O Greenest Branch!

Water! #1

by Gael Baudino

A tiny kingdom, frought with internal conflicts and three centuries of drought, embraces the promise of relief by diplomats from the Righteous States of America, and three special people find their lives changed forever. Original.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

Gael Baudino (born 1955) is a contemporary American fantasy author who also writes under the pseudonyms of Gael A. Kathryns, K.M. Tonso, and G.A. Kathryns.

Reviews

[Aaron Rath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, and the whole trilogy, was a revelation to me. It was the first time I realized that a fantasy book could also be, well, literary. The writing is sharp, funny, and carefully crafted. It also plays fan service to many of literature's greats, with scenes written in the style of Joyce here, Faulkner there, and nods to many others. I come back to the trilogy every handful of years or so, to see what other references and jokes I missed last time but can recognize now.

The series does at times demand some careful reading, but for those who pay close attention, the deeper you look, the more there is to enjoy. There are places that seem confusing at first pass, but I assure you they not only aren't nonsense, if you look closer they're probably hilarious. Or you can gloss over the more confusing bits and still come through with a delightfully twisted and consistently funny fantasy adventure.

I've read a lot of fantasy, most of it somewhere between pure fluff and well-polished fluff. Entertaining, maybe even memorable, but in the end sort of insubstantial. Gael Baudino's "Water!" series is entertaining, memorable, and well polished, but it's also something different--it's True Art.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't read this - incoherent and unappealing. Very disappointing after some of her other books, like Strands of Starlight.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went on a definite journey with novel. In the first quarter, I found the story and characters really interesting - a sort of alternative history/fantasy in which a Puritan United States tries to open diplomatic relations with a pseudo-Islamic kingdom that had conquered a previous matrilineal, goddess-worshiping culture. The characters were compelling too - Puritan ambassador, jovial sea captain, wastrel prince, elderly housewife fleeing her abusive husband, gender-bending (literally) assassin - and it was a very queer story too, between the aforementioned gender-bending and the fact that several characters were gay men. Cool, I'm on board.
Second quarter: at first the satirical tone and post-modern pastiche were kind of fun, now they're slowing down the story and not adding much. But I'm still mostly enjoying this.
Third quarter: okay, I'm really tired of the authorial asides and post-modern playing with the narrative. And the anti-sexism message and satire is just way too heavy-handed (and I'm someone who considers Ursula K. Le Guin and Sheri S. Tepper, no strangers to feminist messages, as two of my all-time favorite authors). The tour guide character spouting 50s sexist cliches is the absolute worst of both tendencies. Too many unnecessary and unfunny subplots too, like the counselor who thinks he's a ferret. And why does the Puritan ambassador have two nemeses, Haddar and Abnel? Wouldn't one be enough?
Last scene: what the hell? Is that supposed to make me want to read the sequel? Because it sure doesn't resolve anything. And who the hell is that character anyway? He's been in like two scenes - why are we ending with him?

[Jasmine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had an extremely hard time getting through this one. Aside from Sari’s story I could not keep track of who I was reading about or what was going on. Really, I only finished this slog just to see what happened to the old woman..