Art and Magic
Written: May 24 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: compelling universe, rich characterization
Cons: jarring transitions between eras
The Bottom Line: A compelling story of a land where art and magic are indistinguishable, and one man's quest to fulfill his artistic genius at all costs.
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| shadowcat's Full Review: |
I am usually skeptical of collaborations between equally-well-known novelists, even a marvelous trio like Kate Elliott, Melanie Rawn, and Jennifer Roberson. Having a relative in the publishing industry I know that collaborations like this frequently end up as a mish-mash of writing styles and creative differences. However, in the case of The Golden Key, the above generalization couldn't be farther from the truth. This novel is a fantasy masterpiece, and even my close analysis was unable to yield any cracks or inconsistencies between the three writers. Elliott, Rawn, and Roberson have woven a rich fantasy world very unlike any other I can think of, peculiarly compelling in that all of its magic is bound up in art.
The Folio is the secret magic bible of the Grijalvas; the recipes and formulas for the spells that they weave into their paintings, unbeknownst to the rest of Tira Virte. Young Sario Grijalva is the first to discover that there is more to the Folio than the family knows (or admits, anyway); it is in fact the holy book of a tribe of magicians thought to be long vanished. He deciphers more of the complete manuscript than anyone else ever has, and his powers grow to match his ambition; to be the greatest Limner ever, and to live forever. His only care outside of himself is his cousin, Saavedra, who he believes to share the Grijalva Gift for magic that is supposed to appear only in males.
The story follows Sario in his quest for immortality across generations of the history of Tira Virte and the surrounding lands. The authors do an astounding job of showing the cultural, political, and artistic changes that take place in the several hundred years of the novel. The language, bearing a strong resemblance to Italian, puts the finishing touches on the cultural atmosphere.
Since this book traverses such a large time span, many beloved characters are left behind, and you only learn what happened to them hundreds of years later. This was slightly jarring even the second time I read the book; but rest assured all of the loose ends do get tied up eventually!
There are three companion books planned: one to be written by each of the three co-authors. The first, The Diviner, by Melanie Rawn, was originally supposed to be out in August of 1999 and is now (May 2001) just "on hold". (Rawn's next book, already completed, is on hold until The Diviner comes out as well - gotta love the publishing industry.)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
shadowcat
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Member: Heather Keith
Location: Chelmsford, MA
Reviews written: 28
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
Human consciousness lies somewhere between Pavlov's dog and Schrodinger's cat.
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