Conference noted::sf

reply .0

Yes.  I've read the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy.  I thought it was excellent.  

--Rich

    What is it about???  Is it SF or F???  Plot???  Setting???
    
    Is it a new trilogy, or has it been around for a while???
    
    							-John-
    

The Fionavar Tapestry is a fantasy trilogy.  It starts when a group of college
kids are brought by a mage (Gandalf) into a magical world.  The world is
threatened by an evil god-like entity "The Unraveller" (Sauron) who threatens to
destroy the cosmos.  The land is populated by Lios Alfar (Elves) and Svart Alfar
(Orcs).  As you can see from the names in parenthesis, there are parallels to
Tolkien.  Do not let this turn you off as another Tolkien clone a.k.a. Sword of
Shanarra.  It is imaginatively written, with a style and flavor all its own.
I definitely recommend it!

The first book is "The Summer Tree."  I forget the second two.  I read the
trilogy last summer, and my memory fails me.

--Rich

    To answer the so far unasked question, the author is Guy Gabriel
    Kay. The first book in the trilogy was published in 1985.
    
    --- jerry

    
    	To correct all the mistakes so far, its -
    
    	'The Fionaver Tapestry' 	by 	Guy Gavriel Kay 
    
    	and it's made up of -
    
    	'The Summer Tree'
    	'The Wandering Fire'
    	'The Darkest Road'

    	and it's MUCH more than just another Tolkein clone, it's probably 
    	the best Fantasy I've read, brilliant.
    
    	Doug.

re .5 (nit)
>    	To correct all the mistakes so far, its -
>    	'The Fionaver Tapestry' 	by 	Guy Gavriel Kay 
	'The Fionavar Tapestry' isn't it?
	    -------^

    I found the writing style a bit choppy initially, but I got
    used to it.  One of the things I liked about it was that I
    felt like it had *real* people making *real* choices (as I
    feel does LOTR), unlike many modern fantasies in which the
    protagonist thinks about something real hard and lo! an
    untrained magical ability saves the day!  I particularly
    enjoy the first book and the first part of the second.

    -- Linda Huxtable 

>>    	To correct all the mistakes so far, its -
>>    	'The Fionaver Tapestry' 	by 	Guy Gavriel Kay 
>	'The Fionavar Tapestry' isn't it?
	    -------^

    	Eeek! Yes it is, sigh!
    
    	Doug.

    Yes, definitely a worthwhile trilogy.  The characters have more depth
    than in your typical fantasy.  I put it in the class of Tolkien and
    David Eddings (of _The Belgariad_ fame).  You may find that your
    emotional reactions to the characters is very strong.  I know I did.
    
    Wook 

    Just read the first book this week-end.  I agree with Wook, the last
    time I read anything this enjoyable was when I read the Belgariad
    series.  It's definitely going to the top of my "best fantasy" list.
    Has this author written anything else ??
    
    ... Bob

    Guy Kay helped Christopher Tolkien in compiling the notes for
    _The_Silmarillion_, but I don't know if he's written anything other
    than _The_Fionavar_Tapestry_.
    
    Wook

    	Ok, guys.   On the strength of your glowing recommendations,
    I ordered pseudo-hardcover (i.e. SF Book Club) versions of the trilogy.
    I just got it Saturday.  Probably won't get to start on it til the
    weekend.  
    	
    	All I can say is, this better be good... :-)
    
                         
    tlh

    On the strength of your recommendations and comparisons with the
    Eddings saga, I bought and read (in 3 days :-) ) the _Fionavar
    Tapestry_.  All I can say is "Thanks, everyone!".  What an enjoyable
    read!
    
    Michelle
    

    Where did you people find the Fionavar Tapestry?  I tried looking in
    the bookstores in the NH malls but they didn't have Kay.  I suppose I
    may have better luck in Cambridge or Boston.
    
    Well, anyway, I found the first two books of the trilogy when I was in
    Hong Kong.  Published by Unwin, a British publisher.  May have to order
    the third book.
    
    I would compare the Fionavar Tapestry with the Belgariad, not so much
    with the Tolkien trilogy, despite some parallels.  However, I guess it
    is about time for me to re-read Tolkien, since it's been a few years
    and I've forgotten much about his trilogy.
    
    I loved it so far.  This is my kind of Fantasy.
    
    --Simon
    

    
    The third book isn't out in paperback.  I found a hard copy in my local
    (nyc!) library.
    
    jc
    
    ps  I really enjoyed reading this series! 

    	I got the trilogy from the Science Fiction Book Club.
    
    tlh
    

        
        I mentioned this trilogy to my wife who is need of some
        good fantasy to read. She picked all three up last night.
        All were softcover (although they were bought and printed
        in Canada)
        
        Charlie

    I dug up the first of the series at an "Annie's Book Swap" (new
    and used books).  Now I'm hungry for the rest!  Anyone got any to
    lend?
    
    -Jody
    

The third volume of the Fionavar Tapestry won't be coming out in paperback in
the U.S. any time soon.  As I heard it, Berkley/Ace, Kay's paperback publisher,
contracted for the books one at a time.  Silly them.  When it came time to sign 
the contract on book three, THE DARKEST ROAD, Kay wanted significantly more
money than he had gotten on the previous two, and the publisher refused because
they didn't think they could make back the advance money in a reasonable period
of time.

I would estimate the chances of some other publisher picking up the third
paperback volume of this (or any) trilogy as nil until the rights for the first
two paperbacks revert. This leaves only hardcovers available:  the Morrow
regular hardcover edition, now $18.95, and the Science Fiction Book Club
hardcover, which probably runs around nine bucks for members (including
shipping and handling).  Or one can find a friend heading to Canada or Great
Britain, and have her or him pick up the paperback edition available there. 

				Andrew

RE: Note 648.16 by POLAR::LACAILLE 
    
    Charlie, were they published by Unwin or some other publisher?  I still
    can't get the third book (in Hong Kong, and Unwin is a UK publisher)
    and I wonder if I have to try some other source.
    
    --Simon
    

	Hi Simon,

	Yeah, our publisher is at the following address:

		Collins Publishing
		100 Lesmill Rd.
		Don Mills, Ontario
		Canada
		M3B 2T5

	The ISBN is 0-00-223276-6 (or at least thats what it seems to be)

	Good luck,

	Charlie

    Ah!  Finally, I found the third book, _The_Darkest_Road_.  Same
    publisher: Unwin.
    
    --Simon
    

    Yay!  Finally!
    
    -Jody
    

    Um, note that I'm in HK not US.  Unwin is a UK publisher.  I'm not sure
    if the US publisher has inked any deal to publish TDR yet.  Anybody
    know?
    
    --Simon
    

    I've recently noticed a new book by Kay called, I think, Tirgana.
    Does anyone know of it?  Any opinions?  It's only out in the trade
    paperback size in the UK (at least as far as I've seen).
    
    Michelle

    "Tigana" is out in hardback in the USA now.  I saw it at Boskone this
    weekend.  I bought it, too. 
    
    I'm 60 pages into it so far, and it looks like a good book.  I enjoy
    Kay's characterizations and his writing style.  It's a little early to
    tell how strong the plot is, but just from the prologue I think that he's 
    preparing a few twists.
    
    "Tigana" is a fantasy.  I also think that it's a stand-alone book.  At
    least, it doesn't say 'to be continued' at the end.  I haven't read the
    end yet, so I can't confirm it yet.  
    
    I've slowed down on my reading lately, but this is one book that has 
    interested me.
    
    
      Scott

    Picked up "Tigana" in paperback over the weekend in Booksmith at
    Pheasant Lane Mall (Nashua, NH).  Published by Roc, "an imprint of the
    New American Library, Division of Penguin Books USA Inc."  I'm
    finishing another book right now, so I have nothing to report yet.
    
    --Simon
    

    I'm a third of the way through Tigana and enjoying it immensely.
    It seems to be in all the bookstores I visit in south Nashua. 
    
    --Simon
    

    I read it last week.  It's a long book ... about 675 pages ... and well
    worth the time to read.
    
    I love the way he develops his characters ... good and bad tend to get
    all mixed up.  And there are some surprising developments at the end of
    the story.
    
    I'd give it a serious "thumbs up" ...
    
    						... Bob
    

    There was a surprise or two at the end of the story; at least, I wasn't
    clever enough to see them coming.  
    
    I kind of felt sorry to come to the end of the story.  But I guess
    there's a sensible limit to the story line, and dragging it on would
    diminish the overall value.  However, if Kay plans to write another
    three-volume work like Fionavar Tapestry, I expect he will do a good
    job of it again.
    
    By the way, there's a reference in _Tigana_ to Fionavar (spelled
    "Finavir" here).  It's couched in terms of myth, that one is
    reincarnated in various possible (but unknown) worlds until one ends up
    in Fionavar.  (That's sort of reminiscent of E.R. Eddison's Zimiamvia,
    although I suppose there are probably other examples of this that I
    haven't read.)
    
    --Simon
    

    re .18:
>I would estimate the chances of some other publisher picking up the third
>paperback volume of this (or any) trilogy as nil until the rights for the first
    >two paperbacks revert. 
    
    Well, I see "The Summer Tree" coming out under the "Roc" label, just
    like "Tigana."  Roc is an imprint of New American Library, a division
    of Penguin Books USA Inc.  Does that mean that Penguin now has the
    rights to the Fionavar trilogy?
    
    --Simon
    

Re .30  -< new publisher has the rights to Fionavar Tapestry? >-

>    of Penguin Books USA Inc.  Does that mean that Penguin now has the
>    rights to the Fionavar trilogy?

Yes.  The rights to the first two volumes were retrieved from Ace and
sold to Roc; the entire trilogy will be published in paperback over
the course of this year.

The final book in the trilogy is now in the bookstores in paperback (yea!).
Saw them in B. Daltons and Lauriats in the Emerald Square Mall.

I'm so excited ! :-)

joan