Found Wanting

by Lin Carter

He knew his name, Kyon. He wore the barb of a gardener -- but that was all he knew. The city of Urbs was a maze of wonders and terrors. Kyon had to do something, to go somewhere, but no one would tell him. And it was important!

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first shock is that at no point in the first fifteen pages does the author lasciviously describe the physical attributes of some young woman.

The second is, for Lin Carter, a restrained narrative style and sense of care to the craftsmanship of the writing. This falls apart somewhat later on as the author starts to directly address the reader and to make references that apply more to the reader than to the characters. This pulls one right out of the limited third-person perspective that roots the book.

There is a surprise here as you realize that these things are related, that they service the twist of the story. I admit getting caught by it realizing that there are no gendered pronouns used and the writing had to be constructed around that decision, which requires more effort than Carter usually demonstrates.

But despite the twist and its eventual payoff, there's a lot of pages that are filled, and truthfully Carter's concept is worth only a small fraction of them. It's a wandering journey of sorts for Kyon through the strange decadent city of Urbs and repeated fairytale-like encounters with characters and other oddities. The events don't buoy the mystery, and the mystery doesn't carry the events.

[Antonio Ippolito · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Urbs! Ci fu mai una tale città, in tutti gli infiniti annali del genere umano? Più gloriosa di Ninive o Babilonia al loro apice, più splendida e varia di Roma o Bisanzio al loro culmine, più potente di Londra o New York al loro picco, più ricca di Brasilia o Tropica nei giorni della loro gloria.. Urbs! Il mondo in una Città, e una Città che è il Mondo! (detti dell’Ofide, Libro Centoundicesimo)”
Tra i grandi cicli di heroic fantasy di Lin Carter, sia originali e scritti da lui solo come Thongor, sia le forse più famose rivisitazioni scritte con De Camp, che negli anni ’60 rivitalizzarono la leggenda di Conan il Cimmero (causando la sua comparsa tra i fumetti Marvel, di conseguenza il film di John Milius, di conseguenza..) si nasconde qualche gioiellino a sé stante nemmeno tradotto in Italia, come questo “Found wanting”.
Scritto nell’85, quando Carter era ormai nella fase più triste della sua vita (sofferente le conseguenze di un tumore alla mascella che gli interventi chirurgici non fermavano, alcolizzato, ormai allontanato anche da De Camp), questo romanzo si segnala per la felicità di scrittura, la gioiosa inventiva di un mondo misterioso e coloratissimo:
“La Sala si rivelò lunga un migliaio di passi e alta cinquanta o sessanta, coperta da pannelli di vetro lucente o luminoso che permettevano a fasci di luce verticali di cadere sui Colossi luccicanti. Ce n’erano davvero molti, e nessuno era alto meno di due volte un uomo; alcuni erano scolpiti in malachite o lapislazzuli o alabastro, altri di giada o marmo o altre pietre per cui Kyon non aveva un nome. La maggior parte delle immense immagini era ignuda, ma non tutte erano umane: alcune raffiguravano esseri con numerose braccia e teste, alcuni con ali ripiegate o distese.
Quelle con numerose braccia stringevano oggetti apparentemente di importanza simbolica: ruote, torce accese, germogli, cuori umani, coppe, daghe, pomi, e molti altri che Kyon non riuscì a identificare”.
“All’interno, l’erba era tosata corta come la peluria di una pezza di velluto, attraversata qua e là a intervalli da basse siepi che improvvisamente sbocciavano in arbusti alti e foggiati con cura. Come se un miliardo di instancabili elfi, armati di minuscole cesoie, avesse agilmente faticato per generazioni, sia le siepi sia le guglie più alte della verde massa erano stati scrupolosamente potati a somiglianza di mostri favolosi: unicorni, viverne, grifoni, draghi, orchi, idre, lamassi, sfingi, kraken e miriadi di altre forme.
Così precisamente erano state potate le bizzarre figure, da sembrare piuttosto forme in pietra dipinta di verde che vegetazione vivente. Effettivamente Kyon dovette toccare la più vicina (una chimera) per assicurarsi che non lo fossero. E deglutì per la disperazione: un giardinaggio abile quale il Topiario esibiva in ogni direzione richiedeva una destrezza e una padronanza del mestiere che uno come Kyon non avrebbbe certamente mai potuto possedere”.
Un giovane si sveglia senza memoria in una fantasmagorica “Sala dei Colossi”, appartenente a una città dedicata al divertimento e all’eleganza, dove non sembra esserci la preoccupazione di guadagnarsi da vivere. I personaggi che incontra (un Paggio, un Manutentore, un Ciarlatano) dànno vita a una serie di incontri bizzarri e insensati come in “Alice nel paese delle meraviglie”: ma quando poi il protagonista finisce nei paesaggi dei Quadri Viventi, il tutto prende un aspetto più avventuroso e pericoloso..
L’inventiva verbale e paesaggistica, il tono tra il ricercato, il confidenziale e lo scanzonato, rendono la lettura piacevolissima e fanno dimenticare come la trama sembri un susseguirsi di belle scene abbastanza sconnesse; così come la leggendaria Urbs, “Città Mondo”, non appaia poi così smisurata.
Ma tutto ha un senso e gli indizi sparsi nelle prime 150 pagine troveranno il loro collocamento, diverso da quelle iniziale: quello che sembrava un fantasy disimpegnato si rivela uno science fantasy, dove i protagonisti prendono via via coscienza che la magia non è altro che tecnologia sepolta nel passato, sulle orme dell’ “Odissea verde” di Farmer e dei “Gioielli di Aptor” di Delany; senza arrivare ai livelli linguistici e narrativi del secondo, possiamo dire che questo romanzo di Carter regge bene il confronto con il primo.
Un tocco di bizzarria lo dà la trasformazione sessuale di uno dei protagonisti, elemento abbastanza insolito al tempo; i riferimenti biblici del finale sono una tentazione ricorrente nella fs made in USA..

[Chantel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just started reading this. It came free in a dusty box of books. It was on a wish list at paperbackswap.com so I set to reading it right away in order to pass it on to another. I don't particularly care for sci-fi so I have doubts about enjoying this one. I'm 20 pages in. First impression is that there are a lot of made up people, place, and occupation names which are difficult to sound out and retain. The book opens with a character who is displaying amnesiactic symptoms and is called a gardener by those he encounters due to the garb he is wearing.

One hundred pages in now and Kyon, has spent about a week wandering around a kingdom, woods and even entering a picture which is a portal to another world. Each day he comes across a new person, being or two. On the first, he meets a magician whom invites him to share a meal. The second, Cirid a page, who was told to show Kyon how to find food and shelter in The Wonderous Wood by an official known so far only as the Seneschal. (This guy is second in command under a penultimate leader called The Ophide. The Seneschal may know more about Kyon and his past but Kyon doesn't appear inquisitive and seems content to go where the wind blows him for now.)

Kyon has wandered through The Collosi, met up with a Mountebank in a Mergarden, traveled with Iostro battling lobster-like creatures, gone through a subterranean world and hidden from red acid rain. He's met up with a creature made of crystal, taken baths in giant shells, scooped up precious gems from a path and lost a friend to a gargoyle. Kyon doesn't appear to be on a mission to retrieve his memories or to travel somewhere specific.

"Fact: Someone, for some reason, had sponged clean the slate of Kyon's memory.
Fact: This must be the action of a foe; it could not possibly be construed as a friendly act.
Fact: The Page had told Kyon days earlier that the Senechal had bade Cirid keep and eye on the Gardener.
Fact: Therefore, Kyon was known to the Senechal and the Senechal must be the enemy." (Page 102)

I'm almost halfway through and I'm not enjoying the book (remember fantasy sci-fi isn't my preferred genre) but I do want to know why he has no memory and it is a short book so I'll continue reading for a while longer.

Finished it up. The ending tied it together and answered the questions satisfactorily.