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Lyonesse #2-3
Зеленая жемчужина / Мэдук
Лионесс — одно из десяти королевств Старейших островов; Казмир, безжалостный и честолюбивый правитель Лионесса — в центре паутины интриг, сплетенной королями-соперниками. Дочь Казмира Сульдрун, красавица «не от мира сего», играет важнейшую роль в его планах: король намерен укрепить связи с союзниками, выгодно выдав ее замуж. Но Сульдрун противится воле отца. Она становится узницей в своем любимом саду; там, на берегу моря, она находит молодого человека, и с этого начинается трагическая история их любви. «Лионесс» — шедевр в жанре «фэнтези», поражающий воображение странной красотой и зловещими тайнами по мере того, как интриги, война, колдовство, приключения и любовные связи образуют роскошную и сложную вязь эпической легенды о героях сказочной страны.
A monument of fantastic literature to stand beside such classics as Dune and The Lord of the Rings, Lyonesse evokes the Elder Isles, a land of pre-Arthurian myth now lost beneath the Atlantic, where powerful sorcerers, aloof faeries, stalwart champions, and nobles eccentric, magnanimous, and cruel pursue intrigue among their separate worlds.
A monument of fantastic literature to stand beside such classics as Dune and The Lord of the Rings, Lyonesse evokes the Elder Isles, a land of pre-Arthurian myth now lost beneath the Atlantic, where powerful sorcerers, aloof faeries, stalwart champions, and nobles eccentric, magnanimous, and cruel pursue intrigue among their separate worlds.
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First published January 1, 1983
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About the author
Jack Vance
776 books1,583 followersAka John Holbrook Vance, Peter Held, John Holbrook, Ellery Queen, John van See, Alan Wade.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 2, 2024
This should have been one book! The second book shouldn't exist, it should have been edited out of existence! The prologue of the Green Pearl could have been saved!! AAAAAHHHH!!!
May 30, 2024
The Green Pearl and Madouc (Lyonesse #2-3 )
This out of print Gollancz edition includes the second and third volumes of Jack Vance's Lyonesse series. They can be read alone but for full appreciation I recommend starting with Suldrun's Garden and reading the series in order. All three novels are highly recommended, very imaginative fantasy novels by a superb writer. Below are reviews of The Green Pearl and Madouc.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
The Green Pearl was first published in 1985 as a hardcover novel. In the past few years I have read this twice and rated it a 5 both times. The Green Pearl is the second book in the Lyonesse trilogy, and I highly recommend it and all three books in the trilogy. Although I rated all three novels a 5, I found each one to be even more engaging than its predecessor. Each is a wonderfully written, very engaging, highly creative fantasy novel that totally enveloped me in a fascinating other world.
The setting continues to be in the Elder Isles, a string of islands that run from near northern France extending up toward southern Ireland. The Elder Isles are currently divided into ten kingdoms that either cooperate or compete with other Elder Isles kingdoms for survival or control. The time depicted seems to be in the Middle Ages. The powerful and ambitious King Casmir, the current ruler of Lyonesse, wants to conquer or gain control of all other kingdoms in the Elder Isles so that he can be king of all the isles. King Audry II of Dahaut and King Granice of Troicinet have been his main opposition. After King Granice's death his son Aillas becomes king and continues the same policy of trying to keep Casmir in check.
The Green Pearl picks up where Suldrun's Garden left off. In the previous novel a green mist came out of Carfilhiot's body after he was executed and made its way to the sea where it manifested itself as a unique green pearl that was subsequently swallowed by a large flounder. In the Green Pearl a fisherman catches the flounder and discovers the pearl. A subplot follows the valuable pearl as it exchanges hands causing each owner to engage in excessive behavior before coming to a tragic end. Eventually the beautiful pearl comes to the attention of Tamurello, a powerful wizard, who covets it and goes to great efforts to obtain it, although he ends up with much more than he bargained for.
In another subplot the wizard Tamurello meets with a sorcerer named Vishuume to plot revenge against King Aillas and another wizard named Shimrod who tries to protect Aillas. Tamurello supports King Casmir even though all wizards are prohibited from becoming involved in politics. He also has a vendetta against Aillas because Aillas hanged Tamurello's lover. In addition Tamurello conspires to overthrow Murgen, the most powerful wizard on the Elder Isles who is closely allied with Shimrod. Their plan leads to the kidnapping of Princess Glyneth of Troicinet after she follows a magnificent butterfly into a cottage in the forest. Once she enters the cottage she is transported to another dimension where the bizarre world of Tanjecterly is encountered. Neither Aillas nor Shimrod can enter the world of Tanjecterly to rescue her or they will be lost forever. But Murgen has a plan and creates a hybrid creature from a strange humanoid called a syaspic feroce, combined with a dead pirate called Kul the Killer, and mixed with some blood from King Aillas. (Aillas blood is added to the mixture so the creature created will have his love for Glyneth and other higher level character qualities.) Murgen sends this creature they call Kul to Tanjecterly to rescue Glyneth. There we encounter the bizarre world of Tanjecterly with its very strange inhabitants including Zaxa, "a hybrid creature half-man and half-hespid batrache, with arms like baulks of timber", two legged wolves that hop like kangaroos and will suck blood from a person's chest "through the rasping orifices in the palms of its forepaws", Progressive Goblin Eels that carry spears and cook humans and other creatures in a boiling pot, and many other fantastical creatures and exotic settings.
King Aillas in the meantime becomes the king of South Ulfland after the old king dies. As their new king he tries to unite the barons of South Ulfland who have been fighting feuds with each other instead of defending themselves against the invading Ska who claim to be at war with everyone. (The Ska were originally expelled from Norway and then Ireland and are a fierce, highly disciplined, militarized people who want to conquer all of Elder Isles.) King Casmir is angry that Aillas is now king of South Ulfland as well as Troicinet so he tries to undermine Aillas rule by sending a talented spy to South Ulfland to spread false rumors detrimental to Aillas. He also sends a notorious Ska named Torqual who creates an outlaw gang that creates turmoil and instigates conflicts between the barons. The Ska army meanwhile increases its aggression toward South Ulfland so that Aillas is forced to respond in order to maintain respect as the king. During one of the battles with the Ska, Aillas becomes separated from his troops and then lost after riding to capture a Ska woman of nobility who was part of the household that once enslaved Aillas. Initially he intends to make her a slave the way her family did with him, but he learns that she is not the idealized person he had imagined and loses interest in her. Aillas is soon reunited with his troops, and his strategy for combating the Ska continues to be very effective and successful.
There are so many interesting adventures, encounters, subplots, characters and scenes that only a few can be briefly mentioned in a review. The novel is infused with a tremendous amount of creativity and imagination, and it was difficult to put down each time I read it. The Green Pearl is very well written, extremely engaging, highly interesting and one of the most enjoyable novels I've ever encountered. I look forward to reading it and the other two Lyonesse novels yet again a few years from now.
Madouc was first published in 1989 as a hardcover novel. Madouc is the third novel in a Vance trilogy called Lyonesse and is also referred to as Lyonesse III. This is the second time I've read it in recent years, and I rated it a 5 both times. Madouc won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1990. It is pure fantasy rather than science fiction. I consider it a masterpiece and one of the most engaging and interesting fantasy novels I have ever read. I found all three Lyonesse novels to be witty, imaginative, creative and captivating and highly recommended them.
Madouc is similar to the other Lyonesse novels in that there are many fascinating characters that are well developed, with multiple intriguing subplots, amazing world building, imaginative stories and tales, engaging adventures, and many comical dialogs and situations. Character development is especially prominent in Lyonesse: Madouc which has a major focus on the young, half fairy woman called Princess Madouc. She was brought to the Lyonesse court because King Casmir believed she was the child of his daughter Princess Suldrun and an unknown father. When he later learns that she is not his grandchild he does not disclose this to anybody because he wants to marry Madouc to royalty from another kingdom to assist in gaining alliances. But he finds that Madouc is opposed to such plans just as his daughter Suldrun was. Unlike Suldrun, however, Madouc has a strong sense of self determination, with a feistiness and vigor that make her a formidable opponent. She does not become remote and withdrawn the way Suldrun did but strikes out on a quest to find the truth of her parentage and even bravely and cleverly confronts King Casmir in front of royalty from other kingdoms. In one humorous section she even throws rotten fruit at several people she dislikes.
Madouc's search for her "pedigree" takes her on a fantastic quest that also includes her friend, Sir Pom Pom (She calls him Sir Pom Pom even though he is a stable boy) and his search for the Holy Grail and a stranger they meet named Travante who is searching for his lost youth. It is a fascinating and adventurous journey of self discovery, bravery and perseverance. Vance presents a remarkably detailed and creative picture of a fairy world called Thripsey Shee where Madouc meets her mother and engages the assistance of her mother and the fairy king in attempting to identify her father. After learning that her father called himself Sir Pellinore, she continues on to a dangerous but sometimes comical trek where they encounter two hostile goblin knights riding griffins and a three headed ogre named Throop who lives in a castle. Throop could know what happened to Madouc's father, might have possession of the Holy Grail and possibly (although the prospects are unlikely) knows the whereabouts of Travante's missing youth. Even though all three of Throop's heads would rather eat his guests than talk with them, the three heads are intrigued by the offer of gifts so, after discussing it, they decide to restrain their appetites.
There is much more to the novel, including an attempt to assassinate a king and all out war that involves much of the Elder Isles. Vance eventually ties all of the subplots, storylines, events and characters together in a fitting conclusion that I found very satisfying. But all three novels need to be read in order to fully appreciate the whole saga and rereading the trilogy is helpful because there are so many details and so much that happens in these novels.
The Lyonesse novels have incredible world building, many interesting developed characters, intriguing plots, subplots and encounters, brilliant, often witty, dialog, hilarious humor that is cleverly integrated into the drama, a very captivating storyline and an tremendous amount of creativity and imagination. Jack Vance is truly a phenomenal and unique voice in recorded literature. Very highly recommended!
This out of print Gollancz edition includes the second and third volumes of Jack Vance's Lyonesse series. They can be read alone but for full appreciation I recommend starting with Suldrun's Garden and reading the series in order. All three novels are highly recommended, very imaginative fantasy novels by a superb writer. Below are reviews of The Green Pearl and Madouc.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
The Green Pearl was first published in 1985 as a hardcover novel. In the past few years I have read this twice and rated it a 5 both times. The Green Pearl is the second book in the Lyonesse trilogy, and I highly recommend it and all three books in the trilogy. Although I rated all three novels a 5, I found each one to be even more engaging than its predecessor. Each is a wonderfully written, very engaging, highly creative fantasy novel that totally enveloped me in a fascinating other world.
The setting continues to be in the Elder Isles, a string of islands that run from near northern France extending up toward southern Ireland. The Elder Isles are currently divided into ten kingdoms that either cooperate or compete with other Elder Isles kingdoms for survival or control. The time depicted seems to be in the Middle Ages. The powerful and ambitious King Casmir, the current ruler of Lyonesse, wants to conquer or gain control of all other kingdoms in the Elder Isles so that he can be king of all the isles. King Audry II of Dahaut and King Granice of Troicinet have been his main opposition. After King Granice's death his son Aillas becomes king and continues the same policy of trying to keep Casmir in check.
The Green Pearl picks up where Suldrun's Garden left off. In the previous novel a green mist came out of Carfilhiot's body after he was executed and made its way to the sea where it manifested itself as a unique green pearl that was subsequently swallowed by a large flounder. In the Green Pearl a fisherman catches the flounder and discovers the pearl. A subplot follows the valuable pearl as it exchanges hands causing each owner to engage in excessive behavior before coming to a tragic end. Eventually the beautiful pearl comes to the attention of Tamurello, a powerful wizard, who covets it and goes to great efforts to obtain it, although he ends up with much more than he bargained for.
In another subplot the wizard Tamurello meets with a sorcerer named Vishuume to plot revenge against King Aillas and another wizard named Shimrod who tries to protect Aillas. Tamurello supports King Casmir even though all wizards are prohibited from becoming involved in politics. He also has a vendetta against Aillas because Aillas hanged Tamurello's lover. In addition Tamurello conspires to overthrow Murgen, the most powerful wizard on the Elder Isles who is closely allied with Shimrod. Their plan leads to the kidnapping of Princess Glyneth of Troicinet after she follows a magnificent butterfly into a cottage in the forest. Once she enters the cottage she is transported to another dimension where the bizarre world of Tanjecterly is encountered. Neither Aillas nor Shimrod can enter the world of Tanjecterly to rescue her or they will be lost forever. But Murgen has a plan and creates a hybrid creature from a strange humanoid called a syaspic feroce, combined with a dead pirate called Kul the Killer, and mixed with some blood from King Aillas. (Aillas blood is added to the mixture so the creature created will have his love for Glyneth and other higher level character qualities.) Murgen sends this creature they call Kul to Tanjecterly to rescue Glyneth. There we encounter the bizarre world of Tanjecterly with its very strange inhabitants including Zaxa, "a hybrid creature half-man and half-hespid batrache, with arms like baulks of timber", two legged wolves that hop like kangaroos and will suck blood from a person's chest "through the rasping orifices in the palms of its forepaws", Progressive Goblin Eels that carry spears and cook humans and other creatures in a boiling pot, and many other fantastical creatures and exotic settings.
King Aillas in the meantime becomes the king of South Ulfland after the old king dies. As their new king he tries to unite the barons of South Ulfland who have been fighting feuds with each other instead of defending themselves against the invading Ska who claim to be at war with everyone. (The Ska were originally expelled from Norway and then Ireland and are a fierce, highly disciplined, militarized people who want to conquer all of Elder Isles.) King Casmir is angry that Aillas is now king of South Ulfland as well as Troicinet so he tries to undermine Aillas rule by sending a talented spy to South Ulfland to spread false rumors detrimental to Aillas. He also sends a notorious Ska named Torqual who creates an outlaw gang that creates turmoil and instigates conflicts between the barons. The Ska army meanwhile increases its aggression toward South Ulfland so that Aillas is forced to respond in order to maintain respect as the king. During one of the battles with the Ska, Aillas becomes separated from his troops and then lost after riding to capture a Ska woman of nobility who was part of the household that once enslaved Aillas. Initially he intends to make her a slave the way her family did with him, but he learns that she is not the idealized person he had imagined and loses interest in her. Aillas is soon reunited with his troops, and his strategy for combating the Ska continues to be very effective and successful.
There are so many interesting adventures, encounters, subplots, characters and scenes that only a few can be briefly mentioned in a review. The novel is infused with a tremendous amount of creativity and imagination, and it was difficult to put down each time I read it. The Green Pearl is very well written, extremely engaging, highly interesting and one of the most enjoyable novels I've ever encountered. I look forward to reading it and the other two Lyonesse novels yet again a few years from now.
Madouc was first published in 1989 as a hardcover novel. Madouc is the third novel in a Vance trilogy called Lyonesse and is also referred to as Lyonesse III. This is the second time I've read it in recent years, and I rated it a 5 both times. Madouc won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1990. It is pure fantasy rather than science fiction. I consider it a masterpiece and one of the most engaging and interesting fantasy novels I have ever read. I found all three Lyonesse novels to be witty, imaginative, creative and captivating and highly recommended them.
Madouc is similar to the other Lyonesse novels in that there are many fascinating characters that are well developed, with multiple intriguing subplots, amazing world building, imaginative stories and tales, engaging adventures, and many comical dialogs and situations. Character development is especially prominent in Lyonesse: Madouc which has a major focus on the young, half fairy woman called Princess Madouc. She was brought to the Lyonesse court because King Casmir believed she was the child of his daughter Princess Suldrun and an unknown father. When he later learns that she is not his grandchild he does not disclose this to anybody because he wants to marry Madouc to royalty from another kingdom to assist in gaining alliances. But he finds that Madouc is opposed to such plans just as his daughter Suldrun was. Unlike Suldrun, however, Madouc has a strong sense of self determination, with a feistiness and vigor that make her a formidable opponent. She does not become remote and withdrawn the way Suldrun did but strikes out on a quest to find the truth of her parentage and even bravely and cleverly confronts King Casmir in front of royalty from other kingdoms. In one humorous section she even throws rotten fruit at several people she dislikes.
Madouc's search for her "pedigree" takes her on a fantastic quest that also includes her friend, Sir Pom Pom (She calls him Sir Pom Pom even though he is a stable boy) and his search for the Holy Grail and a stranger they meet named Travante who is searching for his lost youth. It is a fascinating and adventurous journey of self discovery, bravery and perseverance. Vance presents a remarkably detailed and creative picture of a fairy world called Thripsey Shee where Madouc meets her mother and engages the assistance of her mother and the fairy king in attempting to identify her father. After learning that her father called himself Sir Pellinore, she continues on to a dangerous but sometimes comical trek where they encounter two hostile goblin knights riding griffins and a three headed ogre named Throop who lives in a castle. Throop could know what happened to Madouc's father, might have possession of the Holy Grail and possibly (although the prospects are unlikely) knows the whereabouts of Travante's missing youth. Even though all three of Throop's heads would rather eat his guests than talk with them, the three heads are intrigued by the offer of gifts so, after discussing it, they decide to restrain their appetites.
There is much more to the novel, including an attempt to assassinate a king and all out war that involves much of the Elder Isles. Vance eventually ties all of the subplots, storylines, events and characters together in a fitting conclusion that I found very satisfying. But all three novels need to be read in order to fully appreciate the whole saga and rereading the trilogy is helpful because there are so many details and so much that happens in these novels.
The Lyonesse novels have incredible world building, many interesting developed characters, intriguing plots, subplots and encounters, brilliant, often witty, dialog, hilarious humor that is cleverly integrated into the drama, a very captivating storyline and an tremendous amount of creativity and imagination. Jack Vance is truly a phenomenal and unique voice in recorded literature. Very highly recommended!
February 20, 2021
Sardonic, mordant, brilliant.
March 16, 2009
"The Green Pearl" - An outstanding sequel that builds upon the events of the first story and take it to new heights.
"Madouc" - Maintains the high standards of the first two with it's rich narative but perhaps a little too slow paced in the middle while the conclusion feels almost rushed.
"Madouc" - Maintains the high standards of the first two with it's rich narative but perhaps a little too slow paced in the middle while the conclusion feels almost rushed.
September 10, 2022
This was an odd but fun book. A kind of pre-King Author envisioning, but of the same world. In it, there's a kind of European aesthetic of politics. The bad guy is the one who wants to conquer the world. The good guy is one who has a conscious, works his way up to becoming king (he earns it) and wants all the kings to help him maintain status quo.
Basically he wants to bind the world into a non-aggression pact where any aggressor is attacked by everyone. This follows the whole "balancing of power" ideal which is found even in the USA (such as with the form of government) where peace is created when no one side has too much power; everyone gets something of what they want and there is harmony.
Only the bad guy wants to conquer everything, so that only he gets what he wants.
Not a bad read. The world is a little funny, and the role of magic here is more an art than a science.
Basically he wants to bind the world into a non-aggression pact where any aggressor is attacked by everyone. This follows the whole "balancing of power" ideal which is found even in the USA (such as with the form of government) where peace is created when no one side has too much power; everyone gets something of what they want and there is harmony.
Only the bad guy wants to conquer everything, so that only he gets what he wants.
Not a bad read. The world is a little funny, and the role of magic here is more an art than a science.
June 2, 2021
A rich tapestry of something something!
October 7, 2022
Delightful compilation of the second two parts of the trilogy. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...
January 4, 2014
This book continues from Lyonesse I: Suldrun's Garden. It's hard not to read this sequel if you've read the first book, you'd want to know what became of Suldrun's son. It is more political than the first book - politics between kingdoms and between magicians. The Princess Madouc is the spanner thrown in the political works. In the beginning she is a pawn, yet later she comes into her own power.
A Fantasy Masterwork? I would agree; not many new authors have Jack Vance's high style of storytelling. He manages to tell of fantastical, alien things in one chapter, and of heroic battles and strategy in another chapter, and successfully keeps that veil of mystery over such evil things as the Green Pearl in yet another.
A Fantasy Masterwork? I would agree; not many new authors have Jack Vance's high style of storytelling. He manages to tell of fantastical, alien things in one chapter, and of heroic battles and strategy in another chapter, and successfully keeps that veil of mystery over such evil things as the Green Pearl in yet another.
April 12, 2013
In this ancient land the realm of chivalry and the world of faerie exist side by side and it is a place of strange beauty, high adventure and eerie magic. Warring kings renew their conflicts, opposing magicians devise ever more strange and sinister stratagems and Madouc, ostensibly the daughter of the ill-fated Princess Suldrun but in reality a changeling, becomes embroiled in political rivalries, military adventures - and the quest for the Grail.
April 14, 2007
Jack Vance is more of a sci fi writter then a fantasy writter.
Still this book is absolutely fantasy.
It takes you into a world of old kingdoms, wizards, goblins, affairs, romance, adventure, making friends and allies, war and new worlds. Jack Vance wrote three parts of the Lyonesse series.
Good books to have on your shelves.
Still this book is absolutely fantasy.
It takes you into a world of old kingdoms, wizards, goblins, affairs, romance, adventure, making friends and allies, war and new worlds. Jack Vance wrote three parts of the Lyonesse series.
Good books to have on your shelves.
March 29, 2007
Jack Vance has better command of of the English language and its possibilities than any other author I've ever known.
Of all his books, this series is my favorite:
1) Lyonesse
2) The Green Pearl
3) Madouc
Of all his books, this series is my favorite:
1) Lyonesse
2) The Green Pearl
3) Madouc
September 19, 2007
One of the few "fantasy" books I've ever read that doesn't buy into the hype. It just gets pulled along by the succulent words Vance uses.
July 6, 2008
This an Arthurian type of fantasy series. It is so funny.
October 20, 2010
cant finish, sorry.
April 12, 2011
I've reviewed these separately at FanLit:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/fant...
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/fant...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews