The Fall of The Kings - Ellen Kushner & Delia Sherman Book Review

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Review Summary

Bantam, Nov 2002, 13.95, 496 pp.
ISBN 0553381849

Over five centuries ago the Northern King, his army, and the wizards traveled to the Kingdom of the South for a marriage that would bind the two lands into one union. Over time the king and the wizards fell out of favor with their nobles and were killed. The Council of Lords became rulers of the land and any talk of wizards or magic is considered treason. For two hundred years the nobles ruled without any serious threat to their authority but now rumors come to their attention of the restoration of the monarchy.

The council sends spies to the University to see if anyone has done anything that could be considered heresy. Two names keep cropping up in the investigation. History Professor Basis St. Cloud who thinks that magic once actually existed and Theron Campion, heir to the Duchy of Tremontaine. These two men are fated to play a prominent role in events that will usher in a new age of thought.

Ellen Kushner and Della Sherman combine their talents to create a work that is sublimely rich in characterizations and a perspective similar to medieval Europe. The political infighting at the university adds a sense of the ridiculous to this very serious epic drama. The characters, fully developed and complex creations, are prisoners of their place in society, which makes them all the more interesting when they step out of their station in life. THE FALL OF KINGS is an experience not to be missed.

Harriet Klausner

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of The Fall of The Kings

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%

Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - factions fight within govt for control
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - scholar
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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