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The Neustrian Cycle #1
Gerfalcon
A Marvellous Fantasy, Non-stop Action, Chivalry and Romance." That's how Hilary Wilson of BookLoons describes Gerfalcon, the first volume in the long-out-of-print Neustrian Cycle. "The Neustrian Cycle" is set in medieval France, in an alternate-universe) where witchcraft is real so are the ghosts. In it Raoul, the young heir to the barony of Marckmont (described as "a blend of elf and owl and boy") grows up to become a sensitive, intelligent young man who prefers reading and song to the so-called knightly virtues of war and slaughter. At seventeen, he takes off on his own and thus begin a series of adventures that will try and mature him. Along the way, he falls in love, survives attempted murder, saves Red Anne (Mistress of the Witches' Coven of the Singing Stones), and is forced to join a band of outlaws, where his life is one of constant danger. Only after many more thrilling incidents does he finally comes into his inheritance. The New York Times wrote that Gerfalcon is "?recited with vividness and imagination--recommended." While one fantasy-weary reviewer noted: "In a genre clotted with saccharine imitations of Tolkein, Barringer's Neustrian Cycle is a true breath of fresh air. The stories are all tightly-written, the dialog is a marvel of subtlety, and the fantasy is distinctly grown up in its sophistication. It is filled with multi-faceted characters, fascinating looks at medieval life, desperate struggles, and an overall sense of reality that is lacking from much other fantasy. Barringer's characterizations make most fantasy characters look as bland and uninteresting as cardboard. For my money, Barringer is the most unfairly least appreciated fantasist (barely) on the market today. All three of his novels--Gerfalcon, Joris of the Rock, and Shy Leopardess--are more than worth the effort of tracking down. I can't recommend them highly enough
- GenresFantasy
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 18, 2011
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
Raoul will one day be baron of peaceful marshy Marckmont, but until his eighteenth birthday, he’s under the protection of his Uncle Armand, Count of the bleak and windy crags of Ger. Armand has no love for the slight and introspective Raoul, and can’t understand why his nephew would rather play chess and write songs than hunt animals. Raoul, a romantic, likes to think about beautiful things, but at Ger, “you must be smothered in blood before they think you are a man.”
When Raoul is told he can’t go with Armand’s company to the tourney in Belsaunt, he sneaks away and visits the tourney anyway. There he sees, and instantly falls in love with, the beautiful lady Yseult de Olencourt. He is flogged when he returns to Ger, so he runs away and seeks a position in a noble house until he is old enough to claim his quiet and solitary barony.
After leaving Ger, Raoul meets the folk of the land, including a runaway murderer, a few witches, a large warrior woman with flame-red hair, the three deadliest outlaws in the area, a brave serving girl, and several lowborn life-long friends. He also has several frightening adventures in which he surprises himself with his actions. His consideration of these episodes, and the advice he receives from wise people, teach him much about life, love, men, women, and himself. For example:
* “we have oftener to choose between two wrongs than between a wrong and a right.”
* There is “none so cruel as a slave come suddenly to power.”
* “Why do men like killing, boy? Because it is an usurpation of the power of God. What God began, they have ended; red with the mortal sin of murder, they feel godlike power, and fall into the mortal sin of pride.”
* It’s the men in the army who earn the fame for their Lord.
* To gain peace, there must be war, and sometimes brutal acts are required.
* The clod looks at a woman with two eyes: “The eye of contempt, and the eye of desire. No wonder women look for gold and gear beside.”
* “For the thing which sets men naturally at each other’s throats, and the other thing which bids them blush or frown at touch of a woman’s body, there must be somewhere a reason...”
* To be noble is “to have the power, and to refrain”
Leslie Barringer’s Gerfalcon is a beautifully written and exciting coming-of-age epic with a loveable introspective hero who learns that peace has a price and that his own heart’s desires are not to be trusted. The prose, though slightly archaic, is easily read and the story is full of incisive insights into (and sometimes gentle mocking of) human behavior. Gefalcon would be a great read for a mature teenager, if you can find it (Barringer’s fantasies are out of print). Beware of the ebook version which I read (Renaissance E Books) — it’s full of typos.
Raoul will one day be baron of peaceful marshy Marckmont, but until his eighteenth birthday, he’s under the protection of his Uncle Armand, Count of the bleak and windy crags of Ger. Armand has no love for the slight and introspective Raoul, and can’t understand why his nephew would rather play chess and write songs than hunt animals. Raoul, a romantic, likes to think about beautiful things, but at Ger, “you must be smothered in blood before they think you are a man.”
When Raoul is told he can’t go with Armand’s company to the tourney in Belsaunt, he sneaks away and visits the tourney anyway. There he sees, and instantly falls in love with, the beautiful lady Yseult de Olencourt. He is flogged when he returns to Ger, so he runs away and seeks a position in a noble house until he is old enough to claim his quiet and solitary barony.
After leaving Ger, Raoul meets the folk of the land, including a runaway murderer, a few witches, a large warrior woman with flame-red hair, the three deadliest outlaws in the area, a brave serving girl, and several lowborn life-long friends. He also has several frightening adventures in which he surprises himself with his actions. His consideration of these episodes, and the advice he receives from wise people, teach him much about life, love, men, women, and himself. For example:
* “we have oftener to choose between two wrongs than between a wrong and a right.”
* There is “none so cruel as a slave come suddenly to power.”
* “Why do men like killing, boy? Because it is an usurpation of the power of God. What God began, they have ended; red with the mortal sin of murder, they feel godlike power, and fall into the mortal sin of pride.”
* It’s the men in the army who earn the fame for their Lord.
* To gain peace, there must be war, and sometimes brutal acts are required.
* The clod looks at a woman with two eyes: “The eye of contempt, and the eye of desire. No wonder women look for gold and gear beside.”
* “For the thing which sets men naturally at each other’s throats, and the other thing which bids them blush or frown at touch of a woman’s body, there must be somewhere a reason...”
* To be noble is “to have the power, and to refrain”
Leslie Barringer’s Gerfalcon is a beautifully written and exciting coming-of-age epic with a loveable introspective hero who learns that peace has a price and that his own heart’s desires are not to be trusted. The prose, though slightly archaic, is easily read and the story is full of incisive insights into (and sometimes gentle mocking of) human behavior. Gefalcon would be a great read for a mature teenager, if you can find it (Barringer’s fantasies are out of print). Beware of the ebook version which I read (Renaissance E Books) — it’s full of typos.
December 30, 2007
Good character development, good story and fine writing. Very satisfying read.
August 10, 2017
This was originally written in 1927. It was reissued in the 70's by Newcastle as part of their Forgotten Fantasy series. It is totally charming if a little quaint. The language is a bit outdated. I would not consider it a fantasy by today's standards. There is a bit of witchcraft but not any of the fantastical magic systems we are used to these days. It is really a combination of a medieval fantasy and a coming of age tale. The action is great, the characters vivid and the emotions strong. If you don't mind the slightly old fashioned language you just might enjoy Raol/Herluin's adventures in a mythic province of 15th centuryFrance. This is another re-read for me. Actually of my original 70's book falling apart a bit as I read.
July 24, 2020
Amazing work of truly classic fantasy with masterful descriptions in both landscape and human emotion that bring the tale to life like so few can.
December 29, 2021
A deeply entertaining story of a young noble trying to find his way in a world of treachery and magic.
March 31, 2014
I don't know if I'd go as far as calling it an underappreciated classic, but it is certainly underappreciated. The characters are fully realized, the story and setting are compelling, and in its way I'd say it rivals The Pillars of the Earth or The Walking Drum, both of which I also enjoyed.
October 4, 2013
Although set in the imaginary kingdom of Neustria, there isn't much fantasy in the story. An occasional witch shows up but most of the plot is strictly a medieval action adventure. The character development and writing style reminded me of G.A.Henty.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews