Beyond the Burning Lands

This is the second book in John Christopher’s “Sword of the Spirits” trilogy, and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than the first. Luke Perry (yeah, yeah, it was written in the ‘70s) has been permitted to return to Winchester, the city of his birth, by the new Prince and his half-brother, Peter. While the Seers are continuing their man-behind-the-curtain machinations to restore science and knowledge to the world, Luke is content to be back at home, but soon goes off on another adventure. A peddler from foreign lands has arrived in Winchester, claiming to have crossed the volcanic wasteland to the north, and offers to return with an embassy to the “land of the Wilsh.” Luke, as Peter’s brother, is sent along with the group as show more an emissary.

While The Prince in Waiting was fairly pedestrian fantasy/post-apocalyptic story offering castles, battles and political struggles, Beyond the Burning Lands features the mystery of new lands, cultural intrigue and even some monsters, and was a much more entertaining ride. I also found Christopher’s tell-don’t-show writing style more tolerable in this one, as it actually makes a lot more sense for Luke to be evaluating his feelings behind a poker face as he acts as an emissary in a strange and foreign country. On the whole, this was a quick, easy young adult novel that I enjoyed quite a bit more than its predecessor. I’m glad I stuck with this trilogy and I look forward to its eponymous conclusion, The Sword of the Spirits. show less

Volume two of John Christopher's post apocalyptic Prince in Waiting series. Luke's journey continues as he crosses the volcanic lands from the tightly regimented civilisation of the South of England to the more relaxed and colourful land of the Wilsh (present day Wales). The different culture challenges Luke and the rest of the mission, but he remains the same stubborn hot-head and manages to win the hand of the Wilsh Princess Blodwen after a brave but foolish battle with a giant amoeba like monster (the Baymot - with a more than passing resemblance to the creatures from the deep in John Wyndham's "The Kraken Wakes"). There is something of the proto-feminist about this princess which doesn't sit well with our traditionalist hero. On his show more return to Winchester he is accused of murder and has to challenge and fight his half brother for the Princedom. Very much a middle book, you can read it as a stand-alone but it works better as part of the whole story. show less

This book, part of a trilogy, was a powerful work that challenges assumptions and makes you think about the goals we have in life. It is a science fiction story set in a future without machines. It is a story of friendships and deceptions and wars set in the kind of richly imagined dystopic future that is so characteristic of this author.

A thoroughly recommended book that will suit children (perhaps especially boys) from about 11 onwards but translates well to adult readers too.

Luke’s father dies, his older brother gains the throne promised Luke. Luke goes to a distant city[the Wilsh] to open trade. Slays a monster, is betrothed to the kings daugher, returns, kills his brother and takes the throne. Depressing about half way thru.

Book two: also great!

Luke is allowed to return to Winchester and becomes fascinated with the tales of a pedlar who has crossed the Burning Lands. Eventually Luke is allowed to travel across to the land of the Wilsh, where he encounters a society based on trade, rather than warfare, and one where there are no seers. He becomes a hero and eventually achieves the status he has been promised. But is the price too high? This is a fantastic and evocative vision of a dystopian Britain, one that's pitched perfectly for children.

Voici deux excellents romans de John Christopher réunis dans cette non moins excellente reliure du Club du livre d'anticipation (CLA), datant du milieu des années 70. Il est étonnant de voir qu'à quelques dizaines d'années de distance, ces deux romans restent d'actualité. Non pas pour la science et encore moins pour la fiction mais pour cette tentative toujours hasardeuse mais stimulante de savoir ce qu'il adviendrait de notre mince épaisseur civilisationnelle si notre espèce était soumise à des contraintes climatologiques telles qu'elles ruineraient l'organisation politique des Etats et des sociétés humaines. Dans le premier roman, la famine s'installe car un virus détruit les graminées et les céréales. Dans le second, show more une période glaciaire s'installe. Dans les deux romans, John Christopher s'attache à faire vivre sous nos yeux de lecteur l'évolution d'un groupe humain avec une tendance certaine à la régression et à la reconstitution d'ordres politiques qui reposent dans le premier roman sur la féodalité et dans le second sur le colonialisme mais de L'Afrique vers la Grande-Bretagne.
Tout cela semble sans doute très classique et peu passionnant aux yeux de lecteurs qui recherchent des émotions fortes ou des descriptions apocalyptiques mais c'est en cela que ces romans sont intéressants, car ils sont très probables par la mise en scène d'une quotidienneté qui ressemble vraiment fort à la nôtre.

A lire sans modération. show less