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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Scores on characters; loses on plot, 29 July 2002
By A Customer
After enjoying both 'A Fine and Private Place' and 'The last unicorn' I was very much looking forward to this one. Certainly the opening was up to expectations, and although the constant switch of viewpoint was rather irritating I soon grew interested in the many characters that unfolded. And unfolded. And unfolded. Soon, however, I began to think "well what exactly has happened in this novel?" The answer, unfortunately, was not much. Yes, the charcters are strong, the setting is vivid, the land convincing, but plot? Ultimately Good Wizard fights bad Wizard. Ho Hum. Only going to be one winner there! Enjoyable, but I expected better things.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing, 19 Mar 2006
To expect a second "Last Unicorn" would have been asking too much. But I had expected a more wise and witty, more magical novel than this. The story focuses on the death of a magician (and yes, I think it is a sort of reference to Schmendrick - which is rather a shame and unnecessary, because the old wizard doesn't do the young Schmendrick any justice) and the magician's battle to prevent himself becoming a destructive force after death. In this he is helped by an odd array of characters - and I mean really odd.
Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, which doesn't really work, as the voices of each character aren't distinct enough, so you only really know who's talking by looking at the chapter headings.
Despite all these many and magnificent failings, Beagle can still write good prose and conjure up a world of mystery in very evocative words. On the whole an average book.
I suppose Beagle only had one truly great book in him, namely "The Last Unicorn".
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing, 19 Mar 2006
To expect a second "Last Unicorn" would have been asking too much. But I had expected a more wise and witty, more magical novel than this. The story focuses on the death of a magician (and yes, I think it is a sort of reference to Schmendrick - which is rather a shame and unnecessary, because the old wizard doesn't do the young Schmendrick any justice) and the magician's battle to prevent himself becoming a destructive force after death. In this he is helped by an odd array of characters - and I mean really odd.
Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, which doesn't really work, as the voices of each character aren't distinct enough, so you only really know who's talking by looking at the chapter headings.
Despite all these many and magnificent failings, Beagle can still write good prose and conjure up a world of mystery in very evocative words. On the whole an average book.
I suppose Beagle only had one truly great book in him, namely "The Last Unicorn".
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