What do you think?
Rate this book
The Chronicles of Mavin Manyshaped #1
The Song of Mavin Manyshaped
When recklessly headstrong Mavin Manyshaped learns to control her Talent for changing into any shape, she begins to fulfill her destiny as the most notorious shape-shifter in all the lands of the True Game
183 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1985
10 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
Sheri S. Tepper
74 books1,083 followersSheri Stewart Tepper was a prolific American author of science fiction, horror and mystery novels; she was particularly known as a feminist science fiction writer, often with an ecofeminist slant.
Born near Littleton, Colorado, for most of her career (1962-1986) she worked for Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, where she eventually became Executive Director. She has two children and is married to Gene Tepper. She operated a guest ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She wrote under several pseudonyms, including A.J. Orde, E.E. Horlak, and B.J. Oliphant. Her early work was published under the name Sheri S. Eberhart.
Born near Littleton, Colorado, for most of her career (1962-1986) she worked for Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, where she eventually became Executive Director. She has two children and is married to Gene Tepper. She operated a guest ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She wrote under several pseudonyms, including A.J. Orde, E.E. Horlak, and B.J. Oliphant. Her early work was published under the name Sheri S. Eberhart.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 29, 2013
Song of Mavin contains the kernels of everything I love about Tepper's work. There's the character herself; a little dreamy but becoming determined and practical, coming into her strength by developing self-reliance and thinking far outside tradition. The threads of horror running through it, and the struggles of sexism, of being assigned by birth to baby-making with only limited freedoms. The convoluted and slow punishment of wanton destruction--very few authors could develop a wicker basket into an instrument of torture. It has her focus on chosen family, empowerment, greed and harmony, but so subtly done compared to her later work.
Where it really differs from later Tepper is the love of words and playfulness in the writing--I felt in the first few pages like I was reading "The Jabberwoky" put into prose form--lots of alliteration and wordplay. "Through the p'natti the shifters of all the Xhindi clans came each year at Assembly time, processions of them, stiff selves marching into the outer avenues only to melt into liquid serpentines which poured through the holes in the slything walls; into tall wands of flesh sliding through the narrowing doors; into pneumatic billows bounding over the platforms and up onto the heights all in a flurry of wings, feathers, hides, scales, conceits and frenzies which dazzled the eyes and the senses so that the children became hysterical with it..." By the time I was finished, I started imagining how it would sound aloud, deciding that it would make a lovely bedtime story read.
Since few other reviews have a synopsis, let me just say briefly that there is a young shape-shifter girl named Mavin who comes into her shape-shifting Talent, and discovers it includes obligations that anyone would fear. She encourages her older sister, Handbright, to follow her dream, and then flees the keep with her brother, five year-old Mertyn. They travel, meet the entourage of a Seer and a Wizard, and journey to their first city. Mertyn becomes deathly ill and Mavin sets off seeking a cure, meeting the legendary Shadowpeople and encountering a Ghoul.
Alas that it feels so short, and the development of their new selves so truncated; the pacing is a tad uneven, and perhaps not enough on how Mavin's inner journey progresses once outside the keep she grew up in. Alas as well for the short acid-dream passage near the end. But for that, it would be a five star book for me. It's also notable for being a young adult book with a very strong message on sexual inequality and dysfunction, unfortunately just as pertinent now as thirty years ago.
And kudos for the most innovative characterization of a sloth ever.
Cross posted at: http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
Where it really differs from later Tepper is the love of words and playfulness in the writing--I felt in the first few pages like I was reading "The Jabberwoky" put into prose form--lots of alliteration and wordplay. "Through the p'natti the shifters of all the Xhindi clans came each year at Assembly time, processions of them, stiff selves marching into the outer avenues only to melt into liquid serpentines which poured through the holes in the slything walls; into tall wands of flesh sliding through the narrowing doors; into pneumatic billows bounding over the platforms and up onto the heights all in a flurry of wings, feathers, hides, scales, conceits and frenzies which dazzled the eyes and the senses so that the children became hysterical with it..." By the time I was finished, I started imagining how it would sound aloud, deciding that it would make a lovely bedtime story read.
Since few other reviews have a synopsis, let me just say briefly that there is a young shape-shifter girl named Mavin who comes into her shape-shifting Talent, and discovers it includes obligations that anyone would fear. She encourages her older sister, Handbright, to follow her dream, and then flees the keep with her brother, five year-old Mertyn. They travel, meet the entourage of a Seer and a Wizard, and journey to their first city. Mertyn becomes deathly ill and Mavin sets off seeking a cure, meeting the legendary Shadowpeople and encountering a Ghoul.
Alas that it feels so short, and the development of their new selves so truncated; the pacing is a tad uneven, and perhaps not enough on how Mavin's inner journey progresses once outside the keep she grew up in. Alas as well for the short acid-dream passage near the end. But for that, it would be a five star book for me. It's also notable for being a young adult book with a very strong message on sexual inequality and dysfunction, unfortunately just as pertinent now as thirty years ago.
And kudos for the most innovative characterization of a sloth ever.
Cross posted at: http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
May 17, 2019
The Song of Mavin Manyshaped was like a time capsule for me. This book was printed in 1985 and comes from an era in publishing in which fantasy novels were not required to be thick enough to stop a bullet. (Witness Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series or George R R Martin's a Song of Ice and Fire AKA A Game of Thrones.) Sheri Tepper's novel is short and sweet. It features excellent worldbuilding and a feminist character who grows more interesting as the story progresses-and it clocks in at less than 200 pages. I was especially interested in the shapeshfter society she portrays. it was not what I expected but the adherence to rules and traditions actually makes sense if you think about it-when you can appear to be almost anything you want you might need an underlying stabilizing structure in order to keep things functioning. And if some of those rules are used to keep certain segments of the population down? Well don't we do the same thing? Starting book two.
August 25, 2017
Mavin's story, starting from around 14-5 years old, just finding her Shifter Talent.
Taking her younger brother, she escape toward the keep of her thalan.On the way they fell into many adventures. They meet the Seer Windlow with his young charges the Wizard Twizzledale and the Demon Huld.
All are resolved eventually, and Mavin onward to learn who she is.
Taking her younger brother, she escape toward the keep of her thalan.On the way they fell into many adventures. They meet the Seer Windlow with his young charges the Wizard Twizzledale and the Demon Huld.
All are resolved eventually, and Mavin onward to learn who she is.
December 26, 2012
Like most high fantasy books I try to read, there are far too many strange words and creatures and names to keep them all straight.
I got about halfway through before deciding that it was too confusing and too much work. I'll stick with urban fantasy.
That said, what I did read and understand was superbly written. I love Tepper's writing style, and I simply adore her social commentary on abused and exploited women, as well as the justified punishment Mavin dishes out to the disgusting rapists. Love. It.
Since Tepper is known for her "ecofeminism" & my husband adores her work, I'll likely try another at one point. One of the dystopian ones.
Basically, the problem with this book is not the book or the author, not by any means. It's just a genre I don't particularly enjoy except on very rare occasions.
I got about halfway through before deciding that it was too confusing and too much work. I'll stick with urban fantasy.
That said, what I did read and understand was superbly written. I love Tepper's writing style, and I simply adore her social commentary on abused and exploited women, as well as the justified punishment Mavin dishes out to the disgusting rapists. Love. It.
Since Tepper is known for her "ecofeminism" & my husband adores her work, I'll likely try another at one point. One of the dystopian ones.
Basically, the problem with this book is not the book or the author, not by any means. It's just a genre I don't particularly enjoy except on very rare occasions.
January 28, 2022
This is a prequel to The True Game novels which feature her son Peter. We probably didn't think Mavin was going to die, so not really a spoiler. The novel begins when Mavin has just reached adolescence. She lives in Danderbat keep a village of shape changers. Or children with that potential. Her twenty-four year old sister is the only other girl there. Mavin is just starting to catch on that the old geezers are longing for her to show her Talent and come of age. The other girls had their babies and left, or in one case just left to get away from this place where they have institutionalized rape. Mavin is planning on how to leave and have her siblings leave as well. There's a taboo that forbids women to shape change, saying it will keep them from having children. Mavin thinks, so be it, she's going to learn whatever it takes.
She convinces her sister to leave and takes Mertyn. They join a group of travelers going to Pfarb Durim. They skirt around Hell's Maw, that is run by an evil Ghoul lord. Pfarb Durim gets quarantined and the escape from the Danderbat keep turns into a secondary concern.
Some of the character names ring a bell (Seer Windlow, Wizard Himaggery, Huld), but it's been five or six years since I read the Peter and Jinian trilogies. It wasn't until the end that I remembered "Oh, yeah that was a friend and that was a villain." Enjoyable read. Started with Mavin learning by experiment and then being forced to run and from there no more time to practice. Kept a level of tension. 4.4 stars. I'll read the other two Mavin Manyshaped books.
She convinces her sister to leave and takes Mertyn. They join a group of travelers going to Pfarb Durim. They skirt around Hell's Maw, that is run by an evil Ghoul lord. Pfarb Durim gets quarantined and the escape from the Danderbat keep turns into a secondary concern.
Some of the character names ring a bell (Seer Windlow, Wizard Himaggery, Huld), but it's been five or six years since I read the Peter and Jinian trilogies. It wasn't until the end that I remembered "Oh, yeah that was a friend and that was a villain." Enjoyable read. Started with Mavin learning by experiment and then being forced to run and from there no more time to practice. Kept a level of tension. 4.4 stars. I'll read the other two Mavin Manyshaped books.
July 16, 2020
If you’re familiar with the King’s Blood Four trilogy - and liked it - then this one’s a no-brainer. If, however, you’re new to the True Game series, then it might be a little hard to appreciate the depth of this fictional world as it’s presented.
This was my second read of this book - the first being 35 years ago. In light of current events, I was struck by the strength of the female prospective - almost hinting of A Handmaid’s Tale. That fades quickly enough though as we’re drawn into one of the most subtlety - but pervasively - alien worlds I’ve ever read about. It’s akin to Avatar’s Pandora in the ‘otherness’ of its environment.
It’s a pleasant read on its own, but really shines brightest - and is best appreciated - as part of the overall series.
This was my second read of this book - the first being 35 years ago. In light of current events, I was struck by the strength of the female prospective - almost hinting of A Handmaid’s Tale. That fades quickly enough though as we’re drawn into one of the most subtlety - but pervasively - alien worlds I’ve ever read about. It’s akin to Avatar’s Pandora in the ‘otherness’ of its environment.
It’s a pleasant read on its own, but really shines brightest - and is best appreciated - as part of the overall series.
February 24, 2009
I originally read this book in high school and it made a large impact on me. I've re-read it since, but it's still probably been 15 years since I've picked it up so my memory is now rather sketchy on the actual story. However, this was probably the best book I've read about a shape shifter (not of the werewolf variety, but more like Otto from Deep Space Nine). I also think that this was written early in Tepper's carer as it does not contain the social commentary that her later-written books do.
August 19, 2010
An outstanding, well developed, brilliantly characterized, clearly imagined and original - this is my favorite of all Tepper's series.
You know, I do understand about messages and causes (especially those I support) but it saddens me to no end to see such a brilliant talent limited in the way Tepper's has become.
You know, I do understand about messages and causes (especially those I support) but it saddens me to no end to see such a brilliant talent limited in the way Tepper's has become.
Read
February 2, 2021(Review written 1996 )
After many years away from the work of Sheri S. Tepper, I found some very nice paperback copies of "The story of the most famous shapeshifter of them all!" at the used bookstore a few weeks ago. I'd read Tepper's "True Game" trilogy back in the mid-eighties, and enjoyed it, but never got around to reading the Jinian or Mavin trilogies.
As you might have surmised, the tales of Mavin Manyshaped take place in the land of the True Game, where people are either born with Talent, and can become Rulers, Wizards, Necromancers, Dervishes, Healers, Armigers, Seers, Shifters or a number of other things, or they are born without Talent, and will only be Pawns. The trilogy, The Song of Mavin Manyshaped, The Flight of Mavin Manyshaped, and The Search of Mavin Manyshaped, take place before the events in the true game trilogy, and we get to learn a little more of the history of the characters we'd come to know in the world of the true game.
In The Song of MM, we enter the life of Mavin, a shifter of Danderbat keep. As a young teen, she is just beginning to display the shifter's talent of changing her body into nearly any form she desires, either fish or fowl, beast or plant. Due to a shortage of breeding females in the keep, any girls who manifest the Shifter gift are forced to mate with the Danderbat males until they have born three or four children. Only then are they allowed to leave the keep to pursue their own interests.
Mavin's older sister has been the only breeding age female left in the keep for several years. Barren, she has been forced to endure the attentions of all the keep's shifter males, who are eagerly awaiting the day when Mavin is officially named shifter and can join her sister in her "duties". Mavin has been kept ignorant of what being a shifter female really entails, and only through a chance bit of eavesdropping is she made aware of her fate.
Mavin has been given one of the most powerful shifter talents of all time, and when she learns what her sister has been going through all these years, she uses it to impose a fitting revenge on the brutal males, set her sister free, and escape from Danderbat keep with her younger brother, Mertyn. They travel to the city of Pfarb Durim, where Mertyn contracts the plague, and Mavin must brave the depths of Hell's Maw below the city to save him.
In the course of curing her brother's plague, she earns the friendship of the Seer Windlow, the Wizard Himaggery, and an entire tribe of Shadowpeople. She makes enemies of the Prince Valdon, the Demon Huld, and the Harpy Pantiquod. At the end, she and Himaggery realize that they may be in love, but she has not yet learned to be her own person, so they agree to meet again in Pfarb Durim in twenty years' time to see what may be.
All in all, an enjoyable read. Not especially deep or meaningful, but worth reading if you like light fantasy
After many years away from the work of Sheri S. Tepper, I found some very nice paperback copies of "The story of the most famous shapeshifter of them all!" at the used bookstore a few weeks ago. I'd read Tepper's "True Game" trilogy back in the mid-eighties, and enjoyed it, but never got around to reading the Jinian or Mavin trilogies.
As you might have surmised, the tales of Mavin Manyshaped take place in the land of the True Game, where people are either born with Talent, and can become Rulers, Wizards, Necromancers, Dervishes, Healers, Armigers, Seers, Shifters or a number of other things, or they are born without Talent, and will only be Pawns. The trilogy, The Song of Mavin Manyshaped, The Flight of Mavin Manyshaped, and The Search of Mavin Manyshaped, take place before the events in the true game trilogy, and we get to learn a little more of the history of the characters we'd come to know in the world of the true game.
In The Song of MM, we enter the life of Mavin, a shifter of Danderbat keep. As a young teen, she is just beginning to display the shifter's talent of changing her body into nearly any form she desires, either fish or fowl, beast or plant. Due to a shortage of breeding females in the keep, any girls who manifest the Shifter gift are forced to mate with the Danderbat males until they have born three or four children. Only then are they allowed to leave the keep to pursue their own interests.
Mavin's older sister has been the only breeding age female left in the keep for several years. Barren, she has been forced to endure the attentions of all the keep's shifter males, who are eagerly awaiting the day when Mavin is officially named shifter and can join her sister in her "duties". Mavin has been kept ignorant of what being a shifter female really entails, and only through a chance bit of eavesdropping is she made aware of her fate.
Mavin has been given one of the most powerful shifter talents of all time, and when she learns what her sister has been going through all these years, she uses it to impose a fitting revenge on the brutal males, set her sister free, and escape from Danderbat keep with her younger brother, Mertyn. They travel to the city of Pfarb Durim, where Mertyn contracts the plague, and Mavin must brave the depths of Hell's Maw below the city to save him.
In the course of curing her brother's plague, she earns the friendship of the Seer Windlow, the Wizard Himaggery, and an entire tribe of Shadowpeople. She makes enemies of the Prince Valdon, the Demon Huld, and the Harpy Pantiquod. At the end, she and Himaggery realize that they may be in love, but she has not yet learned to be her own person, so they agree to meet again in Pfarb Durim in twenty years' time to see what may be.
All in all, an enjoyable read. Not especially deep or meaningful, but worth reading if you like light fantasy
April 21, 2023
This is part of my recent search for books of my youth I had lost track of.
The 5 stars is more for the entire series than this individual short prequel episode.
What I love most about this story of a young shifter girl’s coming of age adventure story is the beautiful and luxurious language Tepper uses.
First there are the Dickensian names that instantly gave you a picture in your mind. When you hear the name Blourblast, the wheezing ill gouty overweight ghoul description hardly was needed. The old pedophiliac uncles with monikers like Gormier and Wurstery of the Danderbat clan immediately bring up the image of dirty old men.
Secondly the language of the shifters has its own unique twists and turns of ‘ nets’ and ‘stiff selves’.
Lastly is the slow complex world building. Granted this is a short prequel episode in the True Game series that I have read before.. but I like to be introduced to a world in little fits and starts from the viewpoint of an overlooked member of society. While it is obvious Mavin Manyshaped is destined to have a large impact, she is continually overlooked as ‘just’ a young girl and just as determined to make a difference.
This character for me joins Tad Williams and his Kitchen boy, C.J. Cherryh’s young Pinocchio like Tristen, and McCaffrey’s Menolly as favorite focal points for the unfolding of a world you want to keep diving in and finding more.
Luckily for me the rest of my eBay order with the rest of the series just arrived.. on to the next episode.
The 5 stars is more for the entire series than this individual short prequel episode.
What I love most about this story of a young shifter girl’s coming of age adventure story is the beautiful and luxurious language Tepper uses.
First there are the Dickensian names that instantly gave you a picture in your mind. When you hear the name Blourblast, the wheezing ill gouty overweight ghoul description hardly was needed. The old pedophiliac uncles with monikers like Gormier and Wurstery of the Danderbat clan immediately bring up the image of dirty old men.
Secondly the language of the shifters has its own unique twists and turns of ‘ nets’ and ‘stiff selves’.
Lastly is the slow complex world building. Granted this is a short prequel episode in the True Game series that I have read before.. but I like to be introduced to a world in little fits and starts from the viewpoint of an overlooked member of society. While it is obvious Mavin Manyshaped is destined to have a large impact, she is continually overlooked as ‘just’ a young girl and just as determined to make a difference.
This character for me joins Tad Williams and his Kitchen boy, C.J. Cherryh’s young Pinocchio like Tristen, and McCaffrey’s Menolly as favorite focal points for the unfolding of a world you want to keep diving in and finding more.
Luckily for me the rest of my eBay order with the rest of the series just arrived.. on to the next episode.
April 23, 2021
Song of Mavin brings smile after smile to readers throughout this novel. Like others, I discovered that I love the light hearted writing and the whimsical characters. This, I thought, is what a fantasy should be. It’s true fantasy and so much fun.
So, who is Mavin Manyshaped? She’s a shape shifter, one of only two females who lives in a shape shifter community. When she can change the shape of her toes she practices in secret because she wants to impress others with what she can do. She experiments for hours to become various objects - trees, animals, even people which she is not supposed do. She tells only her older sister urging secrecy. Mavin begins to observe her sister, finding sadness surrounding her. Learning the cause she urges her sister to change into the bird she dreamed of becoming. Fly somewhere to find a piece of herself and follow her dream. Mavin, too, wants to fly where she can follow her dreams and travel the world. When her sister leaves, Mavin takes her form to disguise the leaving. Then she take her young brother and leaves, too.
What’s special about this read? Mavin herself, of course, who becomes a true individual as she develops her talent like simply by practicing endless hours. She realizes that her sister was held from her dreams because the community expected only more shape shifters. This discovery stimulates Mavin to reach for her own and the adventures begin, not the least of which leads to a magician whose attraction frightens her while it stirs her heart and a ghoul who spreads plague.
So, who is Mavin Manyshaped? She’s a shape shifter, one of only two females who lives in a shape shifter community. When she can change the shape of her toes she practices in secret because she wants to impress others with what she can do. She experiments for hours to become various objects - trees, animals, even people which she is not supposed do. She tells only her older sister urging secrecy. Mavin begins to observe her sister, finding sadness surrounding her. Learning the cause she urges her sister to change into the bird she dreamed of becoming. Fly somewhere to find a piece of herself and follow her dream. Mavin, too, wants to fly where she can follow her dreams and travel the world. When her sister leaves, Mavin takes her form to disguise the leaving. Then she take her young brother and leaves, too.
What’s special about this read? Mavin herself, of course, who becomes a true individual as she develops her talent like simply by practicing endless hours. She realizes that her sister was held from her dreams because the community expected only more shape shifters. This discovery stimulates Mavin to reach for her own and the adventures begin, not the least of which leads to a magician whose attraction frightens her while it stirs her heart and a ghoul who spreads plague.
December 17, 2024
I thought the difficult coming-of-age subject matter in the first few chapters was really great, but as the story broadens-out it seems to lose that initial compelling focus. Tends to get a little bogged-down with its own fantastical lexicon, and there’s a lot of travelling back-and-forth to visit locations where not a great deal is achieved. I did still find this to be quite a fun read. I loved the shadowpeople and Agirul, Mavin is a nice protagonist, and the world is interesting, I just wish the darker social themes and more detailed descriptions of shapeshifting were continued into the latter half of the book.
May 20, 2017
This was a pretty original fantasy tale that got into some dark territory early on and then swayed away from it. I feel like there's probably a very complicated world behind this story, but we only get a glimpse of it. The "Gamesman" part of it didn't seem very fleshed out, as if she got too distracted with the action and just went with it.
I did like the fact that there are 3 books, but the first book has closure on almost all the issues. Since they're so short I will probably get to the other 2 at some point, but I don't feel like I HAVE to read them right away.
I did like the fact that there are 3 books, but the first book has closure on almost all the issues. Since they're so short I will probably get to the other 2 at some point, but I don't feel like I HAVE to read them right away.
January 4, 2020
This was a fun read. Mavin is a strong and smart heroine that experiences an unusual adventure. The cast of characters are believable and varied. If you enjoy realism with a bit of fantasy, check this one out!
April 30, 2024
Tepper Project #5
First book in the Mavin Manyshaped series about shapeshifters, actually in the lead and not shifted off to the sidelines as periphery characters gives us some good backstory and world building, and is quite interesting.
The series looks promising indeed.
First book in the Mavin Manyshaped series about shapeshifters, actually in the lead and not shifted off to the sidelines as periphery characters gives us some good backstory and world building, and is quite interesting.
The series looks promising indeed.
August 31, 2018
This is an excellent book -- great world-building and character building. The only downside is it can move a little fast and be somewhat difficult to understand.
December 22, 2018
Some good concepts, but too contrived. I was extremely aware of the authors voice the whole time, so I wasn't able to get lost in the story. Which is basically the whole point of the fantasy genre.
July 31, 2019
Really enjoyable addition to the Land of True Game series. Although it is over 30 years old, it feels contemporary with its theme of female oppression and emancipation
July 15, 2020
Read 20 odd years ago
March 24, 2022
Undemanding, pleasant book with a charming lead character and interesting side characters. The 'world' is interesting and well presented though it doesn't entirely cohere.
September 28, 2023
Read a really intriguing fantasy story after a long time
January 2, 2025
I'm not a big fantasy reader but found this trilogy by an author I do like the other works of. Pretty decent character and story.
November 29, 2025
Standard fantasy with rather lacking world building but a core nougat of gender and body politics that was much more interesting and deserved much more attention within the narrative.
September 19, 2021
Pleasant reading
January 2, 2013
I've been wanting to read a Sheri S. Tepper book for some time. Unfortunately, this wasn't a great one for me to start with. It's the first in a series of books I won't be reading, but it's part of the True Game series, consisting of a few trilogies and short stories. Although, I might give King's Blood Four a go.
So, The Song of Mavin Manyshaped, like most high fantasy books I try to read, had far too many strange words and creatures and names to keep them all straight.
I got about halfway through before deciding that it was too confusing and too much work. I'll stick with urban fantasy.
That said, what I did read and understand was superbly written. I love Tepper's writing style, and I simply adore her social commentary on abused and exploited women, as well as the justified punishment Mavin dishes out to the disgusting rapists. Love. It.
This was my favorite passage, a perfect metaphor for rape:
When she had done, he whispered, "You know, the boys … they say … the ones like Leggy and Janjiver … they say the girls like it. That's what they say. They say that the girls may say no, but they really like it."
Mavin thought a time. "Mertyn child, you like sweet cakes, don't you?"
He nodded, cocking his head at this change of subject.
"Let us suppose I put a basket of sweet cakes here, a big one, and I held your mouth open and I crumbled a cake into your mouth and pushed it down your throat with a piece of wood, the way the crones push corn down the goose's neck to fatten it, so that your throat bled and you choked and gasped, but I went on pushing the crumbled cakes down your throat until they were gone. You could not chew them, or taste them. When I was done and your throat was full of blood and you half dead from it all, I would take the stick away and laugh at you and tell you I would be back on the morrow to do it all again. Then, suppose you came crying to someone and that someone said, 'But Mertyn, you like sweet cakes, you really like sweet cakes…'
Since Tepper is known for her "ecofeminism" & my husband adores her work, I'll likely try another at one point. One of the dystopian ones.
Basically, the problem with this book is not the book or the author, not by any means. It's just a genre I don't particularly enjoy except on very rare occasions.
I give it stars because I couldn't finish it, but I recognize the quality of the writing and my own issues with this genre. I have no doubt fans of high fantasy will devour this book.
So, The Song of Mavin Manyshaped, like most high fantasy books I try to read, had far too many strange words and creatures and names to keep them all straight.
I got about halfway through before deciding that it was too confusing and too much work. I'll stick with urban fantasy.
That said, what I did read and understand was superbly written. I love Tepper's writing style, and I simply adore her social commentary on abused and exploited women, as well as the justified punishment Mavin dishes out to the disgusting rapists. Love. It.
This was my favorite passage, a perfect metaphor for rape:
When she had done, he whispered, "You know, the boys … they say … the ones like Leggy and Janjiver … they say the girls like it. That's what they say. They say that the girls may say no, but they really like it."
Mavin thought a time. "Mertyn child, you like sweet cakes, don't you?"
He nodded, cocking his head at this change of subject.
"Let us suppose I put a basket of sweet cakes here, a big one, and I held your mouth open and I crumbled a cake into your mouth and pushed it down your throat with a piece of wood, the way the crones push corn down the goose's neck to fatten it, so that your throat bled and you choked and gasped, but I went on pushing the crumbled cakes down your throat until they were gone. You could not chew them, or taste them. When I was done and your throat was full of blood and you half dead from it all, I would take the stick away and laugh at you and tell you I would be back on the morrow to do it all again. Then, suppose you came crying to someone and that someone said, 'But Mertyn, you like sweet cakes, you really like sweet cakes…'
Since Tepper is known for her "ecofeminism" & my husband adores her work, I'll likely try another at one point. One of the dystopian ones.
Basically, the problem with this book is not the book or the author, not by any means. It's just a genre I don't particularly enjoy except on very rare occasions.
I give it stars because I couldn't finish it, but I recognize the quality of the writing and my own issues with this genre. I have no doubt fans of high fantasy will devour this book.
September 29, 2012
Early Tepper!
This has been kicking around under my ownership for a while, and I decided to read it now because the title character was mentioned, in passing, in the last Patricia McKillip book I read (Od Magic). This made me go, "Huh, is Mavin a mythological character, not just a fictional character?" No. It's just an homage.
Still, it deserves an homage.
I really liked this book. It does show that it's an early work (1985, her 4th or 5th novel, I believe). This is both good and bad. The prose is less masterful and some elements of the plot are more 'typical' than in her later works. However, while the strong feminist elements that Tepper is known for are indubitably here, the tone is less didactic than in her more recent books.
Mavin is a young woman who has grown up in an isolated community of rather inbred shapeshifters. This generation, the group is experiencing a severe lack of women. When the rather naive Mavin finally realizes what this situation will mean she is expected to do when she comes of age, she decides to break with tradition and set off on her own to gain her independence and discover her abilities. Unexpectedly, she is soon caught up in an adventure involving plots, politics, plague, and a legendary race of beings called 'shadowpeople.'
This has been kicking around under my ownership for a while, and I decided to read it now because the title character was mentioned, in passing, in the last Patricia McKillip book I read (Od Magic). This made me go, "Huh, is Mavin a mythological character, not just a fictional character?" No. It's just an homage.
Still, it deserves an homage.
I really liked this book. It does show that it's an early work (1985, her 4th or 5th novel, I believe). This is both good and bad. The prose is less masterful and some elements of the plot are more 'typical' than in her later works. However, while the strong feminist elements that Tepper is known for are indubitably here, the tone is less didactic than in her more recent books.
Mavin is a young woman who has grown up in an isolated community of rather inbred shapeshifters. This generation, the group is experiencing a severe lack of women. When the rather naive Mavin finally realizes what this situation will mean she is expected to do when she comes of age, she decides to break with tradition and set off on her own to gain her independence and discover her abilities. Unexpectedly, she is soon caught up in an adventure involving plots, politics, plague, and a legendary race of beings called 'shadowpeople.'
June 1, 2010
Finished this book so easily! I can just step right into Sheri's worlds and trust that I won't get out until I am ready. Usually that means that I take my time with her books and enjoy the stay, but this was a quick read and I got to the end before I realized! Mavin is a wonderful character, so wise at such a young age. I just love how she goes against the grain of traditional teaching to figure out her own way of being, which causes her to become so much more.
I just love Sheri S. Tepper. Plain and simple. This book is linked with the King's Blood Four series but more of a prequel. It explains how Mavin Manyshaped comes to be and I just love the character. She is definitely a strong female lead! I'm about a quarter of the way in....
I just love Sheri S. Tepper. Plain and simple. This book is linked with the King's Blood Four series but more of a prequel. It explains how Mavin Manyshaped comes to be and I just love the character. She is definitely a strong female lead! I'm about a quarter of the way in....
November 3, 2015
I had a feeling I’d like Mavin more than her kid. :)
Favorite of the books in the “True Game Universe” so far and by a lot. Tepper has matured a mite for this one. We are shown a narrower slice of the world, allowing Tepper to go into great and interesting detail on talent clans - the shapeshifters primarily. Attitudes toward shapeshifting while pregnant! Shapeshifting competitions! Great fun.
There’s also a certain appeal in returning to a world again and again. I had my maps!
Lots of nods to the earlier books - very prequel. I was just a wee bit annoyed when young Huld showed up - did we need him? really? and already an evil little brat?
Looking forward to devouring the rest of the series.
Favorite of the books in the “True Game Universe” so far and by a lot. Tepper has matured a mite for this one. We are shown a narrower slice of the world, allowing Tepper to go into great and interesting detail on talent clans - the shapeshifters primarily. Attitudes toward shapeshifting while pregnant! Shapeshifting competitions! Great fun.
There’s also a certain appeal in returning to a world again and again. I had my maps!
Lots of nods to the earlier books - very prequel. I was just a wee bit annoyed when young Huld showed up - did we need him? really? and already an evil little brat?
Looking forward to devouring the rest of the series.
November 13, 2025
Very good. In fact I found this better on this re-read than I had remembered it. It is the first of a prequel trilogy to the first True Game trilogy, which I have just finished, and it expands on the world and the characters in it. It's typical Tepper, great characters, great story and quirky. the character this trilogy focuses on is excellent, you really want to follow her journey. You could read this book without reading the first trilogy, particularly as it is the first book historically in the story, although the first trilogy would introduce the world a bit more smoothly. I would recommend this.
February 5, 2016
I have waited many years to read this book. Having been out of print, my attempts to purchase it were faced with outrageous prices. Fifteen years later and I was able to purchase this and the final book for a reasonable price (the 2nd book being in my collection all this time, waiting to be read).
I was kind of afraid that I might have outgrown the True Game series, but am delighted to see the world is as interesting as I've long thought it to have been. I will have to reread the Necromancer and Jinian books because it's all forgotten. Mavin Manyshaped must have been an interesting character from them, because I named my cat after her before reading her actual stories.
I was kind of afraid that I might have outgrown the True Game series, but am delighted to see the world is as interesting as I've long thought it to have been. I will have to reread the Necromancer and Jinian books because it's all forgotten. Mavin Manyshaped must have been an interesting character from them, because I named my cat after her before reading her actual stories.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews