The Knight, by Gene Wolfe

This is one of the most interesting fantasy novels I've read in a long time, and I've read many. If you like tales of heroic combat, magical realms, fearsome creatures and fair maidens, then you should read "The Knight," by Gene Wolfe. Be warned, however, that you'll need to be patient, as the story doesn't become compelling until about half way through.

"The Knight" is actually book one of a two-part series called "The Wizard Knight," (book two being, "The Wizard"), and it's written in the first person, in the form of a letter to the narrator's brother. It opens with the protagonist, a teenager, explaining that he left their cabin and went for a walk in the woods. He stayed out past dark and was suddenly grabbed by unseen strangers and rendered unconscious.

When he awakes, he finds himself in a cave by the sea, accompanied by an old woman who sits spinning. From this woman, Parka, he learns that he has a new name, Sir Able of the High Heart, and he receives several gifts, including a knife and a magical bowstring. He then ventures out of the cave and into Mythgarthr, one of seven worlds in a vast, fantastic realm.

Mythgarthr is a medieval place, and it doesn't take long for Able to find out why the old woman prefaced his name with "Sir." He's destined to become a heroic knight, and this becomes his mission. Able is helped along the way by a female aelf (a sort of dryad) of alluring beauty, who seduces him and transforms him into a full-grown man of amazing strength. She tells him he must find Eterne, a magical blade known as the Mother of Swords, and so, after she leaves him, Able sets out on this quest.

And what a quest it is. He sails the seas, encounters monsters of the deep, makes landfall, then ascends and climbs into a volcano. Determined to preserve his dignity and prove his mettle as a knight, Able challenges those who dishonor him and never shies away from a test of strength. Because he knows he's really just a boy inside, Able is painfully aware of his deficiencies, so he takes every opportunity to learn and improve his skills.

This is one of the things that makes "The Knight" so interesting. We learn at the same time Able does. When he ventures out to sea, for example, he knows nothing about ships, so Pouk, his newly hired servant, explains everything to him. When Able finally learns to wield a sword, he is taught by another, more accomplished knight, and we, the reader, learn the proper way of handling a blade along with the protagonist. By doing this, Gene Wolfe "keeps it real." Able's experience becomes ours, and we are drawn ever more deeply into his tale.

I mentioned above that the reader should be patient. I said this because it takes a while for the story to "lift off." At least it did for me. At the beginning of the book Able is penniless, with few weapons and little experience. As the story progresses, he encounters people and creatures, gains followers (both human and non-human), learns things and attains weaponry and wealth. Unfortunately, one of the ways he learns is by asking questions, and the dialog can be quite long and, at times, tedious. Large chunks of it should have been edited out, in my opinion.

The good news is that there are just enough interesting bits to keep you reading. Then, by about page 186, you'll find that you can't put the book down. That was my experience, anyway. I look forward to reading the sequel.

(Tom Doherty Associates, 2004, 430 pages)