science fiction

Lord Valentine's Castle - Robert Silverberg Book Review

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Review Summary
Valentine awakes to find himself lying on a rock outside the enormous city of Pidruid. He remembers nothing of his past. He meets a young herder named Shanamir, who explains that there is a festival for the Coronal (leader/king named strangley enough Lord Valentine) of Majipoor. Valentine therefore goes with Shanamir and meets a truope of jugglers led by an alien called Zalzon Kavol. Valentine quickly learns to juggle and falls in love with Carabella, one of the jugglers. Valentine begins to have strange dreams about power and destruction. Could the Lady (queen of good dreams) be sending him a message? He soons realizes that the Coronal of Majipoor might not be who he is and that Majipoor might be on the brink of civil war. Embarking on a journey through the gigantic world of Majipoor, he explores many parts and begins to regain his memory. Sensing that he is special the troupe of jugglers say nothing, but soon enough Valentine will remember his past.
Santi Lara, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of Lord Valentine's Castle
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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 - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - ruler
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - amnesia
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - performer
Age: - 20's-30's
Eccentric: Yes - emotionally unstable
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - mage/magician
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - telekinesis
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric - wild
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - quite fatty

Setting
Terrain - Forests
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a primitive/fantasy society - neutral aliens - very controlled society
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only - description of breasts
How much dialogue? - mostly dialog
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Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden by Jack Vance
The Hidden Stars by Madeline Howard




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