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Evenmere Chronicles #2
The False House
The infinite rooms, twisting corridors, magical chambers and secret passageways of Evenmere contain and protect all of Existence. But the mansion's power has been stolen; now all within the High House are threatened by enemies hidden in the Outer Darkness. Evenmere's young master, Carter Anderson, and his brother Duskin must challenge the False House, where a captive girl's tortured dreams are turning reality into nightmare . . .
With extensive revisions by the author from its original Warner Books publication, this comfortable 6" by 9" edition also includes maps of the Inner Chambers and the journey to the Outer Darkness.
With extensive revisions by the author from its original Warner Books publication, this comfortable 6" by 9" edition also includes maps of the Inner Chambers and the journey to the Outer Darkness.
401 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
James Stoddard
21 books316 followersJames Stoddard grew up in the Oklahoma Panhandle. His short stories have been published in professional SF publications such as Lightspeed and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. His first published novel, The High House, won the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel, and was nominated for several other awards. When he isn't writing or composing music, he teaches Sound Engineering to Really Swell college students.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 9, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in May 2001.
In many ways The False House is a worthy sequel to Stoddard's excellent debut The High House. It does fail in some ways, leaving the earlier novel as the more effective.
Even though their leader, the Bobby, has been destroyed, the Society of Anarchists has just gone into hiding. They still intend to take over the House of Evenmere to re-mould it as they desire. Carter Anderson, now come into his inheritance as Master of the House, maintains his vigilance but not for some years does he connect the disappearance of his wife's foster sister with an Anarchist resurgence. This is manifested in gradual transformations of the structure and inhabitants of Evenmere, and Carter eventually learns that only by the release of Lizbeth can these changes be reversed.
The major fault which mars The False House seems to be indecision as to who the central character should be. In the end, Stoddard has clearly opted for Carter, who is probably easier to base the story around as this makes it possible to portray something of the special relationship he has with the house. However, there are several points where it looks as though the original intention was to use Carter's younger brother Duskin, who as a seventeen year old had dazzled Lizbeth, then aged twelve, before her kidnapping, and who had been the central figure in her thoughts helping her through her years of captivity. His transformation from heedless young man, interested only in monster hunting, to responsible adult would also form a good basis for character development at the centre of the story, while Carter is left virtually unchanged by the adventures. So, we are given a few chapters at the beginning in which it looks as though Duskin is being set up as central character (the account of his first meeting with Lizbeth), and a few chapters at the end in which his intervention is important; while in between he is hardly even mentioned.
The background of the house that mirrors the universe is as atmospheric as in the first novel, with rather more specifically Christian imagery this time. An interesting detail is that the anarchists allow Lizbeth just one book to read in the years of her captivity; they give her Wuthering Heights to teach her despair. It certainly helps to have read that novel to understand parts of this one - almost everything Lizbeth says is a quotation; if I had read it more recently, I might have recognised the context of more of the quotations and I would have got more out of this story.
The False House is good, but could be better; other than the poor treatment of Duskin it is an interesting novel.
In many ways The False House is a worthy sequel to Stoddard's excellent debut The High House. It does fail in some ways, leaving the earlier novel as the more effective.
Even though their leader, the Bobby, has been destroyed, the Society of Anarchists has just gone into hiding. They still intend to take over the House of Evenmere to re-mould it as they desire. Carter Anderson, now come into his inheritance as Master of the House, maintains his vigilance but not for some years does he connect the disappearance of his wife's foster sister with an Anarchist resurgence. This is manifested in gradual transformations of the structure and inhabitants of Evenmere, and Carter eventually learns that only by the release of Lizbeth can these changes be reversed.
The major fault which mars The False House seems to be indecision as to who the central character should be. In the end, Stoddard has clearly opted for Carter, who is probably easier to base the story around as this makes it possible to portray something of the special relationship he has with the house. However, there are several points where it looks as though the original intention was to use Carter's younger brother Duskin, who as a seventeen year old had dazzled Lizbeth, then aged twelve, before her kidnapping, and who had been the central figure in her thoughts helping her through her years of captivity. His transformation from heedless young man, interested only in monster hunting, to responsible adult would also form a good basis for character development at the centre of the story, while Carter is left virtually unchanged by the adventures. So, we are given a few chapters at the beginning in which it looks as though Duskin is being set up as central character (the account of his first meeting with Lizbeth), and a few chapters at the end in which his intervention is important; while in between he is hardly even mentioned.
The background of the house that mirrors the universe is as atmospheric as in the first novel, with rather more specifically Christian imagery this time. An interesting detail is that the anarchists allow Lizbeth just one book to read in the years of her captivity; they give her Wuthering Heights to teach her despair. It certainly helps to have read that novel to understand parts of this one - almost everything Lizbeth says is a quotation; if I had read it more recently, I might have recognised the context of more of the quotations and I would have got more out of this story.
The False House is good, but could be better; other than the poor treatment of Duskin it is an interesting novel.
June 3, 2017
I enjoyed this book much more than THE HIGH HOUSE. I felt that it was conceptually and thematically richer--we got a clearer look at what the anarchists actually believe, and I loved the idea of the False House (which, by the way, is a very elegant solution to the old sequel problem of how to give more of the same, only different; but is the kind of idea that can only work in a sequel--that is, once the True House is established).
I did think that the book had some shortcomings in characterisation, and was occasionally unsubtle about plot developments (). I also don't quite understand the logic of the plot, in the same way I don't understand the logic of Doctor Who ("Do this thing!" "But it will destroy everything!" "For some unexplained reason I perceive that it is the only way to defeat the villain!" "...OK!" *plot genies make all the logic go away*).
Nitpickings aside, I enjoyed the book. I particularly loved the moody, gothic, Wuthering-Heights-ish tone of the second half. Very atmospheric.
I did think that the book had some shortcomings in characterisation, and was occasionally unsubtle about plot developments (). I also don't quite understand the logic of the plot, in the same way I don't understand the logic of Doctor Who ("Do this thing!" "But it will destroy everything!" "For some unexplained reason I perceive that it is the only way to defeat the villain!" "...OK!" *plot genies make all the logic go away*).
Nitpickings aside, I enjoyed the book. I particularly loved the moody, gothic, Wuthering-Heights-ish tone of the second half. Very atmospheric.
June 21, 2012
Unfortunately the prequel was too long ago: I don't remember the nature of the conflict or many of the details, and Stoddard doesn't help by filling in any of them. I do remember the overwhelming setting, a Gormenghast gone epic: a house so trans-dimensionally grand that it has geography, not just architecture (also architecture), and cultures and countries, not just inhabitants. Secret passages and epic powers and wars within the halls and chambers, and predators evolved to camouflage as furniture.
I don't remember if the prequel had such a wealth of Easter-egg references obsessively/compulsively noted in passing: guards with names of Arnold, Burroughs, Leiber, Brackett, and Merritt; Ulthar, Celephais, Ooth-Nargai; Vandarei and Khentorei; Ludvig Prinn; The Red Book of Westmarch. Undoubtedly several escaped notice.
I'm itching to reread the original. This was satisfying enough in itself, but the urge is to rediscover what was revelatory originally.
I don't remember if the prequel had such a wealth of Easter-egg references obsessively/compulsively noted in passing: guards with names of Arnold, Burroughs, Leiber, Brackett, and Merritt; Ulthar, Celephais, Ooth-Nargai; Vandarei and Khentorei; Ludvig Prinn; The Red Book of Westmarch. Undoubtedly several escaped notice.
I'm itching to reread the original. This was satisfying enough in itself, but the urge is to rediscover what was revelatory originally.
December 1, 2017
The Bobby has been destroyed by Carter and the Anarchist threat has been annulled for the moment… or has it? Carter Anderson, Master of Evenmere, awakes one night with the knowledge that something is wrong in the land of Innman Tor. When he arrives in the battered land, he discovers the Anarchists in the middle of an attempt to steal the Cornerstone, an object that has the power to shape Existence. Carter tries to stop them, but they escape with the stone and disappear into the High House. As Carter learns more about the stone, he meets Sarah, a young woman whom he falls in love with and marries, and also Lizbeth, a young girl, the ward of Sarah’s family. The Anarchists have nefarious intentions for Lizbeth, and proceed to kidnap her, spiriting her away to the Outer Darkness, where they intend to build a house to rival Evenmere. Years pass, and soon it becomes apparent that something is amiss beyond the confines of the High House. It soon becomes apparent that the Master of Evenmere will have to do something if he hopes to prevent the collapse of Existence.
Thus is the second installment of the Evenmere series begun. For the most part it follows the style of the first book, though at times the author strays into present tense when referring to certain characters and their activities, which is not wholly bad thing; though it does add a different feel to the story in places. There are some rather interesting twists early on in the story, such as a duplicate Lamp Lighter and Gnawlings turning into humans. But these things seem in the end to have very little to do with the actual plot in the end. In particular one part does not seem to tie into the main plot at all. It does not fit with the story, almost as though the author had an idea and began writing it into the book, but later decided to discontinue that particular subplot or forgot or simply shifted the direction of the story. It does create interest and concern for the characters on the part of the reader, but because nothing really seems to come of it, it is perhaps unnecessary.
The story is really quite interesting, about how a girl has the power to create things through her dreams and imagination, though it could have perhaps been executed a little better. By the time the reader reaches the end, it seems as though the nature of the story has shifted several times, as though the author could not decide on one single tone that he wanted the story to possess. That is not to say that it was a massive failure; it was still good, and well written.
One character who makes a bit more of an appearance in this story is Duskin. In The High House, the half-brother of Carter is a supporting character, without too much actual impact on the overall story. But in The False House, he becomes a main character, with as much focus as Carter and Lizbeth, another element that makes the second installment of the Evenmere Series a bit different. The first book focused for the most part on Carter’s story; but the second book has Lizbeth’s character taking quite a bit of attention. In that sense, The False House is a broader story, as it has three characters whose stories are being told. There are also other perspectives given, such as Sarah (Carter’s wife), Mr. Hope (the Butler of Evenmere), and Gregory (Duskin’s cousin). This method can serve to make a story more interesting, bringing in variety with the different perspectives; but it can also weaken the relationship between the reader and the main character (in this case, Carter) by lessening the amount of time spent with them.
The concept of two Houses, one that encompasses all of Existence, and the other raised in defiance of it beyond the bounds of Existence, is a good picture of human rebellion against God. The Anarchist hope is very much a humanist one, a belief that through Mankind’s own efforts Paradise can be attained; they are trying to rewrite the rules governing Existence. James Stoddard has as his antagonists people who claim beneficent goals, and yet are willing to do anything, even vile acts, to achieve their ends, much like certain ideologies present in our world. The fact that the villainous organization plaguing the good people of Evenmere in the first book are still around causing problems even after their leader (the Bobby) was killed shows that ideologies do not die easily.
The Anarchist cause is not relegated to fiction; it exists in the real world, amongst the intellectual elites in the universities, amongst the politicians of the world, amongst certain religious movements, amongst the artisan community, even (perhaps especially so) amongst the common people, the so-called Middle Class. Stories like that found in The False House can help to expose the fallacies of such worldviews, and hopefully point people to the Truth, that is, that God created the Cosmos with a plan and a purpose, and no matter how unfair we may think it is, or how bad it is, He knows what He is doing. Sometimes it takes a story to remind ourselves of the futility of human effort and the sovereignty of God.
Thus is the second installment of the Evenmere series begun. For the most part it follows the style of the first book, though at times the author strays into present tense when referring to certain characters and their activities, which is not wholly bad thing; though it does add a different feel to the story in places. There are some rather interesting twists early on in the story, such as a duplicate Lamp Lighter and Gnawlings turning into humans. But these things seem in the end to have very little to do with the actual plot in the end. In particular one part does not seem to tie into the main plot at all. It does not fit with the story, almost as though the author had an idea and began writing it into the book, but later decided to discontinue that particular subplot or forgot or simply shifted the direction of the story. It does create interest and concern for the characters on the part of the reader, but because nothing really seems to come of it, it is perhaps unnecessary.
The story is really quite interesting, about how a girl has the power to create things through her dreams and imagination, though it could have perhaps been executed a little better. By the time the reader reaches the end, it seems as though the nature of the story has shifted several times, as though the author could not decide on one single tone that he wanted the story to possess. That is not to say that it was a massive failure; it was still good, and well written.
One character who makes a bit more of an appearance in this story is Duskin. In The High House, the half-brother of Carter is a supporting character, without too much actual impact on the overall story. But in The False House, he becomes a main character, with as much focus as Carter and Lizbeth, another element that makes the second installment of the Evenmere Series a bit different. The first book focused for the most part on Carter’s story; but the second book has Lizbeth’s character taking quite a bit of attention. In that sense, The False House is a broader story, as it has three characters whose stories are being told. There are also other perspectives given, such as Sarah (Carter’s wife), Mr. Hope (the Butler of Evenmere), and Gregory (Duskin’s cousin). This method can serve to make a story more interesting, bringing in variety with the different perspectives; but it can also weaken the relationship between the reader and the main character (in this case, Carter) by lessening the amount of time spent with them.
The concept of two Houses, one that encompasses all of Existence, and the other raised in defiance of it beyond the bounds of Existence, is a good picture of human rebellion against God. The Anarchist hope is very much a humanist one, a belief that through Mankind’s own efforts Paradise can be attained; they are trying to rewrite the rules governing Existence. James Stoddard has as his antagonists people who claim beneficent goals, and yet are willing to do anything, even vile acts, to achieve their ends, much like certain ideologies present in our world. The fact that the villainous organization plaguing the good people of Evenmere in the first book are still around causing problems even after their leader (the Bobby) was killed shows that ideologies do not die easily.
The Anarchist cause is not relegated to fiction; it exists in the real world, amongst the intellectual elites in the universities, amongst the politicians of the world, amongst certain religious movements, amongst the artisan community, even (perhaps especially so) amongst the common people, the so-called Middle Class. Stories like that found in The False House can help to expose the fallacies of such worldviews, and hopefully point people to the Truth, that is, that God created the Cosmos with a plan and a purpose, and no matter how unfair we may think it is, or how bad it is, He knows what He is doing. Sometimes it takes a story to remind ourselves of the futility of human effort and the sovereignty of God.
March 22, 2022
As with book one in this series, a middling 3 star.
So here we are 2 books into the Evenmere series, and I must say that although these books are not changing my life in the same way the High House changes every 15 seconds, I must say I am enjoying the ride thus far.
Luckily this book didn’t suffer from ‘middle book syndrome’, where a book is used solely for the purpose of dragging the plot along before the big grand finale (see all the Harry Potters in-between the first and last books), but actually had its own plot and storyline and could have easily been read as a standalone book.
Did the plot and storyline blow me away? Did it rise anywhere above the middle ground? No
Could the ideas here have been brought to life, and explored a lot more? Yes
I was intrigued by the idea of a tortured child dreaming a hellish version of reality into life (mainly because there is something wrong with me). I was expecting Event Horizon vibes (you know the scene I mean). But alas there was no torture, and the house wasn’t hellish, just a victim of bad architecture, although, quite frankly, bad architecture is indeed hellish.
I wasn’t overly keen on all the God references, to many people finding/losing their faith and questioning gods great plan for my liking, and I didn’t want there to be a love story between Lizbeth and Duskin; Lizbeth annoyed the fuck out of me, and I was very much looking forward to Lady Order ripping out her throat, but alas I was denied.
However, all this being said it was a nice, easy, comfy read that you can wiz through. The idea of a house that basically encompasses, and indeed is, all creation, is a good one and Mr Stoddard embraces its spiralling halls and passages beautifully. The descriptions and details of the rooms are wonderful and the Lord of the Rings questing vibe shines through. And I fully stand behind the idea that the world cannot be just order, we need chaos to make it beautiful.
We also got some more HP Lovecraft references, which sends me dancing around the room in glee, and dropped in so surreptitiously so no one apart from a Lovecraft fangirl like me would notice them.
Props for this.
A lovely little fantasy novel, complete with a misanthropic dino in the loft.
So here we are 2 books into the Evenmere series, and I must say that although these books are not changing my life in the same way the High House changes every 15 seconds, I must say I am enjoying the ride thus far.
Luckily this book didn’t suffer from ‘middle book syndrome’, where a book is used solely for the purpose of dragging the plot along before the big grand finale (see all the Harry Potters in-between the first and last books), but actually had its own plot and storyline and could have easily been read as a standalone book.
Did the plot and storyline blow me away? Did it rise anywhere above the middle ground? No
Could the ideas here have been brought to life, and explored a lot more? Yes
I was intrigued by the idea of a tortured child dreaming a hellish version of reality into life (mainly because there is something wrong with me). I was expecting Event Horizon vibes (you know the scene I mean). But alas there was no torture, and the house wasn’t hellish, just a victim of bad architecture, although, quite frankly, bad architecture is indeed hellish.
I wasn’t overly keen on all the God references, to many people finding/losing their faith and questioning gods great plan for my liking, and I didn’t want there to be a love story between Lizbeth and Duskin; Lizbeth annoyed the fuck out of me, and I was very much looking forward to Lady Order ripping out her throat, but alas I was denied.
However, all this being said it was a nice, easy, comfy read that you can wiz through. The idea of a house that basically encompasses, and indeed is, all creation, is a good one and Mr Stoddard embraces its spiralling halls and passages beautifully. The descriptions and details of the rooms are wonderful and the Lord of the Rings questing vibe shines through. And I fully stand behind the idea that the world cannot be just order, we need chaos to make it beautiful.
We also got some more HP Lovecraft references, which sends me dancing around the room in glee, and dropped in so surreptitiously so no one apart from a Lovecraft fangirl like me would notice them.
Props for this.
A lovely little fantasy novel, complete with a misanthropic dino in the loft.
May 21, 2021
A difficult book to review and respond to.
It is trying (in my view) to be George MacDonaldesque, and mostly succeeds. MacDonald doesn't build worlds; he tells fairy stories, myth. This book works best when it does the MacDonald Romantic dream-trippy myth stuff, and less best when it tries to impose some logical order on the world of the High House. I don't ever get the sense that the High House coheres as a rational thing. Its politics and governance and cultures are pretty muzzy, too thin to believe, and its architecture seems made up as we go along. But the idea of the High House is a great idea, and worth writing about, and worth reading about. And I wish Stoddard had found some way to have his mythical cake and eat it rationally too.
Some very nice moments in the prose, sentences I wished I'd written. Chaos and Jormungand are fun. I found the book very putdownable in the first half, when people were travelling in corridor after difficult-to-distinguish corridor, but once the False House came in sight, the plot picked up, as did my attention.
It is trying (in my view) to be George MacDonaldesque, and mostly succeeds. MacDonald doesn't build worlds; he tells fairy stories, myth. This book works best when it does the MacDonald Romantic dream-trippy myth stuff, and less best when it tries to impose some logical order on the world of the High House. I don't ever get the sense that the High House coheres as a rational thing. Its politics and governance and cultures are pretty muzzy, too thin to believe, and its architecture seems made up as we go along. But the idea of the High House is a great idea, and worth writing about, and worth reading about. And I wish Stoddard had found some way to have his mythical cake and eat it rationally too.
Some very nice moments in the prose, sentences I wished I'd written. Chaos and Jormungand are fun. I found the book very putdownable in the first half, when people were travelling in corridor after difficult-to-distinguish corridor, but once the False House came in sight, the plot picked up, as did my attention.
August 28, 2018
Another excellent book by James Stoddard. The False House is a continuation of the story first found in the book The High House. It is equally as well written and enjoyable as the first volume and I am looking forward to getting a copy of the final volume Evenmere. I continue to be slightly astonised at the references through out the book to other mythologies and other works of fantasy writing including several books that feature prominently in other writer's worlds. For me this helps to connect this world to many others (which is the point) and provides a subtle background upon which to broaden the reach of the series. The Christian element is stronger in this second volume (again bringing to mind both C. S. Lewis and Charles Williams). The writing style is more that of these earlier writers than contemporary writings but that simply adds to the time frame of the book. All in all, this has been an enjoyable read and I look forward to the final volume of the trilogy.
January 22, 2021
This is the best book in the Evenmere series, in my opinion. The additions of Lizbeth, Sarah and Duskin make the book much richer and the villains are developed in a better way in this story, so that you have a better understanding of what motivates them. Stoddard could use to edit some of his work down, though this book does better with its excess than the first. I still love the premise of the world-in-a-house and the mystery of how, exactly, rooms come together to form countries.
May 1, 2024
some weird stuff in this one but excellent. seems to be a bit more off-the-wall (pun not intended) than the first of this series. the focus of this book is more on the young girl kidnapped than on the Master of the House.(?) 4.25 out of 5 stars
fyi...just wanted to add how chaste and Victorian the story is told.
fyi...just wanted to add how chaste and Victorian the story is told.
January 2, 2025
Stoddard has crafted an exquisite masterpiece. I was immediately immersed into the drama. Twists and turns kept me turning the pages. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Recommend to readers who enjoy epic fantasy.
I borrowed a copy from KU. I have expressed my honest view.
Recommend to readers who enjoy epic fantasy.
I borrowed a copy from KU. I have expressed my honest view.
April 6, 2025
A stellar sequel. A battle between primordial forces filled with depth and adventure. Each character is given even more depth, pushed to their limits and tested. Looking forward to reading the final instalment of The Evenmere Chronicles.
September 28, 2018
Not as much skimming as I did in the first one. Loved Lizbeth. Good story. Going to see if I can find the last book. :)
April 9, 2020
There are things in this book, that are so beautiful and scary at the same time, you will never forget them.
May 16, 2020
Good stuff.
September 18, 2020
I like the architectural details, as always, but some hierarchical assumptions are less charming.
August 12, 2013
The sequel to The High House. Spoilers ahead for that.
Shortly after the events of that work, Carter is once again in Innman Tor, where the anarchists are still going after whatever they were after when they destroyed the Tor. Then he formally visits Count Aegis, who's now in charge there.
The count's older daughter Sarah tries to collect herself, certain he will be all disapproving of how her father is running it. Her younger sister Lizbeth -- adopted by the count after her anarchist father vanished in the last book's trouble -- is more excited. And the meeting goes rather better than Sarah expected. Lizbeth gets along well with Duskin, and then Carter returns, often, and Lizbeth gets to flit about him and Sarah until finally they are having the dinner to celebrate, and Lizbeth is kidnapped by her father.
The anarchists haul her away to a mysterious house without windows. She can grow only brambles in the garden. And for years, they keep her there. She tries to send messages in a bottle down a stream.
Six years later, Carter and Sarah have had no children and still wonder what happened to Lizbeth. But then things start to happen. Enoch sees things that changed when he went to light lamps, and they notice it is far more regular than it had been. Duskin, returning from hunting gnawlings with his friend and cousin Gregory, goes with Carter, two architects, and a small group of guards to investigate.
It involves a man who had fought for the anarchists, several secret anarchists, Lizbeth thinking that Duskin is Carter, Jorgamund suffering horribly from a fierce winter storm, an aviary where all the birds have been turned to something mechanically orderly, and much more.
Shortly after the events of that work, Carter is once again in Innman Tor, where the anarchists are still going after whatever they were after when they destroyed the Tor. Then he formally visits Count Aegis, who's now in charge there.
The count's older daughter Sarah tries to collect herself, certain he will be all disapproving of how her father is running it. Her younger sister Lizbeth -- adopted by the count after her anarchist father vanished in the last book's trouble -- is more excited. And the meeting goes rather better than Sarah expected. Lizbeth gets along well with Duskin, and then Carter returns, often, and Lizbeth gets to flit about him and Sarah until finally they are having the dinner to celebrate, and Lizbeth is kidnapped by her father.
The anarchists haul her away to a mysterious house without windows. She can grow only brambles in the garden. And for years, they keep her there. She tries to send messages in a bottle down a stream.
Six years later, Carter and Sarah have had no children and still wonder what happened to Lizbeth. But then things start to happen. Enoch sees things that changed when he went to light lamps, and they notice it is far more regular than it had been. Duskin, returning from hunting gnawlings with his friend and cousin Gregory, goes with Carter, two architects, and a small group of guards to investigate.
It involves a man who had fought for the anarchists, several secret anarchists, Lizbeth thinking that Duskin is Carter, Jorgamund suffering horribly from a fierce winter storm, an aviary where all the birds have been turned to something mechanically orderly, and much more.
April 12, 2014
I do much prefer The High House by the same author, but having read that, I couldn't resist this followup.
Structurally/stylistically, it seems to me that the author was pressured to create something with broader appeal.
The High House reads like a fairy tale, and like the sort of book that's meant to be read aloud. It's one of my favorite books, pretty much ever, and I've read quite a lot of fiction.
The False House reads more like the sort of fantasy that gets made into a movie these days, with simpler structure, broader action, etc. Despite the difference in style, I do still like this book quite a lot, and also give it 5 stars.
The author is apparently working now to finish the third Evenmere title (The Winking House seems to be the working title mentioned on the author's website.)
I do hope he gets the chance to publish the next one, he's a fine story teller.
Structurally/stylistically, it seems to me that the author was pressured to create something with broader appeal.
The High House reads like a fairy tale, and like the sort of book that's meant to be read aloud. It's one of my favorite books, pretty much ever, and I've read quite a lot of fiction.
The False House reads more like the sort of fantasy that gets made into a movie these days, with simpler structure, broader action, etc. Despite the difference in style, I do still like this book quite a lot, and also give it 5 stars.
The author is apparently working now to finish the third Evenmere title (The Winking House seems to be the working title mentioned on the author's website.)
I do hope he gets the chance to publish the next one, he's a fine story teller.
June 24, 2016
It is extraordinarily rare for a sequel to be as good as the first book. The False House, the second book in James Stoddard's Evenmere trilogy, has accomplished this goal and, perhaps, even surpassed it. Mr. Stoddard continues to explore questions of existence, self-worth, and the battle between good and evil as the wicked Anarchists once again seek to take control of the High House. This time, they have stolen a powerful forgotten relic, along with a young orphan girl, and spirited them away to the False House, an evil parody of Evenmere, which is slowly transforming the true High House into a nightmare. Once again, James Stoddard delivers a stunningly original and adventurous high fantasy novel, truly material of which the great classics are made.
November 2, 2016
Six years after the events in The High House, the anarchists are still plotting to take over the House. In The False House, Carter must do his utmost to prevent that and to save his young sister in law. I enjoyed this just as much as the prequel, although there are some subtle differences.
The characters have developed over the elapsed period and they are better described here. The different rooms and features of the house continue to amaze. There are some nice plot-twists culminating in a splendid finale.
The characters have developed over the elapsed period and they are better described here. The different rooms and features of the house continue to amaze. There are some nice plot-twists culminating in a splendid finale.
April 23, 2020
A new house has risen on the edge of Creation, an architectural nightmare where The Man in the Dark holds a young girl hostage - and even with Duskin and a team of trusted allies by his side, Master Carter may not have the power needed to save her before Order can end Time itself. Stoddard brings fans a remarkable sequel that will keep eyes glued to the pages with an endless escapade of creativity and wonder. The closer Carter finds himself to this strange house, the weaker he feels his faith in the Words of Power growing...
June 27, 2017
It's been quite a while since I read this, but as I recall, I enjoyed the storyline, enjoyed catching up with familiar characters (and meeting new ones), but still have the same complaints about the writing quality that I had for the previous book, The High House. For an engaging and quick read, though, I think it's worth it!
February 1, 2010
I received the High House, the first book by James Stoddard for free at a Worldcon. It was really good.
I purchased the second book, this one myself, but I never felt the same way about it.
I purchased the second book, this one myself, but I never felt the same way about it.
May 14, 2013
Fantastic follow-up to a great book. Loved spending more time with these characters.
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July 16, 2013Perhaps even better than High House, the first in the series.
February 21, 2015
This was a great follow up to his first book. All the elements of a great fantasy are there. For those who like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
July 3, 2016
Even better than "The High House." An allegory belonging on the shelf with "Till We Have Faces."
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