Nobody's Son

Another great fantasy from Sean Stewart, marred by a few too many heavily hammered messages, but worth it just the same. In many of Stewart's novels, magic is either gone or coming back. Here it has been banished to one small area, Ghostwood and the Red Keep at its center. The book begins with a quest tale as Shielder's Mark -- who has no shield -- seeks to remove the curse in Ghostwood. Later, Mark returns again. Both tales are told in language suggestive of very old folk tales. In between, and after, Mark has to learn a great deal about court politics, rivalries, running a dukedom, and, most importantly, human relationships, relationships that ultimately lie at the heart of the curse of the Red Keep. Highly recommended.

This one is lighter than any other Stewart I've read - categorized as YA whether intentional or not. A fairy tale that doesn't end with the hero winning the princess - it continues with more adventure and a likable coming of age story. (May 03, 2006)

After happily ever after, what then?I loved the dialects, the voices of the characters...... The way Mark was always clearly a yokel, but an intelligent yokel.The search for God puzzled me. He took it up abruptly, then abandoned it when he met the Old Man. Or was that part of his search for a father-figure? Looking for god as some supernatural stand-by-my-side daddy, turned aside for an actually present man, then finally he realized he could stop searching. He had himself and friends and a wife, and that was enough.I like that interpretation. Enough that I'm almost afraid to reread and find out if it's correct. Probably will look, though.

I got this book because it was listed as a recommendation for people who like retellings of, or new takes on classic fairy tales.
I agree with the recommendation, and I liked many things about the book. It deals with what happens after the hero gets the title, the lands and the princess... "Happily Ever After" isn't always that simple. I liked how the simple country lad has to deal with the cutthroat politics of court, and 'his' princess, Gail, is a woman with a mind of her own.
The plot is just enough classic fairy tale and just enough original story. It deals well with the complexity of emotional relationships between fathers and sons. About halfway through, I thought I might be giving it 5 stars.
But I'm not.
First, the book suffered show more from a heavy-handed and gratuitous injection of religion. (Basically, the message is: you might not need God when things are easy, but when the going gets tough, you'll need faith to get you through. Bleah to that.) However, although that was annoying, it wasn't too big a deal.
My biggest complaint is: Stewart sets up a realistic and meaningful dilemma: Our Hero and the Princess love each other dearly. However, Our Hero wants a son, and to be a father. Gail, on the other hand, has no interest in children, wants to travel the world, be independent, and does NOT want to be a mother.
So, how does Stewart deal with this problem? Um, Gail changes her mind. For no apparent reason. It's just like, at the end, "oh well, I guess having kids won't be so bad after all." Huge cop-out, and failure to meaningfully interact with an issue that is usually a dealbreaker in real relationships. show less

A thoughtful fantasy exploring the relationship between fathers and sons.
Shilder's Mark - a young man whose driving ambition is fuelled by his fathers abandonment of him at an early age - has set og on a quest to lift a curse and win favor from the king.
As he finds out the real challenge is to live with the "happily ever after" that he earns.
He faces harsh truths about his past and life in general before he finds peace in his new life.
There are kings and princesses, courtiers and intriges and plenty of history in this medieval setting.
There is a hero who is so much more than a hero. A credible and likeable person whose inner conflicts are well described and realised.
The use of the fantasy stereotypes are used with care, to tell a story show more of growing up, and reconciling with the past. show less

Loved the nuanced, interesting characters. Character development=excellent! Loved the magic system. Loved the dialog, which hearkened back to a yeoman-era, but never felt artificial.

Will review more fully when/if I have time.

F/SF