slaves for a couple millenniums.
This is seen through the eyes of the said nobles and in their mindset, which fits so well with what we are to assume was the way of thinking in the Middle Ages. The way they act, hold council, act offended by the mere thought of having to do menial tasks. It is a fun little read, no doubt.
Is it worth a dollar?
While it is indeed fun to read, it is also quite uneventful and extremely short; stopping at a mere 107 pages. The story is nothing you have not read and skipping it would be a good idea. Let us simply hope that Jack Vance's nobles find the heart to accept this without offense.
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The Last Castle
3 comments:
Would you rather have 107 pages of Vance's exquisite prose, sly wit and remarkable ability to conceive of societies at once strange and recognisable? Or 1000 pages of the latest Tolkien-clone fantasy?
I know where my dollar's going! Vance is one of the most distinctive voices on the planet, and even his most trivial work (which this isn't) repays re-reading.
I'll have your copy if you don't want it... ; - )
Hi, thank you for your comment.
First of all, I would like to explain that I do not review books in a regular way. The purpose of my experiment is to find books under a dollar and review them "by the pound", so to speak.
The goal is to help the penny-pinchers and others in need of an excuse not to read; to help them find books they will know for sure is worth buying.
This said, I did not dislike The Last Castle. As I stated, it was short and sweet. While I might disagree with Vance being "one of the most distinctive voices on the planet", I did indeed enjoy his style.
However, if the reader had to pick between all the books I will have reviewed at the end of my experiment, I still find that this one will not make much an impact. That is, of course, my opinion and the beauty of reviewing. Reviews should help you find your own tastes and not force you to read X and Y books.
I am a bit saddened that you would see Vance and "Tolkien clones" as the only two types of fantasy stories out there. There are many that fit neither and are extremely interesting stories. Take for example Jack Whyte's Camulod / Dream of Eagles series, about the ancestors to King Arthur.
It is written without artifice, magic and mysticism. It is sharp, witty and logical in its approach and gives you a very convincing, mostly accurate depiction of Rome's departure from Britain while integrating elements that would eventually lead to understanding the origins of the Arthurian legend (what would make people think of Merlyn as a wizard? Why do people think Excalibur to be a superior sword? etc etc etc)
Tolkien clones are many but they are far from being the only books available in that field.
As for my copy, I'll keep it. I have plans for this collection of books. :D
I agree with you that there's plenty of good, original fantasy out there--I even try to write some of it! My underlying point was that quality is better than quantity.
I haven't read Jack Whyte's work but you make a good case for me to rectify the omission. Other fantasists I enjoy include GRR Martin and Iain M. Banks, nether of whom are remotely Tolkien clones.
Good luck with your ongoing reviews and larger design!
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