The White Isle

by Darrell Schweitzer

SIGNED by DARRELL SCHWEITZER on the Title page. Signature only. A First edition, First printing. Book is in Fine condition. Boards are clean, not bumped. Fore edges are clean. Interior is clean and legible. Not remaindered. Dust Jacket is in Fine condition. Not chipped or crinkled. Not price clipped. Dust Jacket is covered by Mylar Brodart. All-Ways well boxed, All-Ways fast service. Thanks.

Genres: Fantasy

139 pages, hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Darrell Schweitzer is an American writer, editor, and essayist in the field of speculative fiction. Much of his focus has been on dark fantasy and horror, although he does also work in science fiction and fantasy.

Schweitzer is also a prolific writer of literary criticism and editor of collections of essays on various writers within his preferred genres.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The White Isle was Schweitzer's first novel; it was appeared in Fantastic Stories magazine in 1980 and was slightly revised for this book publication. It's a rather dark tragedy about a sorcerer who goes mad when his wife dies, and his attempt to bring her back from the underworld. Aside from the obvious Orpheus influence, it reminded me quite a bit of Clark Ashton Smith's work and is well written with a somewhat antiquated flavor reminiscent of Lord Dunsany. The first half is quite entertaining, but it bogs down a bit after the inevitable futility of it all is explicated in the second half. This "Weird Tales Library" edition from Owlswick Press has a lush wrap-around cover and excellent chapter-heads by Stephen Fabian.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually quite enjoyed the first half of this book, wherein the prince goes mad upon learning of the death of his bride, throws himself in to the study of wizardry and commences on the journey in to the underworld to steal his bride back. It was exciting and disturbing (this vision of the underworld was well described and unsettling -- a world in which ALL the dead retreat to no matter what god they worshipped in life, and no matter what goods they offer to entice the god of the underworld to provide favor).

The second half of the book, which had the prince, now mad, living on his own island with his daughter whom he held prisoner, fell flat. It was boring and seemed to have no purpose. What was the drive for these last 60+ pages? Where was the story going? Nowhere, it seems.

It felt like an exciting short story that had been extended.

Not a recommended book.

[Kat Hooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted at FanLit.

Readers familiar with Darrell Schweitzer probably think of him mostly as someone who writes short stories, edits magazines and anthologies, and writes books and essays about speculative fiction. But he’s written a few novels, too. The White Isle, published in 1989, is one of these, though it was originally serialized in the magazine Fantastic in 1980. It tells the story of Prince Evnos of Iankoros who we meet as a boy and follow into madness.

The story is divided into two parts. In the first section, Prince Evnos is born, raised, educated, married, and sent off to war. When his wife dies in childbirth, he is enraged, so he learns to be a wizard and descends into the underworld to get her back. In the second part, he lives a miserable life on a rocky island with his unhappy daughter.

As Darrel Schweitzer reports in a 2003... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 2 out of 5]

Readers familiar with Darrell Schweitzer probably think of him mostly as someone who writes short stories, edits magazines and anthologies, and writes books and essays about speculative fiction. But he’s written a few novels, too. The White Isle, published in 1989, is one of these, though it was originally serialized in the magazine Fantastic in 1980. It tells the story of Prince Evnos of Iankoros who we meet as a boy and follow into madness.

The story is divided into two parts. In the first section, Prince Evnos is born, raised, educated, married, and sent off to war. When his wife dies in childbirth, he is enraged, so he learns to be a wizard and descends into the underworld to get her back. In the second part, he lives a miserable life on a rocky island with his unhappy daughter.

As Darrel Schweitzer reports in a 2003... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Jesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written in style reminiscent of the first few Earthsea novels, although not quite as good as Le Guin. It's setting is more mythic compared to traditional fantasy stories, and the tone is darker. At times it felt like it could have been a part of Tanith Lee's Flat Earth series. It's the first Schweitzer I've read, and while it's not a favorite it does have me interested in his other works.

[Lavender · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It had elements of fantasy and elements of horror intertwined. Interesting characters and plot.