Book Review: The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson

I am going to start this review by asking you 2 questions:

1) Do you like fantasy fiction, akin to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings?

2) Have you ever read a book called "The Broken Sword"?

If your answer to Q1 is yes, and Q2 is no. Then, may I recommend that you run to the nearest bookstore immediately, and get this book?

Yes, look no further. The Broken Sword, is a must read for any fans of fantasy fiction. And yes, it is that good, period!

You might ask, just what is so good about "The Broken Sword"? Well, there are too many goodies in this brilliant fantasy novel that I cannot describe in this review (I want to avoid a 10,000 word review). So instead, I will just write a synopsis, and share some opinions of mine on this book. But most importantly, you should read it for yourself to discover the magic in this masterpiece of fantasy.

Synopsis:

Tyrfing, is a mighty, magical, yet evil sword. It was shattered into pieces, to prevent it from striking at the root of Yggdrasil, the world tree (in Norse mythology) that binds earth, heaven and hell together. However, a time has come when the sword must be reforged to save the elves. The story's protagonist, Scafloc, is a human child kidnapped and raised by the elves. He is the only person who is capable of persuading Bolverk, the ice giant, to reforge this once mighty blade. But Scafloc's quest is not without difficulties. Along the way, Scafloc must battle and confront the shadow of himself, Valgard the changeling, who has taken the identity as Scafloc in the world of men...

What I think about the book:

I cannot praise this fantasy novel enough. First of all, this story is loyal to the tradition of Norse saga, to the highest degree! The story itself is raw, untamed, wonderful, savage and lyrical. A fast paced epic, encompassing the sensations of the harsh and grim realities, crafted with the authentic DNA of Nordic mythology. Consequently, Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword, is a story where both heroes and villains are destined for a titanic drama, imbued with impending dooms, inevitable tragedies and emotional conflicts, making this book one of my top 5 favorite fantasy novels.

The bottom line is, if you are a fan of fantasy fiction. You will love this book!

NOTE: The Broken Sword has 2 versions. The original version was published in 1954. However, in 1971, Poul Anderson revised the book and greatly weakened this master piece. My advice is, if you want to get this book, buy the book with the 1954 version. This version was recently republished by Gollancz (the book cover shown above). The ISBN is: 9780575082724

Happy reading!

Book Review: The Once and Future King (published by Folio Society)

  King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, is one of the most enduring stories of all time. It is a beautiful, yet tragic story about justice, chivalry, and good vs. evil. There are many incarnations of King Arthur in literature. The most famous, and most authentic material, is Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur", written in 1485 (The death of Arthur).

The Once and Future King, is a book written by T.H White, about the story of King Arthur. Intended to be a set of children's books, the story is largely based on Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. Since its publication, this book has become a classic, well loved by many readers. The reason for its success is not only because the easily accessible prose. More importantly, the story invites its readers to explore thought provoking topics, such as power, justice, and human nature.

This hefty volume is composed of 4 novels: The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkenss, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind. The story starts with the light hearted novel in The "Sword in the stone", then gradually progressed with a more bleak, and more serious tone until the end of King Arthur's life, a beautiful and fitting conclusion, in "The Candle in the wind".

 The Once and Future King will make you think. Almost every sentence, paragraph and passage in the book is meant to be a reflection of our world, and to be interpreted more than its face value. As a matter of fact, I can think of more than 100 favorite quotes from this book. Although T.W White is a self proclaimed agnostic, it is very interesting that he has a very deep and profound understanding of the Christian concept "human sin". By retelling one of the most famous legends in the world, King Arthur and his knights of the round table, White managed to convey a compelling story, illuminating many truths about our struggles and failures as humankind,

If you haven't read T.W White's masterpiece yet, be sure to pick it up. This is not an easy book to digest, but if you are wiling to invest some time, and make some efforts to think, you will find this book won't disappoint its readers.

P.S: The above artworks, are samples of interior illustrations, from Folio Society's edition of "The Once and Future King". This is an out of print edition. While I do own this book, but I do not own the copyright to these artworks, the pictures are presented here for the purpose of this book review only.