Writings of S.R. Donaldson

[MerleZ]

One of my favorite authors, and seeing Ery is a fan as well, maybe we can convince a few others to give him a try.

[Nommy]

Um, OK.. Maybe I probably have read some of his works.

[Erythrina]

The Mirror of Her Dreams
Pub. November 1986

Book One: Mordant's Need

King Joyse and his kingdom of Mordant are in dire need. Threatened by arch-Imager Vagel and army hordes of Cadwal from outside the castle walls, betrayed by unknown enemies within, the land is in desperate need of a hero.

In our world, young Terisa lives an empty life: secretary to a beaten-down priest in a failing homeless shelter. Supported by a rich but unloving father, Terisa is friendless. Though pretty, she doubts her very existance. That's why she has filled her luxurious apartment with mirrors - to prove to herself that hasn't faded away.

It is through one of her many mirrors that a young man stumbles one night. From the land of Mordant, where mirrors reflect not what is before them but what the magician-Adepts command, apprentice imager Geraden seems destined to fail spectacularly -- like finding Terisa instead of the champion Mordant desperately needs.

Still, Geraden urges Terisa to return with him, and, lacking any strong identity or will of her own, she agrees.

The land of Mordant is divided into several Cares, dominated by one or the other of the country's mighty enemies, Cadwal and Alend. King Joyse, supported by the Adept Havelock, a mighty Imager, liberated the country through monopolizing imagery: kidnapping enemy Imagers and forcing them to join the Congery, an academy of Imagers striving towards peaceful uses of magic.

For a time, King Joyse reigned peacefully, but now Mordant is again threatened and the Congery is divided and useless: a forum for petty conflicts. King Joyse himself seems quite uninterested in ruling his country, spending most of his time playing checkers with his mad counsellor, Havelock.

When Terisa arrives, she is thrown into this complex political stew, where she herself is considered an unknown but probably very important factor.

Terisa's own fears about her existance are echoed in Mordant by the suspicions of some of the adepts that Terisa has been created by the mirror she emerged from. One of the Adepts, in fact, uses this justification to satisfy his lust for Terisa, while at the same time menacing her very existance. Life in Mordant becomes a series of death-traps for both Terisa and the bumbling Geraden, her only true friend.

Stephan R. Donaldson has woven a finely textured tapestry of politics, lust and love in a land where nothing is as it appears. Terisa's first quest is to overcome her doubts about herself in the face of Mordant's need and Geraden's faith.

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The Red Witch

[Rantarn]

Has anyone read SRD's short stories, in particular, <u>Daughter of Regals and Other Tales</u>? I can't say I liked all of them in this particular volume, but I distinctly remember the last one, "Ser Visal's Tale" which was particularly good.

[MerleZ]

Dionaldson has published two collections of short stories, one just last year, I believe. The first collection is superior, IMO, though SRD is a fine craftsman. It's been at least 15 years since I read the first collection, and memory of Ser Visal's Tale is shaky. From that collection, I remember Unworthy of the Angel, Mythological Beast, and the title story, Daughter of Regals. There was also a story about a hunting preserve where the animals had been altered and armed, which was funny in it's irony. And the final, chilling tale about the centipede, which still gives me shivers just thinking about it.

The collection just released is Reave the Just and other stories. Reave the Just is a compelling tale about victimization, and allowing oneself to be victimized. Many of the stories in this collection reminded me of other SRD works, and hence lacked the originality of the first collection.

[Erythrina]

Aaahhhh more reading material to feed my addiction! I haven't seen any SRD out since the Mordant series, so I'm a-going to hie myself over to Amazon.com after Christmas and order 'em.

Has anyone else noticed how darned slow Amazon's gotten? They must be doing a land-office business!

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The Red Witch

[MerleZ]

Ery, you've missed out on Donaldson's Gap series, apparently. Five novels, scifi, not fantasy. Great read in my opinion.

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It is a pain in the ass waiting around for someone to try to kill you.

[sindatur]

Ery,

Yes. The Gap Series is very powerful. Dark and dramatic. Despite that it is so dark, it is one of my alltime fave pieces of work. The extraordinary things that the ordinary people end up having to do when put into circumstances. So many Anti-heroes. The first book is real short and a little slow, due to building the backdrop of the story, but the rest just keep building, book after book until it explodes in a major climax. Not like the unsatisfactory feeling you get from Most Stephen King, where it builds and builds, and then just ends.

Definitely worth the read. Similar writing style as Thomas Covenant, but Hard Scifi, rather than Fantasy.

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Sindatur - The Grey owl Wizzard

[Erythrina]

Merley, I haven't read them, how'd you know? Thanks for the tip!

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The Red Witch

[Erythrina]

Sindatur, what you describe is one of my favourite types of genres, so your comments are most welcome. I tend to take Merle's recommendations at face value: if he says read it, I go read it, if he says 'sit down,' why, I don't look for a chair!

Thanks both of you

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The Red Witch