Marianne, the Madame, and the Momentary Gods

Marianne #2

by Sheri S. Tepper

Marianne plans to use the magic she learned from the magus to go back in time and save her parents from death, but she becomes trapped in a time warp, face-to-face with evil magic

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Divination

170 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 1988

About the author

Sheri 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.

Reviews

[Julie Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this three and a half stars but, since I can't do that in Goodreads, the flaws in the writing style made me pull it down to 3 (which is still a very satisfactory rating, by the way).

As with the first book (Marianne, the Magus, and the Manticore), Tepper's imaginary worlds and their connection to this novel's real world are what make the book shine. It is worth reading simply for those although I enjoyed the overall story well enough that this is probably my third or fourth time through the series.

[V. Briceland · Rating 5 out of 5]

As might be intuited by their playful alliterative titles, Sheri S. Tepper's trilogy of Marianne books—Marianne, the Magus, and the Manticore, followed by Marianne, the Madame, and the Momentary Gods and Marianne, the Matchbox, and the Malachite Mouse—are light-hearted caprices. Written early in her career, they're also the shortest of Tepper's output.

Yet they're not slight in content. Tepper's heroine becomes trapped in a series of alternate, fantasy universes, each with their own oddball and inexorable set of rules from which she must puzzle her way out. Imagination as a wild creative force, and specifically the concept of being trapped in worlds created by the imagination of others, is a conceit that Tepper explores again to deeper and more tragic effect in her later novel, Beauty. But in these short works Marianne's determination to prevail is charming and humorous . . . and sometimes her determination to reshape history in her favor is even a little frightening.

If the third book in the trilogy is a little less compelling than its predecessors, it's simply because the antagonist of the piece never appears until near the book's very end, and it's difficult to take him as much of a threat compared to the terrifying Madame of the first two entries. Still, all three books are among Tepper's most whimsical, and can easily be consumed in an afternoon or two.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, I got bored. I like alternate universes, but not when the characters don't remember their real lives. Really thought the romance would work for me, but it just wasn't developed.

[Cliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've said it many times, but I'm a manic Sheri Tepper fan. But with that in mind, I do feel that the Marianne trilogy suffers from being a little too simplistic. This tends to recur with many of Tepper's earlier works. I did enjoy that this second novel in the trilogy follows logically with the machinations of Madame Delubovoska and we gain a bit more insight into how she manages to try and subvert Marianne's life/lives. And once again, the plot involves these false worlds through which Marianne must navigate through. The worlds are very inventive albeit a little chaotic. But Tepper's skill with prose makes each world seem believably real.

[Brian Paterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

More worlds, according to Marianne. Its idiosyncratic, charming and even funny (and in places, absurd). Mental images from this book will stay with me for years. This is such a worthwhile continuation of the character’s adventures- it’s a pity it took me over thirty years to take the effort to find it (I’ve had #1 and #3 for thaaat long). The Prime Minister returns here for more punishment- yesss! I even stay with the book when the spotlight leaves Marianne for poor old Makr - this is a romantasy become comedy. That’s telling. A book that’s not First Person has got to treat characters honourably for me to bother continuing. I don’t read surveillance logs. So, top marks for this.

[Elizabeth Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the author's best but still entertaining.

[Keith Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 2023

[Dorian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This second book of the Marianne trilogy just isn't as good as the first. The settings no longer hold the cameo-like perfection of the first book. Marianne - due, perhaps, to the things she herself turns out to have done - is no longer such an engaging heroine. The other characters are less clearly drawn than before. And the plot...well, it explains the ending of the first book, which was a bit out-of-the-blue-ish, and puts an actual end to the affair of Madame Delubovoska, but it has a certain mundane feel to it that just isn't what I expected or wanted.

Overall, somewhat disappointing.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool book. It doesn't need to be longer, because it manages to fit everything in and yet still run smoothly. I wasn't too lost for reading it without reading the first one, which was good. The momegs are cute characters. I'm going to track down the others now.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

re-read now makes more sense in context with Manticore

[Paula Morhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was okay.