- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Orbit; paperback / softback edition (7 Feb 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1841491209
- ISBN-13: 978-1841491202
- Product Dimensions: 21 x 13.4 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,423,245 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
There is no faulting Cockayne's story telling. His style is direct and simple, yet very engaging. He seems as equally comfortable writing pathos and humor as he is at dealing with myths and violence. (SFREVU.COM )
A heady fusion of well-known fantasy tropes and the quiet oddness of everyday life, with a dash of social satire for good measure. (ZONE-SF.COM )
A laudable and immensely readable debut from a sparkling new voice (DIVERSEBOOKS.COM )
Steve Cockayne has created something fascinating and strange. It is intricate, important and moving (CHINA MIEVILLE ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
A heady fusion of well-known fantasy tropes and the quiet oddness of everyday life, with a dash of social satire for good measure. (ZONE-SF.COM )
A laudable and immensely readable debut from a sparkling new voice (DIVERSEBOOKS.COM )
Steve Cockayne has created something fascinating and strange. It is intricate, important and moving (CHINA MIEVILLE ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
SFX
'A compelling read'
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A facinating and beautiful book. What's it about ? No idea ! Does it matter ? No. The writing is a joy. The characters both engaging and bizzarre. A book that takes place in a time that is almost, but, not quite, turn of the 20th century, and a place that has a feudal european feel.
If it bears comparison with any other writer (always a dodgy idea) it would be Christopher Priest (of "Affirmation","The Glamour" and "The Prestige"). But much less harsh.
If it bears comparison with any other writer (always a dodgy idea) it would be Christopher Priest (of "Affirmation","The Glamour" and "The Prestige"). But much less harsh.
6 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Why do fantasy writers have to generate whole series of books? Is it a a lack of imagination that once they have created one world of characters, they have to get as much mileage out of them as possible? Or, conversely, is it that audiences will always want to know more about a well-constructed universe? It's an approach that has certainly worked for Tolkien. And at least with Steve Cockayne's debut novel, readers are the right place - in the beginning. Wanderers and Islanders marks the launch of his Legends of the Land saga. It's a promising start.
Set in a world that is part-1890s rural England, part-magickal fantasy, it's an ensemble piece with the overarching story told through the exploits and dreamstates of the various characters. A young boy receives a visionary gift he knows nothing of, an old man is haunted by a malevolent presence, while the king's magician is embittered as his techniques are overcome by progress of a different kind. It doesn't sound like much, but there is something compelling about the way Cockayne weaves these disparate components together to create a satisfying whole. Perhaps, more importantly for his future plans however, is the slow emergence of a world of opportunities. So even if he does rely on a certain amount of underhand smoke and mirrors to bring his first instalment to a conclusion, perhaps things will become clearer next time.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There isn't a fantasy writer like Steve Cockayne--although there are hints of a John Crowley vision of the fantastic. Wanderers and Islanders holds us suspended over the real and the not real. It's an amazing debut novel that began one of the best trologies in fantasy.
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