Bride of the Castle

Castle Perilous #8

by John DeChancie

Preparing for his marriage to Linda, groom Gene dreads facing his wedding guests and swears he would rather face a horde of barbarians until an unexpected shift across a portal into a bizarre world makes his haphazard wish come true. Original.

Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Fiction, Science Fiction, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

184 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

From his website:
John DeChancie is the author of over two dozen books, fiction and nonfiction, and has written for periodicals as widely varied as Penthouse and Cult Movies. His novels in the science fiction and fantasy genres have been attracting a wide readership for more than fifteen years, and over a million copies of his books have seen print, many in foreign languages.

John's first work was Starrigger (Berkley/Ace ,1984), followed by Red Limit Freeway (1985) and Paradox Alley (1987), completing the Skyway Trilogy, one of the most imaginative, mind-expanding series in science fiction. Beloved of SF readers around the world, the trilogy has become a cult classic. It is no exaggeration to say that the trilogy has found a place in the hearts of readers along with the works of Heinlein, Asimov, and Clarke. Jerry Pournelle, co-author with Larry Niven of the classics The Mote in God's Eye and Lucifer's Hammer, has compared the series to the best of A. E. van Vogt, and better written. The convoluted plot takes the reader on a mind-bending journey to the end of the universe and back.

His humorous fantasy series, beginning with Castle Perilous, became a best seller for Berkley/Ace. William Morrow published MagicNet, which Booklist said was "a welcome sigh of comic relief ... shamelessly droll, literate, and thoroughly entertaining. Magicnet is the fantasy genre's whimsical answer to Neuromancer." He has also written in the horror genre. His short fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and in numerous original anthologies, the latest of which is Spell Fantastic. His story collection, Other States of Being, was recently published by Pulpless.com, Inc., an online and print-on-demand publisher.

He currently lives in Los Angeles and is at work writing novels, articles, short stories, and screenplays. His latest book was the short story collection THE LITTLE GRAY BOOK OF ALIEN STORIES published by Borderlands Press. John's most recent short story publication was in the original anthology SPACE CADETS, edited by Mike Resnick and published by LAcon IV, the 64th World Science Fiction Convention. The book was published in both limited and trade hardback editions. The book is available here . He has just completed a mystery novel and information on this new book (something different from anything he has ever written) is forthcoming. He will also have two new film articles in the second big issue of the new cult film magazine MONDO CULT, also forthcoming.

Reviews

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

1/16/18 $.99 for Kindle.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the eighth book in a fantasy series that was remarkably popular in the late '80s - early '90s. This one was the last of the series for a couple of decades, but I see that a ninth one came out from a small press twenty years later that I haven't read. The series features the trope of a castle with 144,000 doors that open into different worlds and situations, and an ever-expanding cast of quirky characters who populate it. I read this one a bit more recently than the previous ones, but don't recall it as well. The series was running out of steam and became a series of gags rather than semi-serious/mixed with amusing character interactions. There are always a few pop-culture references and '80s (and earlier) attitudes that have, of course, gone a little stale. This one focuses on the fears and tribulations of marriage, and computer geek Jeremy gets split and splintered. As always, Castle Perilous books are a good early example of cozy-fantasy, for fans of Asprin's Myth, Anthony's Xanth, or perhaps Terry Pratchett. Bring a pocketful of rice to toss, just in case.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was either 1992 or 1993 when I picked up the first Castle Perilous book. I've been picking through the series ever since. It's been about eight years since I read book 7 in the series. I didn't want to read book 8. I didn't want it to ever come to an end. But, there was a book added to the series in recent years and I've finally allowed myself BRIDE OF THE CASTLE.

BRIDE OF THE CASTLE is pretty middle of the road as the books in the Castle Perilous series goes. Its fan fodder, that's for certain. Its intent, no doubt was to say farewell to John DeChancie's long running series and pay service to the fans like a long running sit-com might. And it delivers. Its not the greatest offering in the group buts its good and its the least a fan could ask for.

I'm happy to have read it knowing there is now a 9th book (but fear book nine may be a dip in the well one too many times.) This 8th book feels like the series overstayed its welcome just a tad. But, it wasn't horrible and if you've visited Castle Perilous enough, you'll want to have this one last adventure as well.

[Ward G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wowww did this one run out of gas.
Maybe the worst of the series.

The characters attitudes towards each other.
I think I love you let's screw.
Then nah nope, maybe not.
Hey I'll just get it on with this character.
Personal relations between characters simply pathetic.
Looks maybe like it will give you solid relation between two main characters.
Then just blows it off like fluff.

The separate story arcs are just lousy.
Nothing in any of them. Seems resolved by the end of story.
Two stars highest I could give this one.
Some good ideas, that just went nowhere.

[Scott Fogel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started a little slow, but it got better and turned out to be really good.

Weird alternate variations on the earth, alternate Jeremy's, murder mysteries, etc.

The first 4 Castle Perilous novels were hilarious. This was one of the better, later novels.

[Ben McClung · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book continues the trend of decent storytelling and not much of an ending. It wasn't bad but compared to earlier books it was kind of a let down

[William Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good

Awesome piece of work. Hopefully the stories keep coming. This is one of my favorite series in sci-fi/fantasy. Long live Castle Perilous!

[osoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Последняя книжка про Замок оказалась очень и очень душевной, и я влепила ей все пять баллов, хотя бы потому что серия, в отличие от большинства многотомников, закончилась крайне элегантно. А это редкость.
Я даже расчувствовалась :3

Самые главные пупсики Замка решили пожениться, но до этого еще уйма времени. А пока что Карми находит способ отдохнуть и поработать одновременно, кто-то получит шанс прожить жизнь так, как всегда хотел, Такстон и Далтон опять расследуют убийство, альтернативные отражения проворачивают махинации за спиной своего оригинала, жених опаздывает на свадьбу, а невеста мутит со своим давним увлечением.
А конец — ах! Такой.. замковый

Я к этой серии отношусь очень нежно, но перечитывать — очень вряд ли. Тем не менее, она принесла в мою жизнь такую идею как Замок, а еще сочетание несерьезности и идейности, что уже немало!

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

At this point the series had degenerated into a very thin plot and a lot of gags.
Not thrilled with that trend, but I had grown to really like these characters and most of the jokes are actually funny. A nice change from most 'humorous' SF/Fantasy books.



Nice light fluffy read, but also a sign that this series was starting to run out of steam and was on it's way out.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terribly disappointing. Gives on the feeling that something needed to be written to satisfy a contract so DeChancie (or perhaps someone paid to write it for him) just threw some ideas together and half-assed his way through 170 pages. Boo!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all the Castle Books as they came out. I seem to remember loving them...