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The Chronicles of Mavin Manyshaped #3
The Search of Mavin Manyshaped
Mavin the shape-shifter and Himaggery the wizard made a vow. When twenty years had come and gone in the lands of the True Game, they would meet again.
But Himaggery has vanished into the wilds, chasing fairy tales and dreams, leaving only a letter of love behind for Mavin to find. If he were dead, she would know it. If he were simply dead, sorcerers could trace the scent of his trail, necromancers could raise his bones from the dust. But he has disappeared without a trace, beyond the power of wizardry. And so the search of Mavin Manyshaped begins...
168 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1985
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277 people want to read
About the author
Sheri S. Tepper
74 books1,083 followersSheri Stewart Tepper was a prolific American author of science fiction, horror and mystery novels; she was particularly known as a feminist science fiction writer, often with an ecofeminist slant.
Born near Littleton, Colorado, for most of her career (1962-1986) she worked for Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, where she eventually became Executive Director. She has two children and is married to Gene Tepper. She operated a guest ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She wrote under several pseudonyms, including A.J. Orde, E.E. Horlak, and B.J. Oliphant. Her early work was published under the name Sheri S. Eberhart.
Born near Littleton, Colorado, for most of her career (1962-1986) she worked for Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, where she eventually became Executive Director. She has two children and is married to Gene Tepper. She operated a guest ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She wrote under several pseudonyms, including A.J. Orde, E.E. Horlak, and B.J. Oliphant. Her early work was published under the name Sheri S. Eberhart.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 1, 2012
It's been twenty years since Mavin Manyshaped has left Danderbat Keep, and it's now time for the long-planned reunion with the wizard Himaggery at the hotel Mudgery Mont. She arrives at the inn only to be greeted with brief messages from Windlow and from Himaggery, who wrote an emergency love letter in case he is unable to make their meeting. She heads to out of the city to meet Windlow's messenger, only to run into Throsset, a rebel woman shapeshifter who also hailed from Danderbat Keep. After discussion, she resolves to search for Himmaggery, and heads north, following his footsteps to his first stop at a wizard's demesne. On the way, she runs into an unusual lake known as the Lake of Faces, and is attacked by a harpy as she investigates. Though suspicious of the wizard Chamferton and his relationship with the harpy, she stays with him a day or two, learning what she can about Himaggery's search. From there she heads north following a mysterious group of runners, until she meets a Dervish. The Dervishe directs her to a tower of shadows, and helps her solve the mystery of Himaggery. Shadows follow her home as she leads a pair of transformed wizards to a "place where no shadows are," but luckily she will have help from her old friends, the Shadowpeople.
The weakest of the three Mavin-focused books, I still find Search worth the read. It's somewhat more somber, somewhat less whimsical, but Tepper's continually inventive, most notably in the lake of faces. More than anything, the three Mavin books remind me of a woman's evolution in sex consciousness: in the first book, she learns the constraints and unfair expectations of her family group; in the second, she indirectly struggles against a society's and religion's constraints; and in the last, Mavin struggles with how love can be similarly constraining. It's somewhat of a feminist diatribe at the end that I understand far better now than I had when reading at fifteen. While I wouldn't disagree with Mavin's choice, the whole pretense of meeting after twenty years seemed somewhat unrealistic from the start, a romantic idealization more suitable for a younger person. I would have rather had a Mavin adventure than the end arc of a romantic journey.
The weakest of the three Mavin-focused books, I still find Search worth the read. It's somewhat more somber, somewhat less whimsical, but Tepper's continually inventive, most notably in the lake of faces. More than anything, the three Mavin books remind me of a woman's evolution in sex consciousness: in the first book, she learns the constraints and unfair expectations of her family group; in the second, she indirectly struggles against a society's and religion's constraints; and in the last, Mavin struggles with how love can be similarly constraining. It's somewhat of a feminist diatribe at the end that I understand far better now than I had when reading at fifteen. While I wouldn't disagree with Mavin's choice, the whole pretense of meeting after twenty years seemed somewhat unrealistic from the start, a romantic idealization more suitable for a younger person. I would have rather had a Mavin adventure than the end arc of a romantic journey.
February 9, 2022
Twenty years ago Mavin made a promise to meet Himaggery. She arrives to only get a letter that he left on a quest eight years ago. So starts her search, she follows from his last known whereabouts, a wizard at the Lake of Faces.
I think it was very clever the way that Tepper had him hidden for eight years, and once Mavin finds him...well, there was a reason he was hidden. This leads to more adventures on the way back, of increased difficulty because Mavin is not able to use all of her abilities and has to rely on more ingenious methods to survive.
Fun. The plot was clever. Undercurrent of romance, there was that chemistry twenty years ago. Since this is a prequel we may have known sort of how it ended. It turned out really satisfying. Mavin was fantastic. 4.5 stars.
I think it was very clever the way that Tepper had him hidden for eight years, and once Mavin finds him...well, there was a reason he was hidden. This leads to more adventures on the way back, of increased difficulty because Mavin is not able to use all of her abilities and has to rely on more ingenious methods to survive.
Fun. The plot was clever. Undercurrent of romance, there was that chemistry twenty years ago. Since this is a prequel we may have known sort of how it ended. It turned out really satisfying. Mavin was fantastic. 4.5 stars.
July 15, 2020
Read 20 odd years ago,found on bookshelf
Read
February 2, 2021(Review written 1996)
In The Search of Mavin Manyshaped, Tepper pretty much wraps up the story of Mavin and the Wizard Himaggery. As agreed upon in Song, Mavin has been traveling the world for twenty seasons, and now is returning to Pfarb Durim to meet with Himaggery, who may or may not be her one true love. She arrives in town to find that the wizard has stood her up, but not of his own choice.
A messenger from Seer Windlow comes to share the information that Himaggery has disappeared while investigating ancient ruins and legends, and no one has been able to find him for seven years. Mavin sets out to find him, and along the way confronts old enemies, allies with old and new friends, and leaps evil wizards in a single bound.
Ultimately, she rescues Himaggery and they live together for a time. Mavin discovers that they are two utterly different types of people, and her free spirit won't allow her to stay with him. She is pregnant with his child, and leaves him without ever telling him about this or why she is leaving. I hate this kind of stuff. Foolish tragedy caused by failure to communicate.
It's been so long since I read the True Game trilogy that I've forgotten whether all this has any bearing on what happens there, but it seems to me that the hero of that trilogy might be Mavin and H's child, fostered out shortly after birth. It would seem to make some sort of sense out of things if that was the case. I'll have to re-read them some day and get back to you.
Anyway the story about Himaggery's rescue mostly seemed like some sort of filler to make everything work out in the end for them to be tragically separated, so I wasn't all that thrilled with this book. If you've been following the series, then you've got to read it for completion, but if you're already bored with things, then don't bother.
In The Search of Mavin Manyshaped, Tepper pretty much wraps up the story of Mavin and the Wizard Himaggery. As agreed upon in Song, Mavin has been traveling the world for twenty seasons, and now is returning to Pfarb Durim to meet with Himaggery, who may or may not be her one true love. She arrives in town to find that the wizard has stood her up, but not of his own choice.
A messenger from Seer Windlow comes to share the information that Himaggery has disappeared while investigating ancient ruins and legends, and no one has been able to find him for seven years. Mavin sets out to find him, and along the way confronts old enemies, allies with old and new friends, and leaps evil wizards in a single bound.
Ultimately, she rescues Himaggery and they live together for a time. Mavin discovers that they are two utterly different types of people, and her free spirit won't allow her to stay with him. She is pregnant with his child, and leaves him without ever telling him about this or why she is leaving. I hate this kind of stuff. Foolish tragedy caused by failure to communicate.
It's been so long since I read the True Game trilogy that I've forgotten whether all this has any bearing on what happens there, but it seems to me that the hero of that trilogy might be Mavin and H's child, fostered out shortly after birth. It would seem to make some sort of sense out of things if that was the case. I'll have to re-read them some day and get back to you.
Anyway the story about Himaggery's rescue mostly seemed like some sort of filler to make everything work out in the end for them to be tragically separated, so I wasn't all that thrilled with this book. If you've been following the series, then you've got to read it for completion, but if you're already bored with things, then don't bother.
May 20, 2019
I sort of knew where The Search of Mavin Manyshaped was headed-sometimes you just get that feeling, you know? Though there are some bittersweet events I still found the book delightful. It recalls the works of Jack Vance and classic SF/Fantasy though with what I am going to call a definite Sheri S Tepper spin. I find I like the way Tepper writes, plus Mavin remains a rampant feminist (or the SF/fantasy equivalent) throughout the books-I was happy to see this character always remain true to herself, neatly bucking some societal conventions (ours and the society Mavin exists in) along the way. The reader is treated to a much more nuanced denouement that they may not expect. Good stuff.
November 13, 2025
Very good. The conclusion of this second trilogy. It's a good strong conclusion to this trilogy, it keeps the momentum going from the previous books leading to a good ending. As with the other books the characters are very good, the story is original and quirky. Tepper is one of my favourite authors and this is a good series, it is a bit more fantasy than her usual. You shouldn't read this book on its own, but I would recommend the whole trilogy.
April 23, 2023
This is a great series. The only thing holding the individual books from 5 stars is the short form episodic nature that has split what I feel should have been 3 books into 9.
I am not sure if this was the authors intent or just the demands of the publisher ( very common for publishers ..especially in the 80s to artificially split up books into two or three parts. Keep them coming back for more.)
The publication dates indicate all Nine of the books came out between 1983-1986.
If I could go back in time and make uneconomical demands, The Mavin series would go back to the author and editors to make it one book of about 700 pages instead of the three quick paperbacks that currently only clock in at around 520 pages with some parts feeling a little rushed.
I am not sure if this was the authors intent or just the demands of the publisher ( very common for publishers ..especially in the 80s to artificially split up books into two or three parts. Keep them coming back for more.)
The publication dates indicate all Nine of the books came out between 1983-1986.
If I could go back in time and make uneconomical demands, The Mavin series would go back to the author and editors to make it one book of about 700 pages instead of the three quick paperbacks that currently only clock in at around 520 pages with some parts feeling a little rushed.
November 14, 2021
The third of Tepper's Mavin Manyshaped series, sees Mavin go in search of Himaggery when he fails to show for their promised reunion. The quest takes in stolen faces, mysterious runners, malelovant shadows and an ever marching band, and finishes with a pregnant Mavin heading off on her own once more. Possibly one of the weaker instalments in the True Game series, but still an imaginative and intriguing adventure.
July 21, 2020
This one’s a little more introspective than the first two in the ‘Mavin trilogy’ - which is okay, but it interrupts the flow of the tale a bit. Still a good read - and some will like it better this way.
January 17, 2018
Selline 80ndate muinasjutu-fantaasia. Osa sarjast, aga piisavalt eraldiseisev, et lugeda ja mitte guugeldada, mis imeelukad siin tegutsesid.
April 14, 2018
Not as good as the previous books and ultimately unsatisfying.
April 11, 2022
An engaging early Tepper before she became really interesting - mind you some of themes of feminism and abuse of power are already here.
January 4, 2025
Excellent set of books. Very decent reading.
April 24, 2021
I loved this book because all characters were certainly of fantasy. The world and the events were just as much fantasy. This author's work is always fun to read. Often think she must live in a fantasy world in her head and when she finishes one series she moves on to another. So entertaining.
The tale features Mavin Manyshaped, obviously, whose travels and adventures are unique and interesting. Somehow she always gets out of whatever complications she encounters. As a shapeshifter she is able to move about in her world without detection solving problems, keeping herself and her friends safe. If you like fantasy you will enjoy this series. Dip into and check it out for yourself.
The tale features Mavin Manyshaped, obviously, whose travels and adventures are unique and interesting. Somehow she always gets out of whatever complications she encounters. As a shapeshifter she is able to move about in her world without detection solving problems, keeping herself and her friends safe. If you like fantasy you will enjoy this series. Dip into and check it out for yourself.
March 16, 2011
An excellent series of books, but this one wasn't my favorite. There seemed to be a lot of back and forth roaming that got kind of boring. I did, however, like the idea of the Lake of Faces, and the shadow Tower with the bell that can only sometimes, sort of be seen, with the menacing shadows that track you down if you get too close. And the Dervish's garden of "eden" so-to-speak. But the second Mavin Manyshaped book is definitely my favorite. Yay, Sheri Tepper!
November 17, 2015
Felt structurally… stretched. Unsure?
The story idea is solid. And as usual there are very imaginative monsters and environments to encounter. The lake of faces is creepy and terrifying and no ink is spared on describing just how awful Harpies are.
But… yeah… it dragged. Third book syndrome? She knew what had to happen and had to fill in the spaces between? I dunno.
The story idea is solid. And as usual there are very imaginative monsters and environments to encounter. The lake of faces is creepy and terrifying and no ink is spared on describing just how awful Harpies are.
But… yeah… it dragged. Third book syndrome? She knew what had to happen and had to fill in the spaces between? I dunno.
December 16, 2015
The third book of this set was a little less than the first two in terms of story. I still find it funny that Tepper seems to invert the sin of male authors by making all female characters strong, and all male characters weak.
October 23, 2010
My favorite Tepper series ever.
March 31, 2011
Interesting, fills in some of the gaps in True Game
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews