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The Seascape Tattoo
The Seascape Tattoo : the latest spellbinding adventure in Larry Niven's acclaimed collaborations with Steven Barnes.
Aros of Azteca and Neoloth-Pteor are the deadliest of Swordsman and Sorcerer, locked in mortal combat, who have tried to kill each other more times than either can count. But when the princess Neoloth loves is kidnapped, there is only one plan that offers any hope of rescue . . . and that requires passing off the barbarian Aros as a lost princeling and infiltrating the deadliest cabal of necromancers the world has ever seen. They cannot trust each other. They will betray or kill each other the first chance they get. But they're all each other has.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Aros of Azteca and Neoloth-Pteor are the deadliest of Swordsman and Sorcerer, locked in mortal combat, who have tried to kill each other more times than either can count. But when the princess Neoloth loves is kidnapped, there is only one plan that offers any hope of rescue . . . and that requires passing off the barbarian Aros as a lost princeling and infiltrating the deadliest cabal of necromancers the world has ever seen. They cannot trust each other. They will betray or kill each other the first chance they get. But they're all each other has.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published June 28, 2016
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About the author
Larry Niven
687 books3,301 followersLaurence van Cott Niven's best known work is Ringworld (Ringworld, #1) (1970), which received the Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics. The creation of thoroughly worked-out alien species, which are very different from humans both physically and mentally, is recognized as one of Niven's main strengths.
Niven also often includes elements of detective fiction and adventure stories. His fantasy includes The Magic Goes Away series, which utilizes an exhaustible resource, called Mana, to make the magic a non-renewable resource.
Niven created an alien species, the Kzin, which were featured in a series of twelve collection books, the Man-Kzin Wars. He co-authored a number of novels with Jerry Pournelle. In fact, much of his writing since the 1970s has been in collaboration, particularly with Pournelle, Steven Barnes, Brenda Cooper, or Edward M. Lerner.
He briefly attended the California Institute of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics (with a minor in psychology) from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, in 1962. He did a year of graduate work in mathematics at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has since lived in Los Angeles suburbs, including Chatsworth and Tarzana, as a full-time writer. He married Marilyn Joyce "Fuzzy Pink" Wisowaty, herself a well-known science fiction and Regency literature fan, on September 6, 1969.
Niven won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story for Neutron Star in 1967. In 1972, for Inconstant Moon, and in 1975 for The Hole Man. In 1976, he won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette for The Borderland of Sol.
Niven has written scripts for various science fiction television shows, including the original Land of the Lost series and Star Trek: The Animated Series, for which he adapted his early Kzin story The Soft Weapon. He adapted his story Inconstant Moon for an episode of the television series The Outer Limits in 1996.
He has also written for the DC Comics character Green Lantern including in his stories hard science fiction concepts such as universal entropy and the redshift effect, which are unusual in comic books.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/larryn...
Niven also often includes elements of detective fiction and adventure stories. His fantasy includes The Magic Goes Away series, which utilizes an exhaustible resource, called Mana, to make the magic a non-renewable resource.
Niven created an alien species, the Kzin, which were featured in a series of twelve collection books, the Man-Kzin Wars. He co-authored a number of novels with Jerry Pournelle. In fact, much of his writing since the 1970s has been in collaboration, particularly with Pournelle, Steven Barnes, Brenda Cooper, or Edward M. Lerner.
He briefly attended the California Institute of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics (with a minor in psychology) from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, in 1962. He did a year of graduate work in mathematics at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has since lived in Los Angeles suburbs, including Chatsworth and Tarzana, as a full-time writer. He married Marilyn Joyce "Fuzzy Pink" Wisowaty, herself a well-known science fiction and Regency literature fan, on September 6, 1969.
Niven won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story for Neutron Star in 1967. In 1972, for Inconstant Moon, and in 1975 for The Hole Man. In 1976, he won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette for The Borderland of Sol.
Niven has written scripts for various science fiction television shows, including the original Land of the Lost series and Star Trek: The Animated Series, for which he adapted his early Kzin story The Soft Weapon. He adapted his story Inconstant Moon for an episode of the television series The Outer Limits in 1996.
He has also written for the DC Comics character Green Lantern including in his stories hard science fiction concepts such as universal entropy and the redshift effect, which are unusual in comic books.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/larryn...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 23, 2016
Okay, that went places I never expected a Howard/Leiber/Moore pastiche to go. Seriously, I nearly put it down quite close to the start.
Then I didn't put it down all day.
And I'm really tired. Good night!
Then I didn't put it down all day.
And I'm really tired. Good night!
September 21, 2018
Similar to the fabled little girl with the curl, when this story was good, it was very, very good.
But sometimes it wasn't good, riddled with small breakdowns or overplayed tropes or missing links, that just made this an "ok" Niven and Barnes excursion. But if you liked the magic lands of The Burning City or The Magic Goes Away, than this is a nice realistic buddy-heist swords-vs.-sorcerers HEA adventure.
SRC 2018 'TUM' (Fall) Task 10.7 based on "tattoo" being often misspelled.
(Did not check for other possible tasks)
But sometimes it wasn't good, riddled with small breakdowns or overplayed tropes or missing links, that just made this an "ok" Niven and Barnes excursion. But if you liked the magic lands of The Burning City or The Magic Goes Away, than this is a nice realistic buddy-heist swords-vs.-sorcerers HEA adventure.
SRC 2018 'TUM' (Fall) Task 10.7 based on "tattoo" being often misspelled.
(Did not check for other possible tasks)
November 10, 2016
Look, I like Larry Niven, particularly his earlier work. I underrstand that isn't fashionable, but I enjoyed him enough in my youth to still seek out his books. I would admit that his later work just isn't quite as good, but this effort, set in the universe of "the Magic Goes Away" (magic is a natural resource being used up in the same way that we are now worrying about fossil fuels) is just excellent sword and sorcery.
Remonds me of Conan written by a good modern author, complete with the expected Barbarian v Wizard tropes, with a modern day twist in terms of plaot, writing and character.
Well worth a read if S&S is a genre you enjoy.
Remonds me of Conan written by a good modern author, complete with the expected Barbarian v Wizard tropes, with a modern day twist in terms of plaot, writing and character.
Well worth a read if S&S is a genre you enjoy.
February 11, 2017
6 stars. Magic is dying. The novel explores the poison of Revenge. Aros of Azteca has finally found a legally sanctioned living as a tax collector but his decades old enemy, the sorcerer Neoloth-Pteor, has finally found him. Wenching, brawling, sword fights, feasting, stealing, necromancy, shape-shifting, long distance seeing, and caring. Niven and Barnes push all your buttons. Drowning in storms, pirate raids, pitching off cliffs, trapped in creepy underground caverns, discovery when the invisibility cloak wears off, treachery, stronger and more numerous villains, conflicted motives, flawed allies. It's the perfect fairytale to read when you're watching your beautiful world fall apart in the hands of evil power seekers. And it's actually a very deep story. At one point in the tale Aros learns from a flawed mentor how to become his sword and the sorcerer learns what actually matters more than power. And how to end a war.
July 11, 2017
Very solid sword and sorcery tale told by two master writers.
November 22, 2020
I had such high expectations for this book. Rivals forced to work together towards a common goal? Whats not to like?
Unfortunately the authors made it very difficult to like. They're both huge fans of telling instead of showing. Anytime an interesting magical concept was mentioned, it was glossed over instead of explored (which was a common theme this book). The characters were flat and the book was very dialogue heavy. Which i typically dont mind but this dialogue was a mix of bland, trying hard to be witty, and again TELLING instead of SHOWING. What really annoyed me was the two rivals relationship wasnt fully explored. I wanted to see the progression from ememies to unlikely friends. Instead they reminisced a few pages, telling readers about past exploits and then carried on with their journey. The tension wasnt there. Once they finally arrived to Shrike, it read as if their 2 stories just happened to be at the same location. They mentioned the other but rarely interacted. I wasnt able to finish this book. I made it about halfway before I put it down bc the storytelling was not improving.
Unfortunately the authors made it very difficult to like. They're both huge fans of telling instead of showing. Anytime an interesting magical concept was mentioned, it was glossed over instead of explored (which was a common theme this book). The characters were flat and the book was very dialogue heavy. Which i typically dont mind but this dialogue was a mix of bland, trying hard to be witty, and again TELLING instead of SHOWING. What really annoyed me was the two rivals relationship wasnt fully explored. I wanted to see the progression from ememies to unlikely friends. Instead they reminisced a few pages, telling readers about past exploits and then carried on with their journey. The tension wasnt there. Once they finally arrived to Shrike, it read as if their 2 stories just happened to be at the same location. They mentioned the other but rarely interacted. I wasnt able to finish this book. I made it about halfway before I put it down bc the storytelling was not improving.
July 13, 2019
Aros and Neoloth-Pteor have one thing in common: the barbarian and the wizard hate each other. In fact they've been trying to kill each other for years. So what happens when circumstances force an alliance? A rollicking fun yarn called The Seascape Tattoo by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes. Barnes and Niven have been collaborators multiple times-I think they decided "Hey what if we wrote a Conan novel?" while they were really really drunk and then snapped to the fact they did not have the rights to the character during the inevitable hangover. This novel is full of adventure and magic-as a friend of mine might say (and she knows who she is) this was a joy to read. It certainly stands head and shoulders above a great number of the sword and sorcery tales I've devoured over the years.
June 27, 2022
Solid, rollicking, slick.
August 28, 2016
A fine tale set in Niven's "The Magic Goes Away" universe, where magic is scarce and magicians cling to their last drops of power. One such wizard, Neoloth, finds himself forced to ask an old enemy for aid in rescuing a princess from a foreign nation. But there are nastier things afoot in Shrike than simple kidnapping, as Neoloth and Arose quickly find out.
June 20, 2019
I am not exactly sure why I chose this book to read, the premise seemed interesting and I had watched the Korean Movie, "Pirates" and wanted something seaworthy to resonate a little better on my eyes so to speak. Of course, when I cracked open the book I quickly realized that the sea played a very little part in the proceedings.
Seascape Tattoo is not a seafaring epic (only the beginning and the end of the book have anything really to do with the sea). It's a story of two rivals, one a wizard named Neoloth and the other a warrior/taxman named Aros. They would sooner kill each other than have to work side by side. Unfortunately, when the princess Tahlia is kidnapped by a rival kingdom they are forced to work together to rescue her.
Of course when you have two rivals together, you often have them shooting barbs at each other in a light spirited adventure. That's exactly what this is with each character having the advantage over the other but usually only for a split second. It's actually this relationship that is the true strength of the book over any other.
The problem starts being is that is pretty much the only entertaining aspect of the book. The other characters are basically one-dimensional with the exception of General Silith. The tough princess who must be saved, the queen who misses her son, a voluptuous female wizard with evil intentions. You know the type (or had an ex-wife that fits the bill). In addition, there aren't really any tense moments where you are wondering who is going to live or die. Everything goes in a very predictable fashion even until the end (though part of me wanted the book to end after chapter 39).
Anyway, it does have that Conan flair as a few others have described and it is a page turner as I would often in my limited time read a half dozen chapters in one sitting. A lot of people will like this book with no questions asked. But I think I wanted more, more flair, more bravado. Perhaps I was looking for something that wasn't meant to be. Grab it if you can find it at your local bargain bin or library but there isn't much reason to seek it out. Enjoy.
Seascape Tattoo is not a seafaring epic (only the beginning and the end of the book have anything really to do with the sea). It's a story of two rivals, one a wizard named Neoloth and the other a warrior/taxman named Aros. They would sooner kill each other than have to work side by side. Unfortunately, when the princess Tahlia is kidnapped by a rival kingdom they are forced to work together to rescue her.
Of course when you have two rivals together, you often have them shooting barbs at each other in a light spirited adventure. That's exactly what this is with each character having the advantage over the other but usually only for a split second. It's actually this relationship that is the true strength of the book over any other.
The problem starts being is that is pretty much the only entertaining aspect of the book. The other characters are basically one-dimensional with the exception of General Silith. The tough princess who must be saved, the queen who misses her son, a voluptuous female wizard with evil intentions. You know the type (or had an ex-wife that fits the bill). In addition, there aren't really any tense moments where you are wondering who is going to live or die. Everything goes in a very predictable fashion even until the end (though part of me wanted the book to end after chapter 39).
Anyway, it does have that Conan flair as a few others have described and it is a page turner as I would often in my limited time read a half dozen chapters in one sitting. A lot of people will like this book with no questions asked. But I think I wanted more, more flair, more bravado. Perhaps I was looking for something that wasn't meant to be. Grab it if you can find it at your local bargain bin or library but there isn't much reason to seek it out. Enjoy.
January 21, 2025
Χαλαρό τριάμισο, αλλά όχι τέσσαρο
Μια χαριτωμένη ιστορία από δύο μεγάλα μεγέθη της Ε.Φ. (που επίσης σίγουρα έχουν παράξει πολύ πιο αξιόλογα έργα). Το τατουάζ του τίτλου και του εξωφύλλου δε θα μας απασχολήσει και πάρα πολύ κατά τη διάρκεια της πλοκής (για την ακρίβεια σχεδόν το ξεχνάμε), ενώ, δυστυχώς η σχετικά προκεχωρημένη ηλικία των δύο συντελεστών μάλλον επέτρεψε σε μια πληθώρα από κλισέ να μπουκάρουν στην πλοκή και να σχεδιάσουν τους χαρακτήρες. Ωστόσο, όταν η πένα είναι καλή, ακόμη και με τα κλισέ, η δουλειά γίνεται.
Μία πριγκίπισσα πέφτει θύμα απαγωγής, ο ερωτευμένος με αυτήν Neoloth-Pteor, μάγος της αυλής σπεύδει να τη σώσει επιστρατεύοντας τον Aros (ανίκατε μάχαν) χειρότερο (σχεδόν νέμεση) εχθρό του, που -καθώς έχω ήδη αναφερθεί σε κλισέ κάνει νιάου νιάου στα κεραμίδια- είναι ένας νταβραντισμένος ψιλοβάρβαρος πολεμιστής με τατουάζ.
Ένα περίπλοκο σχέδιο υφαίνεται για την ανάκτηση την πριγκίπισσας (μέχρι και πλάσματα ρτων ωκεανών επιστρατεύονται), το οποίο έχω την αίσθηση εκτελέστηκε αρκετά γρήγορα ου μην και βιαστικά -ή από την άλλη μας έχουν εθίσει στην ατέρμονη πολυλογία οι διάφοροι Σάντερσον της εποχής μας- και νέοι χαρακτήρες μπαίνουν στο προσκήνιο, βγαίνουνε, ερωτεύονται, ανακαλύπτουν έκπαλαι χαμένα τέκνα, σκάβουν, ανατινάζουν και ναυμαχούν μέχρι να φτάσουμε στο Happy end που προφέρουν μερικοί γοργόνοι (άντρηδοι με ουρά ψαριού, τι νομίσατε;) και η καλοκάγαθη διάθεση των γερόντων συγγραφέων.
Γενικά, ευχάριστο στην ανάγνωση με κομμάτια πραγματικά δυνατής γραφής, έχει το πλεονέκτημα να μην ακολουθείται ψυχαναγκαστικά από μια σειρά ακόμη 15 βιβλίων, ό,τι πρέπει για να χαλαρώσει κανείς.
Μια χαριτωμένη ιστορία από δύο μεγάλα μεγέθη της Ε.Φ. (που επίσης σίγουρα έχουν παράξει πολύ πιο αξιόλογα έργα). Το τατουάζ του τίτλου και του εξωφύλλου δε θα μας απασχολήσει και πάρα πολύ κατά τη διάρκεια της πλοκής (για την ακρίβεια σχεδόν το ξεχνάμε), ενώ, δυστυχώς η σχετικά προκεχωρημένη ηλικία των δύο συντελεστών μάλλον επέτρεψε σε μια πληθώρα από κλισέ να μπουκάρουν στην πλοκή και να σχεδιάσουν τους χαρακτήρες. Ωστόσο, όταν η πένα είναι καλή, ακόμη και με τα κλισέ, η δουλειά γίνεται.
Μία πριγκίπισσα πέφτει θύμα απαγωγής, ο ερωτευμένος με αυτήν Neoloth-Pteor, μάγος της αυλής σπεύδει να τη σώσει επιστρατεύοντας τον Aros (ανίκατε μάχαν) χειρότερο (σχεδόν νέμεση) εχθρό του, που -καθώς έχω ήδη αναφερθεί σε κλισέ κάνει νιάου νιάου στα κεραμίδια- είναι ένας νταβραντισμένος ψιλοβάρβαρος πολεμιστής με τατουάζ.
Ένα περίπλοκο σχέδιο υφαίνεται για την ανάκτηση την πριγκίπισσας (μέχρι και πλάσματα ρτων ωκεανών επιστρατεύονται), το οποίο έχω την αίσθηση εκτελέστηκε αρκετά γρήγορα ου μην και βιαστικά -ή από την άλλη μας έχουν εθίσει στην ατέρμονη πολυλογία οι διάφοροι Σάντερσον της εποχής μας- και νέοι χαρακτήρες μπαίνουν στο προσκήνιο, βγαίνουνε, ερωτεύονται, ανακαλύπτουν έκπαλαι χαμένα τέκνα, σκάβουν, ανατινάζουν και ναυμαχούν μέχρι να φτάσουμε στο Happy end που προφέρουν μερικοί γοργόνοι (άντρηδοι με ουρά ψαριού, τι νομίσατε;) και η καλοκάγαθη διάθεση των γερόντων συγγραφέων.
Γενικά, ευχάριστο στην ανάγνωση με κομμάτια πραγματικά δυνατής γραφής, έχει το πλεονέκτημα να μην ακολουθείται ψυχαναγκαστικά από μια σειρά ακόμη 15 βιβλίων, ό,τι πρέπει για να χαλαρώσει κανείς.
September 29, 2025
Probably three-and-a-half, but not a four.
A charming tale from two grandmasters of the genre (who have, of course, produced far more significant works). The titular and cover-art tattoo scarcely troubles the plot (indeed, one almost forgets it), while the authors' rather advanced years have, alas, permitted a plethora of clichés to infiltrate the narrative and inform the character designs. Nevertheless, when the pen is skilled, even clichés can be made to work.
A princess is abducted; her lover, the court mage Neoloth-Pteor, hastens to her rescue by enlisting Aros—a somewhat inept warrior and his own worst enemy, a veritable nemesis who (as I have already alluded to cliché) is a rakish, quasi-barbaric warrior adorned with tattoos.
An elaborate scheme is woven for the princess's retrieval (even denizens of the deep are recruited), which I felt was executed rather briskly, if not hastily—or perhaps we have simply been conditioned by the interminable logorrhea of our modern Sandersons. New characters enter the foreground, exit, fall in love, discover long-lost progeny, dig, detonate, and engage in naval warfare until we arrive at the happy ending, heralded by some mermen (the male variety with a fish's tail—what were you thinking?), all suffused with the authors' genial, avuncular disposition.
On the whole, a pleasant read with passages of genuinely powerful prose, it has the distinct advantage of not being compulsively followed by a further fifteen-volume series. Just the thing for a bit of light diversion.
A charming tale from two grandmasters of the genre (who have, of course, produced far more significant works). The titular and cover-art tattoo scarcely troubles the plot (indeed, one almost forgets it), while the authors' rather advanced years have, alas, permitted a plethora of clichés to infiltrate the narrative and inform the character designs. Nevertheless, when the pen is skilled, even clichés can be made to work.
A princess is abducted; her lover, the court mage Neoloth-Pteor, hastens to her rescue by enlisting Aros—a somewhat inept warrior and his own worst enemy, a veritable nemesis who (as I have already alluded to cliché) is a rakish, quasi-barbaric warrior adorned with tattoos.
An elaborate scheme is woven for the princess's retrieval (even denizens of the deep are recruited), which I felt was executed rather briskly, if not hastily—or perhaps we have simply been conditioned by the interminable logorrhea of our modern Sandersons. New characters enter the foreground, exit, fall in love, discover long-lost progeny, dig, detonate, and engage in naval warfare until we arrive at the happy ending, heralded by some mermen (the male variety with a fish's tail—what were you thinking?), all suffused with the authors' genial, avuncular disposition.
On the whole, a pleasant read with passages of genuinely powerful prose, it has the distinct advantage of not being compulsively followed by a further fifteen-volume series. Just the thing for a bit of light diversion.
March 19, 2018
For the most part, I really enjoyed this revisiting of the world of The Magic Goes Away. I did feel that the Aztec and other Native American stuff felt kind of pasted on, because it almost didn't matter. Anything in the story could just as easily have happened in another setting, but the world itself may not be exactly OUR world, so I mostly forgave the authors for that.
The book had an odd tone, a sort of battle of wits between each of the major characters, that at its heart was what made the book so enjoyable. Old rivals turned into forced allies to rescue the good guys from the bad guys, only...the boundaries of who is on which side seemed kind of fluid, which also added to the story.
While not the best story by either of the two authors, if you liked some of the other Niven and Barnes collaborations, and if you liked The Magic Goes Away, then this is worth picking up and reading. Once I got into the book, I could barely put it down, because the story's details were a sort of response to traditional sword and sorcery stories. The main characters, and the reader, are left with enough things to think about that it was a lot of fun.
The book had an odd tone, a sort of battle of wits between each of the major characters, that at its heart was what made the book so enjoyable. Old rivals turned into forced allies to rescue the good guys from the bad guys, only...the boundaries of who is on which side seemed kind of fluid, which also added to the story.
While not the best story by either of the two authors, if you liked some of the other Niven and Barnes collaborations, and if you liked The Magic Goes Away, then this is worth picking up and reading. Once I got into the book, I could barely put it down, because the story's details were a sort of response to traditional sword and sorcery stories. The main characters, and the reader, are left with enough things to think about that it was a lot of fun.
December 19, 2017
I love sword and sorcery. I love pirates/nautical fare. So imagine my surprise and happiness when I saw this on a random spinner at B&N. After reading the description, I saw many S&S tropes involved (magic is dying, advanced race vs. simple race, quest to beat the bad guys, etc.), I had to have this.
I liked it. It was good! Not much telling and very little poor writing (something I notice more and more these days...), so it was a fun read. Star number 5 would have come to it if the ending wasn't so rushed and nice and neat. It felt like several threads were left open that could easily have been closed with maybe 20-30 pages more of writing. I get that they will be taken care of, but it felt like a deadline was approaching so the quick, fix it ending happened.
About 2/3rds of the way through, the book takes a crazy turn, but I didn't mind. It reminded me of classic sci-fi, paperback craziness that might seem weird and f'd up, but it worked in the story and didn't ruin it.
All in all, if like sword and sorcery and/or retro sci-fi, this is a great read.
I liked it. It was good! Not much telling and very little poor writing (something I notice more and more these days...), so it was a fun read. Star number 5 would have come to it if the ending wasn't so rushed and nice and neat. It felt like several threads were left open that could easily have been closed with maybe 20-30 pages more of writing. I get that they will be taken care of, but it felt like a deadline was approaching so the quick, fix it ending happened.
About 2/3rds of the way through, the book takes a crazy turn, but I didn't mind. It reminded me of classic sci-fi, paperback craziness that might seem weird and f'd up, but it worked in the story and didn't ruin it.
All in all, if like sword and sorcery and/or retro sci-fi, this is a great read.
June 5, 2022
This is one of my first reads by Niven and I really enjoyed it. I expected something much more in depth and complicated as far as storytelling and characters go, but instead I got a fast paced, adventurous, page turning novel that moves from event to event and place to place fluidly and efficiently.
The book had plenty of surprises but also at times was a bit predictable. Overall the surprises outweigh the predictable elements. The main characters develop well and the reader legitimately comes to like them. The first few chapters start slow but the pace picks up and then never stops.
The plot revolves around a wizard who serves in a royal court. The princess of this court is kidnapped and the wizard hires and old frenemy to help him rescue her. I know it sounds like a basic video game / movie plot but it’s a fun adventure that was worth the few hours spent reading it. Honestly I think it’s best compared to the princess bride. Which if you’ve read and enjoyed, you’ll probably enjoy this too.
The book had plenty of surprises but also at times was a bit predictable. Overall the surprises outweigh the predictable elements. The main characters develop well and the reader legitimately comes to like them. The first few chapters start slow but the pace picks up and then never stops.
The plot revolves around a wizard who serves in a royal court. The princess of this court is kidnapped and the wizard hires and old frenemy to help him rescue her. I know it sounds like a basic video game / movie plot but it’s a fun adventure that was worth the few hours spent reading it. Honestly I think it’s best compared to the princess bride. Which if you’ve read and enjoyed, you’ll probably enjoy this too.
January 8, 2022
This book was confusing to read. It starts off with some very interesting concepts, like the title about the seascape tattoo. But it never delivers on those parts of the stories. It wanders in different directions and leaves the reader wondering what's going on, or what happened to certain characters.
There was an especially unique part of the story where they start to talk very in great detail about one of the tattoos, and then that detail is not related to anything in the rest of the entire book.
It's also incredibly misogynistic. In a scene to describe two mer-people coming out of the water to speak with the wizard, the female mermaid is described in several sentences in an overly sexual fashion, describing her breast and bare chest. While the merman is just said to appear strong, but I'm assuming he was equally bare-chested.
Disappointing.
There was an especially unique part of the story where they start to talk very in great detail about one of the tattoos, and then that detail is not related to anything in the rest of the entire book.
It's also incredibly misogynistic. In a scene to describe two mer-people coming out of the water to speak with the wizard, the female mermaid is described in several sentences in an overly sexual fashion, describing her breast and bare chest. While the merman is just said to appear strong, but I'm assuming he was equally bare-chested.
Disappointing.
October 29, 2016
I haven't read a Niven book since high school. Seeing this at the library took me back!
It's fun, fast-paced and eventful. Like the book equivalent of an action-fantasy flick. Sometimes I just want to be entertained, and sword-and-sorcery fits the bill perfectly.
I was also kinda happy that this is not the start of a long, drawn out series, like so many titles are. One and done is good occasionally!
It's fun, fast-paced and eventful. Like the book equivalent of an action-fantasy flick. Sometimes I just want to be entertained, and sword-and-sorcery fits the bill perfectly.
I was also kinda happy that this is not the start of a long, drawn out series, like so many titles are. One and done is good occasionally!
November 7, 2016
It's a page turner with some enjoyable characters, but the background felt very pedestrian with Azteca and Mayan named as cultures but nothing other than the names show up. There's even a barbarian that swears by Crom err... Chron(Conan's going to haunt you). Also the ending had a few to many ex machina bits for me to be happy with it. A nice recreation of a Robert E. Howard novel from the '30s.
February 11, 2017
Another in Dr. Niven's series that started in THE MAGIC GOES AWAY about an alternative history where magic worked but the energy for magic is running out. For readers of the series this book fits in right after THE BURNING TOWER without any connecting events or characters. It involves the moral dilemmas of what a magic user will do to maintain power and immortality, and particularly deals with the price of vengeance.
May 25, 2017
The Seascape Tattoo is a fine return to Niven's series about a fantasy world where magic is a natural resource that's being depleted. As one of the characters observes, "This place is a playground for a questing mind." It also re-examines another long-time belief of Niven's, that time-travel is fantasy, this time told from a heroic-fantasy viewpoint. As always, the characters are secondary to the concepts and plot, but it's a very fun book filled with big ideas and a sense of wonder.
dnf
July 25, 2022I'm not a huge fantasy fan, but I do enjoy Niven's various "Magic Goes Away" stories with the wizard. And I like Barnes' work, generally, so I had fairly high hopes for this.
But after a couple of chapters, it seems to be more of a general epic fantasy story than one of Niven's particularly special kind of fantasy, and I'm not enjoying it. So I'm moving on.
Didn't finish it simply because it's not to my taste, so no rating.
But after a couple of chapters, it seems to be more of a general epic fantasy story than one of Niven's particularly special kind of fantasy, and I'm not enjoying it. So I'm moving on.
Didn't finish it simply because it's not to my taste, so no rating.
January 27, 2019
First off, I am not a fantasy fan at all, but after I nearly put the book down after four chapters, it began to pique my interest. It was a kind of steampunk fantasy. Anyway, while I liked it on the whole, I was disappointed with the ending. What happens to Aros, will his personal history ever get revealed. Will he get his HEA? It was not kosher to stop it there. Is a sequel on tap?
August 29, 2017
This is another in the "Magic goes away" universe. It's not quite as bleak- or as lyrical- as the original novel "The Magic Goes Away", but it gives the reader a sense of what was lost when Humans used up the Mana- and the lengths they'd go to to maintain the status quo.
April 24, 2019
This is the second time I’ve attempted this book, this time made it to the end. Quite disappointed. The early part of the story was engaging enough to keep me reading, but the last quarter I skim read just because I’d got this far and thought I should hang in.
May 9, 2023
Fantasy
A good collaboration between Niven and Barnes. A fantasy tale and not the sci fi you might expect. A barbarian and wizard team up to free a princess. A simple plot but well told.
A good collaboration between Niven and Barnes. A fantasy tale and not the sci fi you might expect. A barbarian and wizard team up to free a princess. A simple plot but well told.
July 26, 2023
Preety fast read but ending is rather intense. Full of twists and turns in fantasy world writing. Sounded like a great D and D game at sea. Bothe land adventure and sea adventure plus heavy mythos ideas. Alot of fun for a read in the sun.😃
July 25, 2018
Jessica, Grottoes patron, July 2018, 5 stars:
I hadn't read anything in the Fantasy genre for some time. This was certainly a fun read! Worthy of a review.
I hadn't read anything in the Fantasy genre for some time. This was certainly a fun read! Worthy of a review.
September 3, 2018
The ending made me smile :) It was hard for me to get into it but it was still a good book!
March 24, 2019
Fun high fantasy novel set in Niven's "Magic Goes Away" universe (though you don't need to have ready anything else set there).
July 12, 2020
Fun book. Based on typical sword and sorcery, but very not typical. Good characterization and a fun read.
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