Spellsinger (original 1983; edition 1991)

character from our world enters another world. No thanks. Not in the mood.

Though it was pretty funny that he was high on marijuana at the time.

I don't know why I decided to reread this but I'm glad I did. I forgot how much I liked some of Alan Dean Foster's work.

Spellsinger is the first in a series about a law student/amateur musician, nicknamed Jon-Tom, who is transported to a world of magic and talking animals that is seriously not Narnia. Unless Narnia is now inhabited by alcoholic, fornicating, foul-mouthed, violent creatures.

Jon-Tom discovers that his fledgling musical talents have now manifested themselves as magical with the ability to conjure items via song.

Unfortunately the book stops before it really gets into the meat of why Jon-Tom was transported but it's still worth reading. I look forward to finally reading the rest of the series.
( )

SPELLSINGER

This was a fairly entertaining read - a light, humourous take on the usual fantasy epic story in the vein of Dickson's 'The Dragon and the George' or Brooks' 'Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold'. One significant difference is that while those could be read as standalones, this is very much the first in a multi-part series (six to complete the storyarch I think, with two tacked on later on). The world that Foster creates is in some ways remniscent of standard fairytale lands familiar to fantasy readers, with talking animals a la Narnia and an evil wasteland somewhere in the east inhabited by an evil race of insectoid creatures and ruled by a dark queen that plots conquest. Where it departs from the usual is in giving such a word greater 'realism' than is the norm - racism, violence, poor sanitation, poverty and exploitation are all a part of this world.

somewhat to my surprise I found myself absorbed by the protanagist's discovery of the world and its ways. Not much is revealed about the greater plot and so the story arch of this one episode is unsatisfying, but the hero - a pot-smoking pre-law student who is whisked away to this magical land and discovers that he has special powers there - runs across and befriends various interesting characters. Their various misadventures are entertaining enough to keep one engrossed and will ensure that i will continue to read the next in the series at some point down the line. The humour adds flavour to what may otherwise have been a bland blend. Overall its nothing exceptional but entertaining enough to keep me interested. ( )

On one hand, this book has an incredibly familiar fantasy theme - the normal person from our world who ends up in a world where magic works. On the other hand, the plot here is that Jon Tom (Jon Bon???) is summoned by a turtle wizard who needs a hero. Think School of Rock meets Ninja Turtles meets Discworld. Its a good combination, at least in this book. ( )