Ennia

by Manuel Alfonseca

Ennia duerme. De repente siente que algo le roza el brazo. Despierta. Ve una sombra negra que destaca en la negrura de su habitación. Es el señor Otto, que la invita a ir a Faerie a cumplir una misión. Como ayuda recibe una especie de cubo mágico con una pantalla que, cuando la niña formule un deseo, le dirá si se le concede o no, y por qué razón, con frases como No puedes pedir cosas que puedas conseguir por ti misma o Una vez formulado un deseo, no es posible deshacerlo.
Ennia es una alegoría de la vida que, siendo dura, necesita abnegación, y siendo hermosa e irrepetible, la fantasía es absolutamente necesaria.

139 pages, Paperback

First published December 17, 1993

About the author

Manuel Alfonseca (Madrid, 1946) is a writer and professor in a Spanish university (Autónoma de Madrid) where he was director of the Escuela Politécnica Superior (2001-2004). He worked 22 years in IBM. He has published over 200 scientific articles and many papers and posts on popular science, in Spanish and English. He is the author of over 50 books on computer science, popular science, historic novel, science-fiction and young adult literature, published in Spanish, English, French and other languages. He was awarded the Lazarillo Award (1988) and the La Brújula Award (2012). He is the son of the painter and sculptor Manuel Alfonseca (Santana).

Reviews

[Mariangel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel's Review:
El dios señor Otto mandó a Ennia una misión, que era matar al dragón. Ennia entró en Faerie y encontró a Oski. Se escapó de los elfos y volvió a entrar al bosque y mató al dragón con ayuda de Oski y el Caballero de la Armadura Roja. El Caballero volvió a su país y podrá encontrar allí a Ennia otra vez. Y después Oski se convirtió en el nuevo rey de los elfos.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the 24th volume I have read from the pen of Manuel. Or I should say 24th reading as I have read some of them more than once. It is a really fun story. With each new volume I read from the pen of Alfonseca I have a greater appreciation for his skill and talent as an author. I first encountered his works based on the recommendation of a friend back in 2017. Once I started reading this book I could hardly put it down.

The description of this volume states:

“Ennia sleeps. Suddenly, someone touches her elbow. She awakes and sees a black shadow in the blackness of her room. It is Mr. Otto, who invites her to go to Fairie and fulfil a mission. Which mission? She must discover that by herself. To help her in her trip, she is given a magic box with a screen. When Ennia makes a wish, the box will tell her whether it has been granted or not and why, with explanations such as: "You must not ask for things that you can get by yourself" or "Once you have made a wish, it cannot be undone".

Ennia is an alegory of life. As life is hard, it needs self-denial; as life is beautiful and unrepeatable, fantasy is a required help..”

About the author in a different volume we are informed that:

“Manuel Alfonseca has published more than 50 books, including 32 novels in different genres: historical, fantasy, science fiction, mystery and adventure. In 1988 he won the Lazarillo Award, and in 2012 he won the fourth edition of the La Brújula de Valores Award. With this book he was a finalist for the 1990 C.C.E.I. Award.”

This volume has no prelude or information after the story. It does not even have an about the author section. I believe there are 6 editions of this between the Spanish and English editions and they were published between 2002 and 2016. The chapters in this work are:

A visit in the night
The prairie
The monster
Nightfall
In the forest
The king
The prophecy
Plans of escape
Awaiting the dragon
Alone again
An encounter
Another encounter
The forest again
Clouds pile up
The storm erupts
The dragon’s lair
After the storm

In some ways this story feels a bit like the authors own Chronicles of the Magic Jigsaw Puzzle series. And it has a bit of a Narnia feel as well. The story opens with these words:

“It was night and Ennia was sleeping. Her dreams were calm and happy. Suddenly, someone touched her elbow; a touch soft, gentle, almost shy. She opened her eyes and sat up. As it was dark, she at first saw no one. Then she noticed a black lump amid the blackness. The lump was huge, but for some reason Ennia was not afraid.

“Who are you,” she asked.

“My name would tell you nothing,” said the dark lump in a voice that could belong to a very old man. Ennia imagined a face full of wrinkles, a stooping body, a gnarled hand on a stick. She imagined that she could see all this perfectly, as though by daylight.

“But I must know,” she said. “Without a name, you wouldn’t exist for me.”

“You are quite right,” said the lump. His voice was thoughtful. “We’ll have to choose a name you can call me by. I know! How about Otto?”

“Mr. Otto?” asked Ennia, who was a nicely behaved girl.

“Mr. Otto will be fine,” said the voice. “Or you could call me Otto-san.””

Mister Otto gives her the opportunity to go on an adventure in Faerie, but there are rules in that land. And she must figure them out and obey them. She is given a small box that fits in her hand, She can make wishes and the wishes will either be granted or denied, if they are denied she can ask why and finds out more rules as she goes along. They quest is challenging, encouraging, frustrating and tests her character and her will. Along the way she meets many, some are friends, some have the potential of friendship and some are neither. She will also face the great Dragon that has been terrorising this land. She encounters the dragon in more than one format. There is also a city called ‘The Town of the Lost People’ which is where those who have lost hope of completing their quests have gone. There are also some who work for the dragon.

The characters are well written. It has an interesting plot. The story takes place over just a few days. There are some important lessons to be learned. It deals with some serious issues like prejudices and unhealthy ambition, but it also has themes hope, and faithfulness, and fulfilling our calling.

This is a wonderfully written adventure quest story. It could easily be read by a middle grade student, be entertaining for tweens, teens and young Adults and is good for anyone who just loves a great story! I can easily recommend this story for readers of all ages.

This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!

[Fonch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well the first thing that i want to do it. I apologize with the readers my last review was a bit long. I expect that they did not bore reading it. I try to be briefer in this. I had a big interest to read “Ennia in Fairie”, because although Manuel Alfonseca has written Fantasy novels this novel is the nearer to the genre of Epic Fantasy or Role Playing game who will be able to read of himself. Although the novel is a young adult fantasy, or a Fairy Tale with clear references to this writers George MacDonald, Lord Dunsany, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis Carrol Michael Ende a very curious influence Drew Wayland. The way of Ennia arrived to Fairie reminded the George MacDonald`s novels “The Golden Key”, and “Phantastes”. Ennia received a curious invitation from a voice that we called Mr. Otto who invited to access to Fairie where she will have to do a mission who will discover during his voyage in Fairie. She will receive a screen explaining the different rules in Fairie, very bureaucracy but the rules are necessary to the story. My happiness conclude when the happiness of the neighbor. He reminded the conversation between father Brown and Flambeau in the short tale “The blue cross” with all in this infinite universe. Infinite only physically imagine the mst curious reality the reason rules in the farest star and you wont`s steal. The moral order and natural law is absolutely necessary. Ennia early realized that she could not as Bastian the main character of “Never Ending Story” she could not desire all she wanted to it, in change she did not lose a remember of the real world. Indeed he has to obey the screen let to keep on her mission, (although there was a moment she was tempted to get free the screen). At the beginning Ennia is as Alice a bit fanciful, but not very much, with all she will improve during the adventure. The first meeting of Ennia is with a lovely dog called Lion who reminded to Toto the Wizard of Oz Dog. As in “The Never Ending Story” the wishes changed the context, and the morphology of Fairie. As the Hobbit the one of his illusions is seeing goblins, or Elves and thanks to this wish Oski appeared in the Story and took to Ennia to the presence of the King of the Elves very similar to the first Tharnduil in “The Hobbit”. Now we know that a dragon menaced Fairie, and they decided to sacrifice Ennia, then Oski decided disobey, but Ennia ask for he kept on the King will. When the Dragons appeared Fairie discovered that she cannot be eaten by the dragon except she wished. I have to do a reflection. The view of the dragon is more similar to the Michael D. O`Brien, and Joseph Pearce`s impressions. Particularly Michael D. O`Brien wrote a book "Landscape with Dragons: The Battle for Your Child's Mind" critic with the figure of Dragons. We knew that the dragons the Jews identified with Babylon, the Christians with the paganism and the devil, also the Dragon is the symbol of the greed(Dorothy Sayers complain bitterly with justice in a essay that nowadays only is sin the lustful and we have to forget the rest of the capital sin especially the greed). Difference with some legends from orient countries China, and Japan or novels as “The “reluctant dragon” was written by Kenneth Grahame . The Dragon Riders of Pern was written by Anne MacCaffrey. One of the most terrible meetings is with Rufus the betrayers who try to tempted to Ennia, and with the Knight of red armor the prototype of the Arthurian romances and the Knights of “Phantastes” . We discover that the knight of red armor is a traveller of the real world who escape of a city we are prisoners the people who could not finish his mission in Fairie. The readers reminded the city of old emperors in “Never Ending Story” and De la Rabesi who appeared in Brave Story was written by the Japanese writer Miyuki Miyabe. Although the Miyuki Miyabe`s novel is later that Manuel Alfonseca wrote “Ennia in Fairie”. The arrival of the three heroes to the Dragon Den reminded to me powerfully to the movie “Dragonslayer” based in a novel was written by Drew Wayland and this movie were played by Ralph Richardson, and Peter McNichol is about two wizard who have to kill a dragon. The ending is brilliant and original reminded to the “Ogre`s heart” was written by George MacDonald., and reminded to the movie Nobita's New Great Adventure Into the Underworld. It happened a lot of things in a a little time a commove friendship, the transcendental ending, a song to the free fate and taking the right decision for yourself freely, that the evil can be defeated but come back with other ways and we have to fight ever against it. This story as the rest of stories who write Alfonseca is a story of growth and maturation and discover the authentic nature of the hero, a beautiful allegory who hide something bigger as the stories of C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald. Perhaps for getting the five stars had needed a charismatic hero as Ki-Fer, a story with more drama, and the pictures some more epic something was painted by Rakaham, Alan Lee and Angus MacBride but this it was not guilty of Manuel Alfonseca. To sum up we read a classic of the young adult fantasy in a suggestive world that we won`t quit because is magical.
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Lo primero, que deseo hacer de corazón es pedir disculpas por la extensión de mi anterior recensión, como dice mi padre espero no haberles administrado un barbitúrico por vía visual. Confió en ser más breve con Ennia. Esta novela la esperaba con gran interés, porque aunque Manuel Alfonseca ha escrito novelas de fantasía esto es lo más cercano a la fantasía épica, o al mundo del rol que podrá escribir, aunque está novela pertenece a los géneros de fantasía juvenil, y cuento de hadas. Con todo tenía muchas ganas de leerla. Si en "Agua de la vida" (que me gusto más que Ennia, a pesar de que ambas tengan la misma clasificación) lo atractivo era su personaje principal en esta lo atractivo es la ambientación de Fairie. Esta novela desde el comienzo tiene reminiscencias de varios autores George MacDonald, Lord Dunsany, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis Carrol Michael Ende y una influencia curiosa la de Drew Wayland . El paso de Ennia a Fairie es similar al de MacDonald piensen en la "Llave de Oro", o "Phantastes". Ennia recibe la invitación de una extraña voz que llamaremos Otto, y le explica que podrá ir a Fairie, y tendrá que realizar una misión, pero que debe descubrirla ella. Se la dará una pantalla, que le revelará las diferentes normas no puede formular deseos que pueda conseguir por ella misma, una vez formulado el deseo no se puede deshacer (a lo hecho pecho). En un principio las normas parecen un engorro, pero son necesarias para que Ennia pueda desenvolverse en Fairie, y las vaya descubriendo por si misma. Esto me recuerda al dialogo entre Flambleau, y el Padre Brown en "La Cruz Azul" cundo le dice imaginemos que existen mundos imaginemos la fauna que queremos pero en todos ellos la razón y la moral son necesarios. Lo mismo pasará en Fairie Ennia debe darse cuenta de no puede hacer como Bastián lo que le dé la real gana, y que no puede desear nada a la ligera. El hecho de que tenga que obedecer a la pantalla (aunque hay un momento en que se plantea librarse de ella, y aparentemente ser más libre, pero si hubiera aceptado jamás hubiera podido cumplir su misión). El carácter es muy similar al de Alicia una niña (sólo un pelín, tampoco es que lo sea mucho) caprichosa, pero mejorará. El primer encuentro con el perrito León nos recuerda a "Alicia" y "El Mago de Oz" (¿Alguien es capaz de imaginarse la peli sin el adorable Toto?). Cada deseo como en la "Historia Interminable" hace que la historia, y la configuración del mundo, pero a diferencia de Bastián ella no pierde nada por formularlos. Como los hobbits deseo ver elfos y aparece el simpático Oski, y aquí le encontramos un parecido con "el Hobbit" de hecho El Rey de los elfos. Recuerda mucho al primer Thranduil de Tolkien, y le pide que para salvar a su pueblo vaya a encontrarse con el dragón. Esto hace que Oski por una vez se plantee si debido al aprecio que tiene por Ennia hace lo correcto. Cuando se llega al momento cumbre nos damos cuenta de que el dragón no podrá devorarla a menos que lo desee. Aquí hay que hacer un breve paréntesis. La visión del dragón que tiene Alfonseca es muy similar a la que plantean Michael D. O`Brien en "Landscape with Dragons: The Battle for Your Child's Mind" y Joseph Pearce. El Dragón para los judíos era el símbolo del tradicional enemigo Babilonia, para los cristianos encarna el paganismo, pero también es el símbolo de la avaricia. Ese pecado que ya no parece que lo es (de ahí con razón la dura requisitoria de Dorothy L. Sayers con razón de que salvo la lujuria parece que el resto de los pecados capitales no sean pecado). El Dragón es el símbolo del mal (en esta historia) y nada tiene que ver con lo que se nos cuenta en oriente (donde a veces es sabio), o en las historias de Kenneth Grahame "El Dragón Perezoso", o los dragonriders de Pern de Ann MacCaffrey. Después del encuentro con el dragón asistimos al encuentro con Rufo, y luego con el caballero, y volvemos otra vez a recordar los anales de la Fantasía. El Caballero de la Armadura Roja tiene que ver con el prototipo Arturiano, y con los que aparecen en “Phantastes”. Luego nos damos cuenta de que es alguien del mundo real, que llego a Fairie, pro no pudo completar su objetivo, y fue confinado en una ciudad. ¿No les recuerda la Ciudad de los Antiguos Emperadores en "La Historia Interminable" y De la Rabesi de la maravillosa novela de Miyuki Miyabe "Brave Story” (aunque la de Alfonseca es anterior a la novela de Miyabe)?. La entrada de la guarida del Dragón me recuerda a la película "Dragonslayer" o "El Dragón del lago de fuego" de Drew Wayland, dónde dos magos interpretados por Ralph Richardson, y Peter McNichol deben acabar con un dragón. El desenlace es brillante, y original recuerda a un relato de MacDonald "El corazón del ogro" y también a una película "Doraemon y los siete magos". Lo fascinante de Ennia es esto el lacayunismo del niño corrupto Rufo (esclavo, y devorado por el dragón), la amistad que unen al caballero de la Armadura Roja, Oski, y Ennia. La presencia del libre albedrío, y de tomar las decisiones por uno mismo, vemos el encuentro con lo trascendente Una verdad muy sabia que el mal puede ser derrotado, pero siempre vuelve. Pero ante todo como se dijo antes es una historia de madurez y de crecimiento como el "Agua de la vida". Quizás le falto para conseguir las cinco estrellas mayor hondura dramática, sólo paladeamos este mundo, y cuando ya nos hemos adaptado se marcha. Las ilustraciones son un pelín infantiles hubiera deseado algo más grandioso un Rakaham, un Alan Lee, Angus MacBride, pero eso no es un culpa de Alfonseca. En resumen estamos ante un clásico y un referente de la literatura infantil, y ante un mundo sugestivo Fairie que no querrán abandonar.