Review by Ian Braidwood
Cast of Characters:
Captains
Cardelier, Akabar and Sharuman. Meronicus the Magnificent, emporer
of Yura. Princes Orlu and Viragan. Pricesses Zintrah and Calia. Giraiazal
of Natalarch, Burrel, Mergin, Lysariel, Triasymon, Manazzoryn and
Urbishek the sculptor.
It took me a long time to finish this book. Not because of any problem
with it, but simply because I didn't want to take a hardcover book
to work and I tend to continue reading during the evening what I read
at lunch. It might help explain that the author who most pushed Brian
aside was Bertrand Russell.
Just
like Inherit the Earth, this is intended as the first volume of a
six book series and was initially offered to Tor, before Immanion
decided to release it. I personally find it unlikely that any others
of the series will see the light of day and so will review this as
a stand alone novel.
Anyone
who has read one of Brian's other novels based upon short stories
will know that he never merely pads out the original series of events,
so while The Light of Achernar will guide you as to the flavour of
this book, the events and denoument are very different. Also, the
Earth described herein is subtly very different, set 5 billion years
or so in the future. It feels like a fantasy, but there are enough
hints to allow a science fictional interpretaion.
The
main setting of the novel is Scleracina, an island among many, which
I imagined to be like the Greek ones, but with Carribean style pirates.
It is initially part of the Yuran empire, but gains its independence
when misfortune overtakes Yura and a young diver finds himself elevated
to the throne.
Most
of the story is told from the point of view of Giraiazal, magician
and vizier to the royal household. It is he who tries to help when
Damozel Fate deals several from the bottom of the deck; afflicting
madness and misfortune liberally upon all. Giraiazal's skills are
effective enough to stave off disaster, while various machinations
are enacted beneath the surface.
One
aspect of Curse which niggled me at first was that each chapter starts
with excerpts from 'The Revelations of Suomynona', which provide background,
comment on the story and act as an arena to explore various philosophical
issues inherent to the plot. However, after a while these became every
bit as interesting as the action. They did make me realise however,
something about Brian's writing, which has been staring me in the
face for ages: I cannot recall a single instance where Brian has started
a novel halfway through - a technique common in modern writing and
film, as a way of spicing up the action. I think that maybe, Curse
could have benefitted from this technique before the action begins
to ensnare the reader as much as the characters.
Overall,
Curse of the Coral Bride is good enough to leave the reader wanting
to know more about the world, but is not by any means one of Brian's
best; carrying as it does the burden of introducing a series.
|
