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Cormac Mac Art #2
The Mists of Doom
Paperback
255 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
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104 people want to read
About the author
Andrew J. Offutt
209 books72 followersAndrew Jefferson Offutt was an American science fiction and fantasy author. He wrote as Andrew J. Offutt, A.J. Offutt, and Andy Offut. His normal byline, andrew j. offutt, had his name in all lower-case letters. His son is the author Chris Offutt.
Offutt began publishing in 1954 with the story And Gone Tomorrow in If. Despite this early sale, he didn't consider his professional life to have begun until he sold the story Blacksword to Galaxy in 1959. His first novel was Evil Is Live Spelled Backwards in 1970.
Offutt published numerous novels and short stories, including many in the Thieves World series edited by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey, which featured his best known character, the thief Hanse, also known as Shadowspawn (and, later, Chance). His Iron Lords series likewise was popular. He also wrote two series of books based on characters by Robert E. Howard, one on Howard's best known character, Conan, and one on a lesser known character, Cormac mac Art.
As an editor Offutt produced a series of five anthologies entitled Swords Against Darkness, which included the first professional sale by Charles de Lint.
Offutt also wrote a large number of pornographic works under twelve different pseudonyms, not all of them identified. Those known include John Cleve, J.X. Williams, and Jeff Douglas. His main works in this area are the science fiction Spaceways series, most of whose volumes were written in collaboration, and the historical Crusader series.
Offutt began publishing in 1954 with the story And Gone Tomorrow in If. Despite this early sale, he didn't consider his professional life to have begun until he sold the story Blacksword to Galaxy in 1959. His first novel was Evil Is Live Spelled Backwards in 1970.
Offutt published numerous novels and short stories, including many in the Thieves World series edited by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey, which featured his best known character, the thief Hanse, also known as Shadowspawn (and, later, Chance). His Iron Lords series likewise was popular. He also wrote two series of books based on characters by Robert E. Howard, one on Howard's best known character, Conan, and one on a lesser known character, Cormac mac Art.
As an editor Offutt produced a series of five anthologies entitled Swords Against Darkness, which included the first professional sale by Charles de Lint.
Offutt also wrote a large number of pornographic works under twelve different pseudonyms, not all of them identified. Those known include John Cleve, J.X. Williams, and Jeff Douglas. His main works in this area are the science fiction Spaceways series, most of whose volumes were written in collaboration, and the historical Crusader series.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 2, 2020
The Mists of Doom was the third Cormac novel that andrew j. offutt wrote about the Robert E. Howard created character. It's a prequel to the rest of the series, explaining how Cormac got banished from his homeland and detailing what's known of his early life. Geo. W. Proctor researched the subject exhaustively and provided offutt with an outline from which the novel was written. The book is frequently confused by bibliographers because there's a "4" on the original cover indicating it's the fourth book in the series Zebra published, although it was offutt's third and chronologically it's first. Also, Roland Green wrote a novel based on Howard's more famous character, Conan, also titled Mists of Doom. The only drawback I had was that original and authentic Gaelic names were employed throughout the narrative and they all just sort of melted into a long soup of consonants. Aside from that I enjoyed it as an interesting historical and a good fantasy adventure.
February 10, 2017
My friend Pierce Waters was shocked to find that I had never read the Cormac books—either by Robert E. Howard or the legacy ones by Andrew J. Offutt. He highly recommended them and that surprised me. While Pierce has a high regard for fantasy and science-fiction literature, he had always seemed to consider Howard’s work to be interesting, but not compelling. I wondered what he saw compelling in this Cormac character. Well, part of it is how well this character fits into the Irish legendary literature associated with Cuchulainn (primarily the hero of Ulster).
George W. Proctor, the late science-fiction, fantasy, and western writer out of Texas, provided a lot of the groundwork for this story. Proctor collated materials from Macghnimhartha na Cormaic (“Youthful Deeds of Cormac”), Partha na Lagen (“Partha of Leinster”—you’ll understand when you read this part), Longes mac Airt (“The Exile of Art’s Son”—explaining the “Mac Art” in the protagonist’s name), and Tain Bo an-Ard Riogh (“Raiding the Cattle of the High King”). Using this source material and casting Cormac as being Cuchulainn as sort of an immortal warrior seems like a very inspired idea. Yet, this strength is also one of the book’s few weaknesses. Working with authentic Gaelic names makes it difficult for the non-Gaelic reader to become invested in the story. It’s something like having too many characters with the same name in the story when the names are too complex and difficult to pronounce.
Fortunately for those who manage to stick with the effort, the story gets very engaging when Offutt gets the foundation poured and readers begin to get emotionally invested in the characters. At that point, I quit trying to pronounce the names and simply separated them mentally in my mind for long enough to watch this classic epic (drawn from authentic materials, but interwoven imaginatively with fiction). As one would expect with a legendary hero, Cormac mac Art is exceptionally proficient and tremendously fortunate (at least, in combat luck and female companionship), but not invulnerable.
So, the narrative is such that it begins with a quest for vengeance and then, turns into potential cycles of prowess, exile, deceit, discovery, prowess and repeat. The structure used in Cormac Mac Art: The Mists of Doom was just right, but one can already see how reading numerous books on this character would lead to the same feeling one sometimes has with Homer’s Odyssey. Is Odysseus ever going to get home? One would have that feeling with Cormac if one read too many of the stories packed closely together. But, as I said, this one was just right.
George W. Proctor, the late science-fiction, fantasy, and western writer out of Texas, provided a lot of the groundwork for this story. Proctor collated materials from Macghnimhartha na Cormaic (“Youthful Deeds of Cormac”), Partha na Lagen (“Partha of Leinster”—you’ll understand when you read this part), Longes mac Airt (“The Exile of Art’s Son”—explaining the “Mac Art” in the protagonist’s name), and Tain Bo an-Ard Riogh (“Raiding the Cattle of the High King”). Using this source material and casting Cormac as being Cuchulainn as sort of an immortal warrior seems like a very inspired idea. Yet, this strength is also one of the book’s few weaknesses. Working with authentic Gaelic names makes it difficult for the non-Gaelic reader to become invested in the story. It’s something like having too many characters with the same name in the story when the names are too complex and difficult to pronounce.
Fortunately for those who manage to stick with the effort, the story gets very engaging when Offutt gets the foundation poured and readers begin to get emotionally invested in the characters. At that point, I quit trying to pronounce the names and simply separated them mentally in my mind for long enough to watch this classic epic (drawn from authentic materials, but interwoven imaginatively with fiction). As one would expect with a legendary hero, Cormac mac Art is exceptionally proficient and tremendously fortunate (at least, in combat luck and female companionship), but not invulnerable.
So, the narrative is such that it begins with a quest for vengeance and then, turns into potential cycles of prowess, exile, deceit, discovery, prowess and repeat. The structure used in Cormac Mac Art: The Mists of Doom was just right, but one can already see how reading numerous books on this character would lead to the same feeling one sometimes has with Homer’s Odyssey. Is Odysseus ever going to get home? One would have that feeling with Cormac if one read too many of the stories packed closely together. But, as I said, this one was just right.
November 9, 2019
An attempt to fill in the early life of Cormac Mac Art from the vanishingly rare hints that Robert E. Howard left. Why was Cormac exiled from Eire, where did he learn to fight with the sword point, how did his face get scarred, where did his usual alias come from? Offutt tries to answer these questions by chronically Cormac's life starting at age 14. Cormac's father is murdered and he has to disappear so he won't be killed as well. He swears to find his father's murderer no matter how long it takes, and it will apparently take a long time because he spends little of the next 150 pages doing anything about it. It's a coming of age story where Cormac learns about life in the big city, politics, women, and hair styling.
Definitely not a REH story. REH's Cormac was a man of action and action was all you got. Offutt's Cormac is moody and introspective, and much time is spent describing mood, his thoughts, and his surroundings. The sky, what people are wearing, Irish geography, the ingredients of their alcohol. Offutt also wishes the reader to be well aware of his research into sixth century Ireland and especially Gaelic. Lots of Gaelic. Words like 'jhknmllwxp' and 'haeeiayyuaex' get used a lot. Luckily when Cormac actually does get around to fighting there is well described fight scenes and much slaughter of Picts.
Good as an adventure tale of a young boy coming to town. As a Cormac pastiche, not so much.
Definitely not a REH story. REH's Cormac was a man of action and action was all you got. Offutt's Cormac is moody and introspective, and much time is spent describing mood, his thoughts, and his surroundings. The sky, what people are wearing, Irish geography, the ingredients of their alcohol. Offutt also wishes the reader to be well aware of his research into sixth century Ireland and especially Gaelic. Lots of Gaelic. Words like 'jhknmllwxp' and 'haeeiayyuaex' get used a lot. Luckily when Cormac actually does get around to fighting there is well described fight scenes and much slaughter of Picts.
Good as an adventure tale of a young boy coming to town. As a Cormac pastiche, not so much.
May 19, 2020
I've been reading a lot of these books that I read about 40 years ago, long enough that I have completely forgotten the plots so it's like reading them for the first time.
"The Mists of Doom" chronicles the early life of the Robert E. Howard character "Cormac Mac Art", the Irish warrior that appeared in a number of Howard's short stories.
Son of Art, the chieftain of the military outpost Glondrath, Cormac is raised as a lesser noble, educated by the resident Druid Sualtim and personally trained by the Weapons Master Midhir, Cormac proves himself early by slaying three Picts in battle. Haunted by visions of a past life as the legendary Celtic hero Cuchulain, he quickly gains a reputation in his own right, a reputation that poses a threat to the uneasy High-King.
When his father and mentor are slain, he flees under an assumed name to fight for the army of Leinster.
Many adventures ensue for the young Cormac, including an illicit love affair with the daughter of the local King.
It's a good little tale, but there are an awful lot of Gaelic words that I wasn't sure how to pronounce, and despite it being printed by the usually reputable Ace Books, it doesn't appear that it was proof-read as there are myriad spelling errors and typos.
"The Mists of Doom" chronicles the early life of the Robert E. Howard character "Cormac Mac Art", the Irish warrior that appeared in a number of Howard's short stories.
Son of Art, the chieftain of the military outpost Glondrath, Cormac is raised as a lesser noble, educated by the resident Druid Sualtim and personally trained by the Weapons Master Midhir, Cormac proves himself early by slaying three Picts in battle. Haunted by visions of a past life as the legendary Celtic hero Cuchulain, he quickly gains a reputation in his own right, a reputation that poses a threat to the uneasy High-King.
When his father and mentor are slain, he flees under an assumed name to fight for the army of Leinster.
Many adventures ensue for the young Cormac, including an illicit love affair with the daughter of the local King.
It's a good little tale, but there are an awful lot of Gaelic words that I wasn't sure how to pronounce, and despite it being printed by the usually reputable Ace Books, it doesn't appear that it was proof-read as there are myriad spelling errors and typos.
September 13, 2023
I haven’t read any other Cormac mac Art stories, so the only thing I have to compare this with is Conan and Francis X. Gordon; this is nothing like those. Like the Conan stories I’ve read, this was not written by Robert E. Howard. But while I’ve generally enjoyed Andrew J. Offutt’s stories, this was subpar.
The storyline itself was potentially interesting: a young heir to a minor kingdom of greater Ireland goes undercover to avenge his father’s murder—and forestall his own. It is hampered, however, by a need to connect the dots to later Cormac adventures. At least half the purpose of the book appears to be to drop in explanations for why Cormac acts the way he does in the real Howard books; possibly if I’d read some of those I would have enjoyed it more.
Even worse, however, is that the book is filled with typos; Offutt appears to have wanted to write the book partly in a conversational tone using old Irish conversational mannerisms. No one told the proofreader, however, and some of them are corrected; and then again, there may not have been a proofreader because many of the typos can’t be easily traced back to any real meaning.
It’s a moderately interesting story that probably does not add to the Cormac mythos and because it tries to, doesn’t go anywhere on its own.
The storyline itself was potentially interesting: a young heir to a minor kingdom of greater Ireland goes undercover to avenge his father’s murder—and forestall his own. It is hampered, however, by a need to connect the dots to later Cormac adventures. At least half the purpose of the book appears to be to drop in explanations for why Cormac acts the way he does in the real Howard books; possibly if I’d read some of those I would have enjoyed it more.
Even worse, however, is that the book is filled with typos; Offutt appears to have wanted to write the book partly in a conversational tone using old Irish conversational mannerisms. No one told the proofreader, however, and some of them are corrected; and then again, there may not have been a proofreader because many of the typos can’t be easily traced back to any real meaning.
It’s a moderately interesting story that probably does not add to the Cormac mythos and because it tries to, doesn’t go anywhere on its own.
August 15, 2022
Not what I expected at all. This is way different that R.E. Howard's style of writing about Cormac Mac Art. Forced "old" style of language, a lot of unnecessary historical info... this is sword & sorcery, not some "real" novel about the old times... As a standalone story it would be interesting, as ancient Ireland is fascinating. But why take swashbuckling, clever, adventurous characted and change him into boring pre-medieval dude hell-bent on blood feud?
March 8, 2023
Great story. The copy editing was abysmal.
August 30, 2015
Big fan of Robert Howard and always interested when someone tries to do new stuff with his characters.
Only ever a casual fan of Cormac, but this didn't 'wow' me.
Too much effort put into Offut showing off how much research he did. Lots of dense paragraphs jammed with gaelic words and then the explanations for the words. It felt very clunky and distracted more than it enhanced.
Now, I don't mind fantasy and pulp cliches, but in this book, they were too obvious and really felt like stuff the writer felt he had to do, rather than having a natural flow to them.
I get that this stuff is the prequel to Howard's, so Offut may have been constrained by Cormac's history, but just knowing that doesn't get him off the hook.
Did like the relationship between Cormac and his druid mentor and Offut did a decent job with the romance.
Not horrible, but I'd rather track down more of Howard's Cormac stories than the rest of this series.
Only ever a casual fan of Cormac, but this didn't 'wow' me.
Too much effort put into Offut showing off how much research he did. Lots of dense paragraphs jammed with gaelic words and then the explanations for the words. It felt very clunky and distracted more than it enhanced.
Now, I don't mind fantasy and pulp cliches, but in this book, they were too obvious and really felt like stuff the writer felt he had to do, rather than having a natural flow to them.
I get that this stuff is the prequel to Howard's, so Offut may have been constrained by Cormac's history, but just knowing that doesn't get him off the hook.
Did like the relationship between Cormac and his druid mentor and Offut did a decent job with the romance.
Not horrible, but I'd rather track down more of Howard's Cormac stories than the rest of this series.
January 1, 2009
Another pastiche in Offutt's series about Cormac Mac Art, the Robert E. Howard character.
March 5, 2020
One of Offutt's strongest works. Thoroughly researched and memorably written in a captivating style reminiscent of Gaelic saga. Offutt gives R.E.H. a run for his money.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews