- Hardcover: 236 pages
- Publisher: Tor Books (Nov 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312872143
- ISBN-13: 978-0312872144
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14.5 x 2.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,114,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
One of Caroline Stevermer's great strengths, to my mind, is her ability to draw characters: particularly her stong-willed, quick-witted and witty heroines. Hail Rosmer, who tells this tale, is a most appealing example.
Hail's apprenticeship to the principal artist of her day is cut abruptly short, as Hail becomes involved in the most sensitive politics and dangerous magics in her country. Sounds boring? Not when a power-hungry witch has tried to call the legendary King Julian back from the dead, to further her ambitions. (Imagine what might happen if King Arthur were called back to Britain.)
Stevermer writes with admirable economy. No space or verbiage is wasted on flowery descriptions, as a fascinating tension is allowed grow between her characters.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
15 reviews
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
If only the King came Home more often!
31 Oct 2000
Format:Hardcover
Caroline Stevermer is one of those authors who writes (it seems) a book a decade, but oh what a book, when it finally appears! _When the King Comes Home_ is a true treasure -- realistic fantasy that doesn't shy away from showing all of the trials and tribulations that we often forget when indulging in a fantasy. The narrator is a young girl, apprenticed to an artist in the capital city of her (imaginary) country, who ends up being witness and participant in the changes that come when the Good King Julian of legend (he lived several hundred years ago, and died while at war, in Europe) reappears. There is a subtle Arthurian twist to the tale, which makes the characterization of the King's Seraph and his Queen, who also are brought back by necromantic means, richer and deeper.
This is a book which rewards reading and re-reading. Another classic by Stevermer.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Enjoyable, but not really memorable
7 Feb 2001
Format:Hardcover
Caroline Stevermer has a new book out, _When the King Comes Home_. It's apparently set in the same world as her fine earlier book _A College of Magics_. It's been a while since I read the earlier book, and I confess I didn't notice any close links: I'm pretty sure both books can be read independently. This new one is a decent book, though not terribly memorable.
The world it's set in is very much like roughly 16th Century Europe. It's set in an imaginary country in Europe, and the other fantasy element is that magic works, though magic isn't wildly prevalent. Mostly, the feel of the setting is like our world. The narrator, Hail Rosamer, is a young apprentice to a successful artist. She lives in the capital city of their "country", which is ruled by an old, dying, King, and a capable "Prince-Bishop". But people remember the days of Good King Julian, 2 centuries before, with great affection. It is said "When the King Comes Home", any number of miracles might happen. Wilful Hail becomes obsessed with an artist of King Julian's time, Gil Maspero, who among other things made a special medal for the King. Against her mistress' wishes, Hail makes a copy of this medal, and by happenstance ends up one day encountering a man who looks just like the old King. Soon it is clear that sorcery is afoot: an evil witch in league with the rebellious lord of one of the provinces is trying to recall King Julian's soul to a new body and bind the King to her will. Hail ends up imprisoned for a time, then trying to help track down the witch, then trying to help free the King from her spell. I liked it, it was fun to read, but in a way I felt that not quite enough happened. It's quiet, and it ends in an honest but rather muffled fashion: Stevermer worked hard to avoid an ending with any sort of heroic cliche. That's a good thing, on the one hand, but perhaps it detracts from the book, too. Or perhaps while avoiding cliche (good) the book also avoids replacing the standard cliches with something really special. Lest I seem too negative, though, I repeat that it's a fun, engaging, read. Hail is a neat character, wholly an artist, headstrong, interesting, unobservant of anything she doesn't care about, like the obviously besotted soldier who keeps encountering her. The other characters are well drawn, too, and largely good people too.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Well written but still a disappointment
16 Jun 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I generally love Caroline Stevermer. Her books are so well written and so subtle. They are not fast paced. If that is what you are looking for in a book, you'll be disappointed. But they are well crafted and the language is almost poetic. This book was no exception to that.
That being said, I was very disappointed with the story. I felt as though I never really connected to the characters. One aspect of Stevermer's books that I enjoy is the subtlety of the romances. This book had no romance. I kept waiting for it, and nothing ever happened. Ditto for the humor. Normally there is plenty of quiet humor, little one liners that help to ease the tension of the plot. I think there was maybe one line that made me laugh out loud and think "Yeah, this is what I like about Stevermer." But that was it. And there were a couple of questions that were raised in the book that never seemed to be answered, a couple of characters that she started to develop and then just dropped.
I read the book all in one sitting. But I was left feeling very empty at the end.
That being said, I was very disappointed with the story. I felt as though I never really connected to the characters. One aspect of Stevermer's books that I enjoy is the subtlety of the romances. This book had no romance. I kept waiting for it, and nothing ever happened. Ditto for the humor. Normally there is plenty of quiet humor, little one liners that help to ease the tension of the plot. I think there was maybe one line that made me laugh out loud and think "Yeah, this is what I like about Stevermer." But that was it. And there were a couple of questions that were raised in the book that never seemed to be answered, a couple of characters that she started to develop and then just dropped.
I read the book all in one sitting. But I was left feeling very empty at the end.
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