Prince Ivan

Tales of Old Russia #1

by Peter Morwood

A fantasy novel rooted in the folklore of Old Mother Russia. Prince Ivan marries a beautiful sorceress. His quest is to outwit the evil wizard, Koschey the Undying, and scatter his ashes, for only then will Ivan be able to live in peace with his new bride.

Genres: Fantasy, Russia, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mythology

280 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 1992

About the author

Peter Morwood was an Irish novelist and screenwriter. He is best known for his Horse Lords and Tales of Old Russia series. He lived in Ireland with his wife, writer Diane Duane, with whom he co-authored several works.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed the book. I like Russian fairy-tales, and there were some interesting variations on the usual themes. For example, Morwood's Prince Ivan isn't the youngest of three brothers, but instead has three older sisters, all of whom marry sorcerers who later help Ivan in his troubles. For Ivan has troubles, and though they're largely a product of his own poor judgement (as they usually are in these stories), he actually makes his worst mistake through a piece of misguided kindness while under magical influence, so it's not as bad as it could be. The Too Stupid To Live trope is the one that drives me wilder than any other. There's plenty going on - there are several setbacks, pretty major ones, not just the resolution of a single problem then straight to the happily-ever-after that can make some fairy-tale retellings so dull.

I also enjoyed the language. The prose is very conversational, in the style of old-fashioned stories for children, and I have a nostalgic fondness for that particular style. Morwood peppers the dialogue with Russian words and phrases, to add colour, which works well enough but is sometimes overdone. His creepy description of Baba Yaga's house with its fence of human bones is particularly effective, though.

All that being said, I wouldn't rate the book over three stars. The plot drags in places, and just didn't hold my interest all that well in other places. The characters aren't especially well-developed, though they're faithful representations of their fairy-tale archetypes, and I found myself more concerned with Ivan's horse than with Ivan at one point, since Ivan was so obviously perfectly safe. If you're looking to read about Tsarevich Ivan, Koschei the Undying, and their usual supporting cast, I'd recommend Mercedes Lackey's 'Firebird' instead. The prose is stronger, the characters better drawn and more personable, and it has much more convincing peril for poor Ivan.

[Gerhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[Shaitarn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

Horses that talk and rivers that burn are part of the magic created in a story which starts in the walled town of Khorlov. From here Prince Ivan Aleksandrovich, only son of the local Tsar, sets out on the bridal quest that will lead him to the fairest princess in all the Russias. But for all that she is beautiful and a sorceress in her own right, Mar’ya Morevna holds in the cellar of her castle a secret that threatens to end Ivan’s new happiness before it has begun. Koshchey the Undying.

Even as Ivan resolves to do battle with the evil wizard and scatter his ashes to the four winds, he knows that centuries of wisdom and the power of necromancy are ranged against him set in the shape of an enemy acknowledged as deathless.

This is a (fairly close) re-telling of the traditional Russian fairy tale of Koshchey (or Koschei) the deathless. Although Peter Morwood has expanded the tale considerably and made the main characters (notably Ivan and Mar’ya) more three dimensional, the story still conjures up the feel of a folktale, giving it an added patina of age; people familiar with European folklore and fairy tales (those that haven’t been bastardised by Disney, anyway) will find some familiar topes here: things come in threes, and acts of kindness are always repaid.

I really enjoyed it. I’m familiar with the author’s work and am always puzzled as to why he isn’t better known. This isn’t an epic fantasy tale or anything grimdark; it’s a fairly light, quick tale that can be devoured in a couple of sittings; although this spawned two sequels it can be read as a standalone novel. Recommended for those who love tales from folklore or fantasy in general.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fantasy folklore tale with a basis in Russian myth

Morwood has created his own fantasy story based on Russian mythology and folklore that stands on its own as a story, but enjoys the echoes of mythological recognition. Great stuff with Koshchey the Deathless and Baba Yaga, and told with a rhythm and cadence that evoke the sense of a folktale. Very enjoyable.

[Bill Ramsell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drawing upon the very rich folklore of Russia, this is part of the tale of Koschei the deathless (or possibly Koschey the Undying), I've seen it spelled many different ways.

Very readable and quite enjoyable. Recommended.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just arrived from UK through BM.

Since I'm not a big fan of fantasy books nowadays, I missed some more historical background in this book.