Joy ChantBesprekingen

Three children, two boys and their young sister, are transported to a fantasy land, each to play their part in the fight against an evil invader. The elder boy is 'chosen' and goes native, becoming a plains warrior and forgetting his old life for a time, but it all turns out to be a grand plan by spiritual powers. Reminiscent of Narnia, especially The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in some respects, but with a more mature and philosophical aspect with regard to the personal journey of the oldest boy, who comes to question whether killing is right and has to face the reality of sacrifice.

There is some violence and a token questioning of the subservient role of women, though this is 'answered' by the fact that the plains women drive the wagons and so are 'helpless' though I don't see why this would prevent them from at least fighting in self defence. Even among the town and city dwellers, where women of the hereditary star magic wielders appear to enjoy more equality, there is the idea that women must marry for fulfilment, even though the Princess In'serinna loses her powers by marrying an outsider, and condemns her linked star to blowing up!

The best aspects are the vivid description of a battle between eagles representing the good and bad powers, and the touching end section where the oldest boy, Oliver, has to face his true position, but quite a bit of the story is fairly humdrum. There are a lot of different cultures with difficult to pronounce or too similar names and it is easy to lose track. This is first in a trilogy, and was not interesting enough for me to want to track down the other volumes which are probably long out of print.

An interesting retelling of the Arthurian legends, interspersed with essays on Celtic culture and introductions to each story utilizing the 'story within a story' motif, in that someone asks a bard to entertain them, and he relates a particular tale. It doesn't match some of the other Arthurian legends I've read, but that is the nature of oral tradition, and it gives this work a spark of interest it might not otherwise have had.

Would be 5-star if t'were not for her racism

Engaging retellings of British mythology - modern language versions of Geoffrey of Monmouth that don't lose the stories' essential weirdness. The illustrations are gorgeous and worth the book even if you don't read a thing.

Each volume of Ms. Chant's Kendreth cycle is unique, and each successively stronger in emotional insight and depth. Sadly, this is the last novel of Vandarei from her pen. Where "Red Moon, Black Mountain" was classical wonder literature with echoes of Narnia, Middle-Earth, and Scripture; and "The Gray Mane of Morning" was heroic fantasy to stand among the finest such tales, recounting a pivotal event, both just and terrible, that forever changes her world; "When Voiha Awakes" is a romance that pierces and reveals in all its joys and sorrows the human experience of and capacity to love. Set in a matriarchal society, the gender role reversal Ms. Chant artfully depicts highlights the accepted injustices and follies of our own in a manner that is enlightening and never pedantic. The further I read, the more I had to read as Ms. Chant relates with unforgiving honesty and insight "emotional levels" rarely achieved in works of fantasy, to paraphrase the review by Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. It is a work I find I appreciate much more at age 62 than when I was a much younger and less-worldly (and less love-experienced) man. As in all three Kendreth novels, Ms. Chant's prose is near perfect, her skill in this particular work more in the artful, at times playful, conveyance of human feelings rather than the powerful evocative description of the first two novels. This short novel is a delight for any who've loved.

On re-reading, the awe instilled by Chant's beautiful prose, her gift for simile and metaphor, for setting and emotion, for apt insights into people as individuals and as a species and our sometimes harmonious and sometimes contentious interactions with nature and with ourselves remains as powerful as I remember--and only deepened by the knowledge that this work was written by Ms. Chant, a librarian, when she was but twenty-five years of age. The tale is a portal fantasy with child heroes, Narnia-like, and yet their challenges, the choices they make, and their consequences are harshly adult, particularly its dramatic somewhat disturbing--yet right-- conlcusion. Similar to Lewis' Narnia, upon rereading, I find a patina of Christian allegory and archangel analogs within Chant's panthenon of atavistic pseudo-Druidic "High" gods. "Red Moon, Black Mountain" Fifty years since its publication, I consider the book a classic of modern epic fantasy written in the tradition of those like Lewis, Tolkien, Morris, and Eddison written decades to a half-century before.

On re-reading, the awe instilled by Chant's beautiful prose, her gift for simile and metaphor, for setting and emotion, for apt insights into people as individuals and as a species and our sometimes harmonious and sometimes contentious interactions with nature and with ourselves remains as powerful as I remember--and only deepened by the knowledge that this work was written by Ms. Chant, a librarian, when she was but twenty-five years of age. The tale is a portal fantasy with child heroes, Narnia-like, and yet their challenges, the choices they make, and their consequences are harshly adult, particularly its dramatic somewhat disturbing--yet right-- conlcusion. Similar to Lewis' Narnia, upon rereading, I find a patina of Christian allegory and archangel analogs within Chant's panthenon of atavistic pseudo-Druidic "High" gods. "Red Moon, Black Mountain" Fifty years since its publication, I consider the book a classic of modern epic fantasy written in the tradition of those like Lewis, Tolkien, Morris, and Eddison written decades to a half-century before.

A re-telling of stories from The Matter of Britain, interspersed with essays on Celtic life and culture. Readers of The Science of Discworld books will be familiar with the format. Some annoying OCR errors, and was Vortigern originally Vortigem? That spelling was consistent throughout, and a quick search suggests it may be the Scottish version of the name. I'm not sure which set of legends Chant was using, there seemed to be elements of all the pre-medieval British/Welsh sources, but none of the later sources like Malory or the Breton accretions like Lancelot.

The rather loose linking plot was Arthur's story, with bardic tales and illustrative essays at various junctures. How it works:

Chapter 1: story - The Winning of Britain, essays - The Bard, Women
Chapter 2: story - The Two Queens of Locrin, essays - The Warrior, Religion
Chapter 3: stories - The Blemished Prince, Leir and his Daughters, essay - Warfare
Chapter 4: story - The Mighty Brothers, essays - Druids, Head-Hunting, Marriage
Chapter 5: story - The Children of Lir, essays - Bans and Biddings, Ornament
Chapter 6: story - The sons of Troy, essays - The Feast, The King
Chapter 7: story - The Sovereignty of Britain, essay - Story-Telling
Chapter 8: story - Vortigem the Traitor
Epilogue: story - Chief Dragon of the Island

An enjoyable read, and of interest to anyone planning a Dark Ages Celtic campaign (or even a Sartarite campaign) and who wants an accessible background source for their players to read.

Read at the recommendation of James Stoddard (The False House), but not for me. I did not find the world adequately realized, I did not find the villain or heroes resonant, and it all felt rushed.½

4.5 stars

A powerful story of the effect of three children on a world under siege by a ravening God.

I remember that this book was good enough to read at least twice. I just wish I could remember it.½

A little too derivative to garner more stars from me, Red Moon and Black Mountain combines elements of C S Lewis's Narnia books (the children swept away into a fantasy world where there is a coming of age) with Tolkien's Lord of The Rings (said fantasy world is under threat from a powerful baddie).

Excellent writing in parts and a better LOTR plagiarism than Terry Brooks' Shannara potboilers.½

Interesting review of the book here: http://www.chronicles-network.com/forum/11245-book-review-red-moon-black-mountai...

A dark sort of coming-of-age fantasy, wherein children of our world are transported to a fantasy realm, and there grow up, amidst much danger and warfare and sorcery. Very well done, very much like Alan Garner's work, only it is even more reminiscent of more famous fantasists. You might even say it is like a marriage of Tolkien and Lewis: the main thrust of the fantasy action and world is Tolkienian; the children's arch story is more Lewisian, almost out of Narnia.

I've actually read this twice, once as a youngster, once as an adult. It held my attention the second time, so I have to give it fairly high marks.

Read this but I don't remember a single thing about it ~ other than the Frazetta dustjacket

Read this but I don't remember a single thing about it ~ other than the Frazetta dustjacket