Скитания чародея

Warlock #4

by Christopher Stasheff, Кристофер Сташефф

A family crisis weakens the Gallowglass family's collective psychic abilities. The power of warlock Rod Gallowglass comes from a mind-link with the evil Lord Kern, Rod's other self in an alternate universe. And before they can take on Alfar's wizards, the Gallowglass family has to find a way to stop the madman who wants to possess Rod's soul--from within.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Magic, Humor, Adult

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

The late Christopher Stasheff was an American science fiction and fantasy author. When teaching proved too real, he gave it up in favor of writing full-time. Stasheff was noted for his blending of science fiction and fantasy, as seen in his Warlock series. He spent his early childhood in Mount Vernon, New York, but spent the rest of his formative years in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Stasheff taught at the University of Eastern New Mexico in Portales, before retiring to Champaign, Illinois, in 2009. He had a wife and four children.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't one of the best of Stasheff's Warlock novels. Rod has always been a very likable character, but the details of the plot here forced his character into an abusive and very unlikable frame, making for a much less comfortable reading experience than what I was expecting. The story is strong on family and support and redemption, which is all to the good, but I still couldn't embrace the book the way I did the previous volumes. I enjoyed it, despite a somewhat needlessly-extended middle section, and the resolution was satisfactory, but I didn't think it was up to the level of other volumes.

[Stuart Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, but I felt it fell just a bit as compared to the last couple of novels in the series. The problem I felt was that when Rod was on the road playing Owen the peasant, the book moved way too slowly and that it did not need all of that fluff in the middle. I suspected that one of his traveling mates was the actual bad guy (caught by the anagram in the name at first) but the author obviously wanted the reader to get comfortable with the extra traveling companion. I did very much like that Rod was finally able to pull back the curtain to see the wizard behind the schemings in this installment and actually counterattack. Should make for an interesting follow up novel. Thus, onwards!

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the Warlock series and this was another good addition. It wasn't fantastic - I figured Flaran was an anagram for Alfar + n almost immediately and was proven correct (oh spoiler, too late?). All the same I enjoyed another tale of the Gallowglass family and their robotic horse Fess (which originally reeled me in as a kid, a fuckin' robot horse. Hell yes, please!). I'm not a fan of all the adverbs to spice up the dialogue i.e. he said sourly; he said stoutly; he barked harshly - but that's nitpicking something I otherwise very much enjoy. If you like science fiction or fantasy with a touch of spreading democracy this really is the series for you.

[James]

Protecting the planet Gramarye from a band of renegade sorcerers, the Gallowglass family suffers a weakening in their collective psychic powers, forcing warlock Rod Gallowglass to confront his alter-ego. Reissue.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.5*]

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was vert frustrating that Rod kept losing his temper, but made sense and furthered the story.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in the Warlock series I picked up at a used book store for $0.25 apiece. The premise is a representative of a galactic democratic government ends up stationed on a planet settled by romantic SCA-types who wanted to recreate a medieval environment, and ended up self-selecting for the genetic traits for psi-powers, thus creating a medieval world where magic, witches, and warlocks are "real." The world is threatened by time-travelling enemies of galactic democracy, but democracy relies on communication, and the telepaths of this world are seen as the future key to galactic communication and thus democracy. Even though it is a feudal, medieval world. Huh. Anyway, the protagonist has technology - "magic" - unknown to most in the world, and is so called the High Warlock.

I liked this one a little less than the others in the series. Most of it had to do with the High Warlock learning to deal with his anger issues, trying to avoid becoming a domestic abuser, while at the same time dealing with a warlock's revolt seemingly backed by one of the shadowy enemies of galactic democracy. Meh.

[Al "Tank" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stasheff's engaging tale of Rod Gallowglass, the Lord High Warlock, continues.

This episode was long on "family" (which is kinda nice), but suffered from a barely believable problem of sudden rages that Rod supposedly got from his alternate self (previous book in the series, The Warlock Unlocked. For this reason, I could only give it 4 stars.

Still a "good read" and worth the price, but not Stasheff's best.

[John Thomas Alvord · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the exact copy that I read. I picked this up at a Good Will store for $1.98. The book actually has three books in one. The first is 'The Warlock something" - The second is "The Warlock Enlarged' - and the third is "The Warlock Enraged." It's an interesting combination of science fiction and sword and sorcery. I'll tell more later.

[Đenis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rod sa musí naučiť zvládať svoj amok, inými slovami prenikanie rozzúreného vplyvu Lorda Kerna z alternatívneho vesmíru. Toto sa deje v príbehu, kedy jeden čarodejník hypnózou ovláda čoraz viac a viac z vojvodstva a snaží sa o diktatúrnu vládu. Samozrejme zase za tým stoja totalisti, ako ináč.

[Rich]

Warlock Omnibus #3-5: : King Kobold Revived,The Warlock Unlocked,The Warlock Enraged

[MarsianMan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was "ok", but it had some interesting insights into anger management

[Bidesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nejenže jsem se dobře bavila, ale tenhle díl mi tak nějak pomohl i v osobním životě. Sláva Simonovi!

[Jim Razinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I forgot that King Kobold Revived came before this book (there was a reference...), so that will be next, I suppose. So far, my older self is still liking these books.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, in which Rod battles with his uncontrollable rage that was unlocked with his powers, while trying to stop a uprising warlock who wishes to control everyone with hypnosis.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this 4th book in the Warlock Series Rod

[Ed]

Not his best work. Don't force flaws on a character just because someone thinks they should be there.

[Vader · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish

[Magnus Bäcklund · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of cute but oh such a thin story... Next one was much better..half way in anyways....