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Henghis Hapthorn #1
Majestrum: Tales of Henghis Hapthorn, Book One
A Henghis Hapthorn Novel.
The beginning of a thrilling new trilogy set in Hughes' Archonate universe, revolving around the character Henghis Hapthorn, a Sherlock Holmes-type who investigates mysteries in a world turning from science back to magic.
The first in a series starring Old Earth's foremost freelance discriminator, Henghis Hapthorn. Hapthorn has been hired by the Archon for a mysterious assignment, one that will create more questions than answers. Hapthorn is also trying to come to terms with a world that is cycling from science to magic, and his place in the new world.
First chapter available at the author's website: http://www.archonate.com/majestrum
The beginning of a thrilling new trilogy set in Hughes' Archonate universe, revolving around the character Henghis Hapthorn, a Sherlock Holmes-type who investigates mysteries in a world turning from science back to magic.
The first in a series starring Old Earth's foremost freelance discriminator, Henghis Hapthorn. Hapthorn has been hired by the Archon for a mysterious assignment, one that will create more questions than answers. Hapthorn is also trying to come to terms with a world that is cycling from science to magic, and his place in the new world.
First chapter available at the author's website: http://www.archonate.com/majestrum
209 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2006
26 people are currently reading
781 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Hughes
201 books284 followersBorn in Liverpool, his family moved to Canada when he was five years old. Married since late 1960s, he has three grown sons. He is currently relocated to Britain. He is a former director of the Federation of British Columbia Writers.
A university drop-out from a working poor background, he worked in a factory that made school desks, drove a grocery delivery truck, was night janitor in a GM dealership, and did a short stint as an orderly in a private mental hospital. As a teenager, he served a year as a volunteer with the Company of Young Canadians.
He has made his living as a writer all of his adult life, first as a journalist in newspapers, then as a staff speechwriter to the Canadian Ministers of Justice and Environment, and, since 1979, as a freelance corporate and political speechwriter in British Columbia.
His short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s, Asimov’s, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Postscripts, Interzone, and a number of "Year’s Best" anthologies. Night Shade Books published his short story collection, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories, in 2005.
He has won the Arthur Ellis Award from the Crime Writers of Canada, The Endeavour Award for his historical novel What the Wind Brings, and the Global Book Award in the dark fantasy category for The Ghost-Wrangler.
A university drop-out from a working poor background, he worked in a factory that made school desks, drove a grocery delivery truck, was night janitor in a GM dealership, and did a short stint as an orderly in a private mental hospital. As a teenager, he served a year as a volunteer with the Company of Young Canadians.
He has made his living as a writer all of his adult life, first as a journalist in newspapers, then as a staff speechwriter to the Canadian Ministers of Justice and Environment, and, since 1979, as a freelance corporate and political speechwriter in British Columbia.
His short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s, Asimov’s, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Postscripts, Interzone, and a number of "Year’s Best" anthologies. Night Shade Books published his short story collection, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories, in 2005.
He has won the Arthur Ellis Award from the Crime Writers of Canada, The Endeavour Award for his historical novel What the Wind Brings, and the Global Book Award in the dark fantasy category for The Ghost-Wrangler.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
September 6, 2012
Henghis Hapthorn, freelance discriminator, is hired to investigate the suitor to Lord Alfre's daughter. His case takes him to several planets and leads him on an assignment from the Archon himself. But how will his second personality cope with things? And what does the word Majestrum have to do with the case?
Majestrum is set in the Penultimate Age of Old Earth, an age immediately preceding The Dying Earth of Jack Vance, an age where magic is making a comeback. Henghis Hapthorn is a lot like Sherlock Holmes if Sherlock Holmes had a second personality that was rooted in magic, or sympathetic association, if you prefer, instead of science.
Majestrum is a good read. The intertwining mysteries were well done and actually solvable by the reader, a rarity in the sf-mystery genre. Henghis Hapthorn's interplay with his Integrator and his second personality are the driving force of the novel and make for some laughs and also raise philosophical questions. Majestrum, the villain of the piece, was fairly chilling, even though he had a touch of the stereotype fantasy big villain feel to him. Hughes's writing is clearly influenced by Jack Vance and P.G. Wodehouse and thus quite enjoyable to read.
So why only a 4? I felt like I was stepping into the middle of the story. While this is the first Henghis Hapthorn novel, it continues on the thread of one of the six short stories that preceded it. I felt a bit lost at first but quickly caught on.
I recommend this book to fans of genre-busting mysteries, P.G. Wodehouse, and Jack Vance. It was quite entertaining.
Majestrum is set in the Penultimate Age of Old Earth, an age immediately preceding The Dying Earth of Jack Vance, an age where magic is making a comeback. Henghis Hapthorn is a lot like Sherlock Holmes if Sherlock Holmes had a second personality that was rooted in magic, or sympathetic association, if you prefer, instead of science.
Majestrum is a good read. The intertwining mysteries were well done and actually solvable by the reader, a rarity in the sf-mystery genre. Henghis Hapthorn's interplay with his Integrator and his second personality are the driving force of the novel and make for some laughs and also raise philosophical questions. Majestrum, the villain of the piece, was fairly chilling, even though he had a touch of the stereotype fantasy big villain feel to him. Hughes's writing is clearly influenced by Jack Vance and P.G. Wodehouse and thus quite enjoyable to read.
So why only a 4? I felt like I was stepping into the middle of the story. While this is the first Henghis Hapthorn novel, it continues on the thread of one of the six short stories that preceded it. I felt a bit lost at first but quickly caught on.
I recommend this book to fans of genre-busting mysteries, P.G. Wodehouse, and Jack Vance. It was quite entertaining.
May 24, 2011
TAKE SHERLOCK HOLMES...ADD FAR FUTURE “DYING EARTH” SETTING...MIX IN ENTERTAINING MYSTERY...GARNISH WITH WIT AND HUMOR...BAKE INSIDE MIND OF MATTHEW HUGHES...VOILA...
4.0 to 4.5 stars. This is such a terrific story based on such a terrific concept that I am surprised and saddended by humanity that it is not more popular and more widely known. As this is the beginning of a series of books featuring Henghis Hapthorn and the world of the Archonate, I think it might be helpful if I provide some background on the setting and the character of Henghis Hapthorn.
THE ARCHONATE
This story as well as many of Matthew Hughes’ other works take place in the Penultimate Age of the Dying Earth (aka the Archonate). As penultimate implies, this is the age immediately prior to the final age described in Jack Vance’s Dying Earth stories. Humanity has spread across space (referred to as The Spray) and inhabited The Ten Thousand Worlds. The Archonate is an age based on science, technology and rationality. However, the age is also slowing giving way to magic and the non-rational.
According to the series, magic and science alternate periods in which one or the other is dominant. As the end of each of these alternating periods (which last for millennia) approaches, the repressed aspect (in this case magic) slowly begins to re-assert itself. Thus, in this series, we have a very technologically based society that is beginning to experience random pockets of magical occurrences. I thought this was a brilliant concept and makes for a wonderful ability to blend science fiction and fantasy.
The world of the Archonate and its technology is a lot of fun. Parts of it are very practical and others are quite whimsical and it provides great spice for the stories. For example, each person has an integrator, which is a “sentient” computer that organizes and collates data. It is like a personal assistant/personal computer and Hapthorn’s is a primary character in the series. It is also a bit of a wise-ass.
HENGHIS HAPTHORN
How to describe Henghis Hapthorn? This may take a moment. First, Henghis has a brilliant intellect and believes in rational, logical deduction from observable facts (hence the Sherlock Holmes comparison). Also, like Holmes, he is well aware of how smart he is and has an ego a bit on the jumbo side. He keeps his thoughts mainly to himself and does not divulge his conclusions until he has proven them, leading to repeated utterances of his signature phrase, “It would be premature to say.” He is the quintessential product of the scientific, rational age he lives in…….BUT….WAIT…because that is only half of who Henghis Hapthorn is.
[BRIEF PAUSE FOR SIDE NOTE AND POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING.] This additional side of Hapthorn is the result of events that occurred in the short stories contained in The Gist Hunter and Other Stories (which is where the character of Henghis is introduced). Thus, if you have not read those stories, my explanation will include some spoilers…. [END SIDE NOTE…]
Okay, so as I mentioned above, the universe of the Archonate is gradually shifting from a science/rational basis to a magic/intuition basis. Well, as a result of a recent excursion into another dimension, the aspect of Henghis that encompasses his intuition and non-rational deduction has become a separate and distinct personality. By this I mean, when Henghis talks to himself, his self can actually talk back. This other Henghis is the version that would be dominant in an age of Magic and the two of them are learning how to co-exist in the one body that they have. It is really a very interesting dynamic to the story.
THE PLOT
I’m going to be pretty basic regarding the plot because I don’t want to spoil anything for you. The story takes place primarily on Old Earth. Old Earth is ruled/governed by the Archon, a position that is deliberately kept vague and mysterious from the people of Old Earth. Few people ever see the Archon and this allows him to move about more freely.
Henghis is recruited by the Archon after it is discovered that there is a plot to kill him. He wants Henghis, as the world’s greatest discriminator, to uncover the plot and those responsible for it. Sounds pretty straight-forward, but it is anything but. As Henghis begins to investigate the clues begin to point to a vast, complex conspiracy that may have serious ramifications for the entire universe. Strap in and get ready for a fun and wild ride.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A terrific a wonderful story and series that should appeal to fans of Jack Vance. While the writing is not as evocative and polished as Vance, the setting itself and the science fiction/fantasy elements are every bit as fun as those in my favorite Vance stories. Hapthorn is a great character and provides a wonderful vehicle through which to carry the plot forward and keep the enjoyment factor constant. Just short of 5 stars for me and one I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
4.0 to 4.5 stars. This is such a terrific story based on such a terrific concept that I am surprised and saddended by humanity that it is not more popular and more widely known. As this is the beginning of a series of books featuring Henghis Hapthorn and the world of the Archonate, I think it might be helpful if I provide some background on the setting and the character of Henghis Hapthorn.
THE ARCHONATE
This story as well as many of Matthew Hughes’ other works take place in the Penultimate Age of the Dying Earth (aka the Archonate). As penultimate implies, this is the age immediately prior to the final age described in Jack Vance’s Dying Earth stories. Humanity has spread across space (referred to as The Spray) and inhabited The Ten Thousand Worlds. The Archonate is an age based on science, technology and rationality. However, the age is also slowing giving way to magic and the non-rational.
According to the series, magic and science alternate periods in which one or the other is dominant. As the end of each of these alternating periods (which last for millennia) approaches, the repressed aspect (in this case magic) slowly begins to re-assert itself. Thus, in this series, we have a very technologically based society that is beginning to experience random pockets of magical occurrences. I thought this was a brilliant concept and makes for a wonderful ability to blend science fiction and fantasy.
The world of the Archonate and its technology is a lot of fun. Parts of it are very practical and others are quite whimsical and it provides great spice for the stories. For example, each person has an integrator, which is a “sentient” computer that organizes and collates data. It is like a personal assistant/personal computer and Hapthorn’s is a primary character in the series. It is also a bit of a wise-ass.
HENGHIS HAPTHORN
How to describe Henghis Hapthorn? This may take a moment. First, Henghis has a brilliant intellect and believes in rational, logical deduction from observable facts (hence the Sherlock Holmes comparison). Also, like Holmes, he is well aware of how smart he is and has an ego a bit on the jumbo side. He keeps his thoughts mainly to himself and does not divulge his conclusions until he has proven them, leading to repeated utterances of his signature phrase, “It would be premature to say.” He is the quintessential product of the scientific, rational age he lives in…….BUT….WAIT…because that is only half of who Henghis Hapthorn is.
[BRIEF PAUSE FOR SIDE NOTE AND POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING.] This additional side of Hapthorn is the result of events that occurred in the short stories contained in The Gist Hunter and Other Stories (which is where the character of Henghis is introduced). Thus, if you have not read those stories, my explanation will include some spoilers…. [END SIDE NOTE…]
Okay, so as I mentioned above, the universe of the Archonate is gradually shifting from a science/rational basis to a magic/intuition basis. Well, as a result of a recent excursion into another dimension, the aspect of Henghis that encompasses his intuition and non-rational deduction has become a separate and distinct personality. By this I mean, when Henghis talks to himself, his self can actually talk back. This other Henghis is the version that would be dominant in an age of Magic and the two of them are learning how to co-exist in the one body that they have. It is really a very interesting dynamic to the story.
THE PLOT
I’m going to be pretty basic regarding the plot because I don’t want to spoil anything for you. The story takes place primarily on Old Earth. Old Earth is ruled/governed by the Archon, a position that is deliberately kept vague and mysterious from the people of Old Earth. Few people ever see the Archon and this allows him to move about more freely.
Henghis is recruited by the Archon after it is discovered that there is a plot to kill him. He wants Henghis, as the world’s greatest discriminator, to uncover the plot and those responsible for it. Sounds pretty straight-forward, but it is anything but. As Henghis begins to investigate the clues begin to point to a vast, complex conspiracy that may have serious ramifications for the entire universe. Strap in and get ready for a fun and wild ride.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A terrific a wonderful story and series that should appeal to fans of Jack Vance. While the writing is not as evocative and polished as Vance, the setting itself and the science fiction/fantasy elements are every bit as fun as those in my favorite Vance stories. Hapthorn is a great character and provides a wonderful vehicle through which to carry the plot forward and keep the enjoyment factor constant. Just short of 5 stars for me and one I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
August 6, 2019
Superb mystery, wrapped in a Jack Vance The Dying Earth inspired world of both science fiction & fantasy. Although Hughes has adopted this "Vancean" setting, it would a mistake to think that he is simply trying to emulate Vance in every respect. Unlike Vance's protagonists, usually part or wholly scoundrel, Henghis Hapthorn is best likened to a super sleuth such as Sherlock Holmes. With much of Vance's signature works, typically it's the world building that's the real highlight, with the plot itself not especially deep. Hughes' strength here is much the opposite. The world building is still good, mind you, but it's the plot - sometimes kooky, sometimes fantastical, and full of twists and turns as Hapthorn unravels a truly devious mystery - that takes the cake. Highly recommended for Jack Vance fans, but also more broadly for those seeking an enthralling, if not odd, mystery in a far out, unique setting!
March 31, 2009
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
Majestrum is a relatively short (232 page trade paperback) science fantasy set in our own far-future universe which has been colonized far and wide by humans from "Old Earth." The protagonist, Henghis Hapthorn, is a "discriminator" ("he unravels conundrums, picks apart puzzles, uncovers enigmas") who uses his keen logical skills to solve mysteries.
But some strange stuff is going on: Mr Hapthorn's integrator (a sentient computer which assists him in his work) has recently donned flesh and blood and become more like a familiar than a computer. Also, the small intuitive part of Henghis's psyche has suddenly asserted itself as a separate personality which shares Henghis's brain and body. These occurrences seem to indicate that sympathetic association (magic), which waxes and wanes across the eons, is now rising again. And soon Henghis Hapthorn's double personality and his familiar find themselves hunting an ancient evil force which is trying to resurface.
Majestrum is a fast-paced novel which reads much like a crime thriller (Matthew Hughes writes those under the name Matt Hughes) with a heavy dose of sarcasm, irony, and dry humor. The few characters are well-drawn and I am interested enough in one of them -- the archon Filidor -- that I may read the previous Archonate novels in which he was the main character.
Mr Hughes confesses to being a Jack Vance fan, and this influence is definitely noticeable. I thought I also detected some echoes of Ursula Le Guin -- especially in the spare style and the importance of names in the magic system.
Matthew Hughes' droll writing style is amusing, and there are many laugh-out-loud moments such as when Henghis has to put on upper-class ornamentation so that the nobles can perceive him, when his integrator/familiar falls asleep at crucial moments, and when hardened criminals are given to the Corps of Buffoons, fitted with coercion suits, and compelled to publicly act in bawdy plays. Even the character names are funny: Glam Botch, Bristal Baxandall, Vhobald Hammis.
This was an inventive and entertaining novel but (as usual) I've got a few minor complaints to mention. The writing style, which seemed clever at first, was overdone to the point where I really wanted to take my blue pencil to it. There were too many ten-dollar words (e.g., peregrinations, transmogrification, pansophical, ratiocination) and the characters "ascend" rather than go up, "peruse" instead of read, and "ascertain" instead of figure out. And I started to tire of these sorts of constructions (all of the characters speak this way):
* "The ensuing conversation was one of those colloquies that occur when no one wishes to mention the particularly salient fact that is nonetheless in the front of each participant's mind."
* "She made no answer but the set of her mouth told me that she had sustained worse injury than being made ridiculous before all whose opinions she valued, bad as that hurt must have been to one of her milieu."
* "She turned her head away and I could see her undertaking the uncharacteristic effort of thinking."
* "I then executed the precise formal motions that would register in the hyperesthetic circuits of his aristocratic neural net."
* "But my fear is swept away by a presentiment that I am about to experience astonishments."
The ending of Majestrum was so far-fetched that I suspect that Mr Hughes was actually going for camp. (If I had read any of his other novels, I'd have a better feel for this.) Henghis Hapthorn who, according to his alter-ego is "trapped in linear rationalism," dismisses key facts and comes to a ridiculously and obviously wrong conclusion about the strange case they're working on, and ends up putting themselves in danger. But the climax unravels itself so quickly and painlessly that there's not much feeling evoked from the reader. This seemed inconsistent with the way that the evil enemy had been portrayed up to this point, and I was a bit let down.
But, overall Majestrum is an entertaining and quick read. If you're already a Matthew Hughes fan, if you enjoy Jack Vance style science fantasy, or if you're looking for something a bit quirky and light, then I recommend Majestrum. If you're only into traditional epic fantasy or sword & sorcery, or if you have no patience for a magniloquent writing style, look elsewhere.
Read this review in context at Fantasy literature.
Majestrum is a relatively short (232 page trade paperback) science fantasy set in our own far-future universe which has been colonized far and wide by humans from "Old Earth." The protagonist, Henghis Hapthorn, is a "discriminator" ("he unravels conundrums, picks apart puzzles, uncovers enigmas") who uses his keen logical skills to solve mysteries.
But some strange stuff is going on: Mr Hapthorn's integrator (a sentient computer which assists him in his work) has recently donned flesh and blood and become more like a familiar than a computer. Also, the small intuitive part of Henghis's psyche has suddenly asserted itself as a separate personality which shares Henghis's brain and body. These occurrences seem to indicate that sympathetic association (magic), which waxes and wanes across the eons, is now rising again. And soon Henghis Hapthorn's double personality and his familiar find themselves hunting an ancient evil force which is trying to resurface.
Majestrum is a fast-paced novel which reads much like a crime thriller (Matthew Hughes writes those under the name Matt Hughes) with a heavy dose of sarcasm, irony, and dry humor. The few characters are well-drawn and I am interested enough in one of them -- the archon Filidor -- that I may read the previous Archonate novels in which he was the main character.
Mr Hughes confesses to being a Jack Vance fan, and this influence is definitely noticeable. I thought I also detected some echoes of Ursula Le Guin -- especially in the spare style and the importance of names in the magic system.
Matthew Hughes' droll writing style is amusing, and there are many laugh-out-loud moments such as when Henghis has to put on upper-class ornamentation so that the nobles can perceive him, when his integrator/familiar falls asleep at crucial moments, and when hardened criminals are given to the Corps of Buffoons, fitted with coercion suits, and compelled to publicly act in bawdy plays. Even the character names are funny: Glam Botch, Bristal Baxandall, Vhobald Hammis.
This was an inventive and entertaining novel but (as usual) I've got a few minor complaints to mention. The writing style, which seemed clever at first, was overdone to the point where I really wanted to take my blue pencil to it. There were too many ten-dollar words (e.g., peregrinations, transmogrification, pansophical, ratiocination) and the characters "ascend" rather than go up, "peruse" instead of read, and "ascertain" instead of figure out. And I started to tire of these sorts of constructions (all of the characters speak this way):
* "The ensuing conversation was one of those colloquies that occur when no one wishes to mention the particularly salient fact that is nonetheless in the front of each participant's mind."
* "She made no answer but the set of her mouth told me that she had sustained worse injury than being made ridiculous before all whose opinions she valued, bad as that hurt must have been to one of her milieu."
* "She turned her head away and I could see her undertaking the uncharacteristic effort of thinking."
* "I then executed the precise formal motions that would register in the hyperesthetic circuits of his aristocratic neural net."
* "But my fear is swept away by a presentiment that I am about to experience astonishments."
The ending of Majestrum was so far-fetched that I suspect that Mr Hughes was actually going for camp. (If I had read any of his other novels, I'd have a better feel for this.) Henghis Hapthorn who, according to his alter-ego is "trapped in linear rationalism," dismisses key facts and comes to a ridiculously and obviously wrong conclusion about the strange case they're working on, and ends up putting themselves in danger. But the climax unravels itself so quickly and painlessly that there's not much feeling evoked from the reader. This seemed inconsistent with the way that the evil enemy had been portrayed up to this point, and I was a bit let down.
But, overall Majestrum is an entertaining and quick read. If you're already a Matthew Hughes fan, if you enjoy Jack Vance style science fantasy, or if you're looking for something a bit quirky and light, then I recommend Majestrum. If you're only into traditional epic fantasy or sword & sorcery, or if you have no patience for a magniloquent writing style, look elsewhere.
Read this review in context at Fantasy literature.
October 30, 2016
This reader is burdened by headcanon regarding Vance's Dying Earth: that the age of magic is a senescence, that the state of affairs is a decay from magnificence and the inhabitants' mystical and partial understanding of the remnants of learning is a matter of dissipation and decadence. They are unable to muster the fortitude and resources to truly understand the accumulated artifacts and "spells" left from earlier and more dynamic ages.
Hughes takes a broader and incompatible view, that the swing from "linear rationalism" to "sympathetic association" and back is a periodic universal cycle which human civilization survived many times previously, and that the Earth's tremendous age and tattered condition is a unrelated progression. At the time of this story, the penultimate age in Hapthorn's words, high technology resembles magic and certain magical concepts exist under other terminology. It is a rational universe poised to slip into a magical frame.
It is, in fact, a setting that leans as much towards Vance's Gaean Reach--see in particular the Archon-like "Connatic" of the Alastor Cluster series--as the Dying Earth. And this melding makes it reminiscent of these things but also something in itself.
There are moments in the story when you go "aha!" in hindsight because this is how the nonlinear 'sympathetic association' works: it defies logical thought processes, and it is a great deal of fun how this ties together and how Hengis Hapthorn gets it so very wrong because he is a linear rationalist forced to come to grips with a system that defies his mental framework. (A framework that reminds me of A E van Vogt's non-Aristotelian characters and plots, although more elegant than van Vogt's claptrap.)
I revel in the fact that there appear to be an entire mine of Hughes stories yet to savor.
Hughes takes a broader and incompatible view, that the swing from "linear rationalism" to "sympathetic association" and back is a periodic universal cycle which human civilization survived many times previously, and that the Earth's tremendous age and tattered condition is a unrelated progression. At the time of this story, the penultimate age in Hapthorn's words, high technology resembles magic and certain magical concepts exist under other terminology. It is a rational universe poised to slip into a magical frame.
It is, in fact, a setting that leans as much towards Vance's Gaean Reach--see in particular the Archon-like "Connatic" of the Alastor Cluster series--as the Dying Earth. And this melding makes it reminiscent of these things but also something in itself.
There are moments in the story when you go "aha!" in hindsight because this is how the nonlinear 'sympathetic association' works: it defies logical thought processes, and it is a great deal of fun how this ties together and how Hengis Hapthorn gets it so very wrong because he is a linear rationalist forced to come to grips with a system that defies his mental framework. (A framework that reminds me of A E van Vogt's non-Aristotelian characters and plots, although more elegant than van Vogt's claptrap.)
I revel in the fact that there appear to be an entire mine of Hughes stories yet to savor.
June 16, 2011
This novel was a very different read, i knew the droll prose, tone of Hughes in Template that was my first novel of his. This first Henghis Hapthorn story was very entertaining,fun read. Strong character, mystery wise.
I found Henghis Haptorn himself very interesting, the only minus was there was not enough world building detail in the novel. I would like to have known more about Old Earth that is aeons in the future, The Ten Thousand human worlds, different human cultures. When he did write about alien human culture in other planets or in Old Earth he did it very well.
I found Henghis Haptorn himself very interesting, the only minus was there was not enough world building detail in the novel. I would like to have known more about Old Earth that is aeons in the future, The Ten Thousand human worlds, different human cultures. When he did write about alien human culture in other planets or in Old Earth he did it very well.
April 12, 2019
Matthew Hughes may well be a worthy successor to Jack Vance.
March 27, 2009
"Majestrum" is a lovely fantasy-SF-mystery hybrid by an author I'd literally never heard of, but definitely will look out for in the future. The story follows Henghis Hapthorn, the most famous discriminator (think: Sherlock Holmes-like detective) on Old Earth. "Old Earth", because the story is set in a Jack Vance-like Dying Earth setting, millions of years into the future when the sun's become small and orange, mankind is spread across the Ten Thousand Worlds, and the rich and decadent aristocracy rules.
Henghis is recovering from a strange interdimensional incident in which his integrator (something between an AI and a PDA) was transformed into a small furry creature, which still performs its functions but also demands exotic fruits and regularly talks back to its owner. At the same time, his own personality was split in two separate entities: his old, rational self and a more intuitive, irrational personality that shares his body (and also talks back to him).
Henghis is contacted by one of the rich and powerful aristocrats to investigate a stranger who has attached himself to his daughter. During the investigation, he begins to find out more about the changes that happened to his personality and what they may mean for the future of the universe.
This novel is simply lovely. It's at times hilariously funny, but in a reserved way --- people being very polite and formal while insulting each other. The setting, while not exactly original, is well realized and definitely shows promise for the other two Henghis Hapthorn novels that are available from Nightshade Books. I'll admit that I enjoyed the first half of the novel much more than the second half, but over all it's a great read and definitely recommended.
Henghis is recovering from a strange interdimensional incident in which his integrator (something between an AI and a PDA) was transformed into a small furry creature, which still performs its functions but also demands exotic fruits and regularly talks back to its owner. At the same time, his own personality was split in two separate entities: his old, rational self and a more intuitive, irrational personality that shares his body (and also talks back to him).
Henghis is contacted by one of the rich and powerful aristocrats to investigate a stranger who has attached himself to his daughter. During the investigation, he begins to find out more about the changes that happened to his personality and what they may mean for the future of the universe.
This novel is simply lovely. It's at times hilariously funny, but in a reserved way --- people being very polite and formal while insulting each other. The setting, while not exactly original, is well realized and definitely shows promise for the other two Henghis Hapthorn novels that are available from Nightshade Books. I'll admit that I enjoyed the first half of the novel much more than the second half, but over all it's a great read and definitely recommended.
April 9, 2008
A cosmological who-dunnit set millions of years in the future when the rational laws of physics are breaking down. A new order is emerging, one governed by the "sympathetic association" of form and symbol (aka Magic). Hughes, like Jack Vance, Gene Wolfe, and M. John Harrison before him, has set his his science fiction world of Old Earth so far in the future the story feels more like fantasy. The Holmes-like character of Henghis Hapthorn is entertaining to read, and the universe he inhabits is full of imaginative elements.
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November 24, 2023The rational/magical, ancient/future duality of the science-fantasy genre manifests here as a split in the protagonist's personality. The irrational/intuitive aspect of Henghis Hapthorn's personality has developed a voice and will of his own.
There are some genuinely funny moments in Hapthorn's interactions with the aristocratic class of this world, who are so out of touch with reality that it takes effort to keep their attention.
The dying Earth setting doesn't come through strongly. This would be just "normal" science-fantasy, but for a few scattered mentions of "Old Earth" or its "orange sun." I wanted a darker color palette and more patina of ancient futurity. The melancholy of impending oblivion is somewhat present, but it comes from the turning-of-the-wheel from rationality to magic (causing certain beloved things and ideas to become impossible), rather than from the dying of the light. Since there is no relationship between this turning-of-the-wheel and the dimming of the sun, the dying Earth setting could lift right out without altering much.
There are editing problems, including near repetition of some dialog.
Suffers from the same problem of indistinct characterization that Vance does - almost all characters speak in the same droll manner, exhibiting the same level of education and the same social sensibilities.
There are some genuinely funny moments in Hapthorn's interactions with the aristocratic class of this world, who are so out of touch with reality that it takes effort to keep their attention.
The dying Earth setting doesn't come through strongly. This would be just "normal" science-fantasy, but for a few scattered mentions of "Old Earth" or its "orange sun." I wanted a darker color palette and more patina of ancient futurity. The melancholy of impending oblivion is somewhat present, but it comes from the turning-of-the-wheel from rationality to magic (causing certain beloved things and ideas to become impossible), rather than from the dying of the light. Since there is no relationship between this turning-of-the-wheel and the dimming of the sun, the dying Earth setting could lift right out without altering much.
There are editing problems, including near repetition of some dialog.
Suffers from the same problem of indistinct characterization that Vance does - almost all characters speak in the same droll manner, exhibiting the same level of education and the same social sensibilities.
July 27, 2008
I rather enjoyed this book. This is actually the first book in a series, I read the second book first, accidentally. You can find my review of that on this site as well. Although I must admit, had I read this book first, my review of the other may have been better. While this book left the details of things fairly vague, it did somewhat explain much of the terminology and occurrences that confused me in the other. For instance, it explains about the other entity inside the main character's (Hengis Hapthorn's) head, though it doesn't explain how he got there. Then again, I'm not sure either of them know how exactly it happened either, so I suppose that it's better this way.
Overall, the story was quite entertaining. The main character is a detective, of sorts, who was asked to help with a few mysteries. And it turns out that these mysteries are somewhat intertwined, but not in the normal "this person was dating that person who was really the father of the detective" sort of way. There is internal conflict between the two entities who share a body, who are really two parts of the same person (the "rational" side and the "intuitive" side) which makes for some interesting situations. And they are of course also dealing with their artificial intelligence operated "integrator", which has been given an animal body and is getting used to things like eating, sleep, and fear. It's a very different world, but I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in a different sort of adventure story with a complex but well-thought-out plot and highly developed characters.
Overall, the story was quite entertaining. The main character is a detective, of sorts, who was asked to help with a few mysteries. And it turns out that these mysteries are somewhat intertwined, but not in the normal "this person was dating that person who was really the father of the detective" sort of way. There is internal conflict between the two entities who share a body, who are really two parts of the same person (the "rational" side and the "intuitive" side) which makes for some interesting situations. And they are of course also dealing with their artificial intelligence operated "integrator", which has been given an animal body and is getting used to things like eating, sleep, and fear. It's a very different world, but I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in a different sort of adventure story with a complex but well-thought-out plot and highly developed characters.
April 5, 2017
I happen to enjoy mystery and detective stories but frankly I have not read this type of novels since I was 12 when I used to read and devour Agatha Christie books - I have the whole Sherlock Homes works at my shelf never touched to this date. If you pardon my digression let me continue to ramble on, so I must admit that I most likely will read fantasy or science fiction and leave mysteries to films and tv shows.
However, "Majestrum" is indeed a mystery novel but at the same level it is a science fantasy novel replete with my beloved elements of visions of a distant future where magic and science touch each other naturally.
The story takes place in our own universe but in a far distant time in Earth where an elite of pedant and arrogant lords govern much as in we can see in Jack Vance's works and his Gaen Reach seems to be an inspiration for Matthew Hughes Ten Thousand Worlds of The Spray.
If you like authors like Jack Vance, Gene Wolfe, detective stories, fantasy, dragons and magic and themes as interstellar travel, mind sharing and a impressively rich conceptualization a universe built a la Dying Earth, Urth or Majipoor then we can say that "Majestrum" is your thing or better put it is our thing.
The author does not hide he reveres Jack Vance ( why should he ?:-) ) but I will add that he also has a Gene Wolfe side with first person narration and an usage of so many arcane and erudite words in phrases well written to delineate and enrich a plot that will put you reading incessantly.
However, "Majestrum" is indeed a mystery novel but at the same level it is a science fantasy novel replete with my beloved elements of visions of a distant future where magic and science touch each other naturally.
The story takes place in our own universe but in a far distant time in Earth where an elite of pedant and arrogant lords govern much as in we can see in Jack Vance's works and his Gaen Reach seems to be an inspiration for Matthew Hughes Ten Thousand Worlds of The Spray.
If you like authors like Jack Vance, Gene Wolfe, detective stories, fantasy, dragons and magic and themes as interstellar travel, mind sharing and a impressively rich conceptualization a universe built a la Dying Earth, Urth or Majipoor then we can say that "Majestrum" is your thing or better put it is our thing.
The author does not hide he reveres Jack Vance ( why should he ?:-) ) but I will add that he also has a Gene Wolfe side with first person narration and an usage of so many arcane and erudite words in phrases well written to delineate and enrich a plot that will put you reading incessantly.
December 12, 2022
having discovered jack vance's dying earth some time ago, occasionally i find myself yearning for more of the same: elaborate prose pushing at the genre's linguistic borders, timely dry humour and witty repartees, and satirical elements firmly intertwined with the plot. after reading the first book of this series, i can definitely see why it is often characterised as a homage-slash-follow-up to vancian worlds. in majestrum, the renowned detective henghis hapthorn discovers a paradighm shift looming on the horizon: his logical and orderly world of science is being threatened by an age of magical chaos, and his loyal assistant has already all but morphed into a wizardly familiar. at the same time, he has to unravel the conspiracy surrounding the almighty archon, which inevitably leads to very vancian encounters with bizarre cultures, customs, and characters. this is a weird and unpredictable mystery book that might not become an instant favourite but will definitely warrant a closer look at matthew hughes' bibliography.
March 4, 2018
A homage to Jack Vance, part Dying Earth, part Magnus Ridolph, with nods to the Gaean reach books with a large dollop of Sherlock Holmes to finish it off.
I probably should have read this book rather than listened to the audio book, the monotone narrator sucked any life out of the writing and left it drier than an Arabs sandal.
I probably should have read this book rather than listened to the audio book, the monotone narrator sucked any life out of the writing and left it drier than an Arabs sandal.
March 28, 2019
I got to meet Matthew Hughes through Gardner Dozois' anthologies (in case you weren't aware, other than in real life - this is the best place to meet authors you haven't read before). After a few successful "meetings", I looked him up and gladly noticed that the short works I read were all part of his best known setting - The Old Earth. After having spent quite some time on my 'to-read' list, I decided it's time for 'Majestrum'.
It starts off exactly as I remembered. I was treated to a very futuristic and humoristic milieu, a Jack Vance homage style with similar medieval and obscure words that fit it perfectly. Upon further 'research' I found out that this is indeed set in the same universe as Jack Vance's Dying Earth series, only in 'the era before'.
The apparently clicheistic plot of a detective asked to investigate a lord's daughter's suitor soon started evolving into much more. Parallel worlds, grizzly murders, energy weapons, flying cars, and other sci-fi tropes distinguish this from Vance's setting. I was happy to run into a lot of cool concepts I had not read before, a super villain bent on conquering all possible universes, and a surprising plot twist at the end, which, even if I liked, I am not sure I fully understood.
Not sure because I did not like the too large a number of capitalized words (places, secondary characters) for this novel's length, the almost complete prevalence of dialogue to carry the plot, and the unrelenting speed at which the narration proceeds. Some breathing / reflecting sections would have helped a lot. I think I sneezed a few times and missed a key word and lost the entire meaning of a paragraph.
Anyways, this series is worthy of further investigation!
It starts off exactly as I remembered. I was treated to a very futuristic and humoristic milieu, a Jack Vance homage style with similar medieval and obscure words that fit it perfectly. Upon further 'research' I found out that this is indeed set in the same universe as Jack Vance's Dying Earth series, only in 'the era before'.
The apparently clicheistic plot of a detective asked to investigate a lord's daughter's suitor soon started evolving into much more. Parallel worlds, grizzly murders, energy weapons, flying cars, and other sci-fi tropes distinguish this from Vance's setting. I was happy to run into a lot of cool concepts I had not read before, a super villain bent on conquering all possible universes, and a surprising plot twist at the end, which, even if I liked, I am not sure I fully understood.
Not sure because I did not like the too large a number of capitalized words (places, secondary characters) for this novel's length, the almost complete prevalence of dialogue to carry the plot, and the unrelenting speed at which the narration proceeds. Some breathing / reflecting sections would have helped a lot. I think I sneezed a few times and missed a key word and lost the entire meaning of a paragraph.
Anyways, this series is worthy of further investigation!
December 7, 2020
Majestrum is a novel I picked up after seeing Matthew Hughes recommended by a friend. While I enjoyed Hughes' writing quite a bit, this story felt awfully abrupt to me - it felt as though a lot was expected knowledge out of the gate, and a bit too much of a crash-course directly into the story. As the novel carried on, I enjoyed the interplay between Hapthorn and his Integrator quite a bit, and lead to some genuinely funny moments. The mystery elements were interesting enough, and largely kept me engaged in the story, even if I did find my mind wandering a bit more while reading than I find when I'm deep in a book. Overall, an interesting novel.
limbo
June 16, 2018~ 15% - I might have liked this when I was younger. It makes me think of Harry Harrison or Ron Goulart, but just isn't engaging me. It's like it's trying to make up for a crap plot by tossing in every idea he can think of. The "mystery" is completely uninteresting, and I'm just not here for this split persona, or the pseudo-cat familiar/ai assistant. Meh.
October 11, 2017
Average YA detective story disguised as a fantasy space opera.
May 24, 2013
Majestrum is a book that's stuck with me for a while now. It's been a year since I read the damned thing. But I saw it sitting in my bookshelf just now and I felt the impulse to write a review. So here we are.
Majestrum probably stuck with me for one particular reason: it's style parodies- lovingly, heroically, always dryly- the antiquarian, Enlish English I associate with Victorian and post-Victorian writers. I love that stuffy style (depending on the writer) because I find it delightful when authors successfully string together as many obscure Latin- or Greek-rooted words as they can. I know that's not a delight I'm likely to have in common with most folks (yes, the use of 'folks' is intentionally ironic), but I know there have got to be a few kindred spirits out there who also know a dead language or two and share my love of intricately ponderous diction. You guys ought to read Majestrum.
Further, Majestrum is a fantastical (perhaps steampunk) adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. Who doesn't love Sherlock Holmes? Communists, that's who. And you're not a Communist, are you reader?
Anyhow, I particularly like the concept of Hughes' stand-in for Sherlock. Like the original, he's a brilliant and eccentric private detective. But Sherlock was a detective ahead of his time impatiently waiting for modernity to catch up. Hapthorn is a detective comfortably ensconced in modernity, living in a world which is becoming fantastic (and decidedly non-modern). And Hapthorn knows that he will not survive his world's inevitable transition. Hapthorn can spot his Reichenbach Falls from a great distance, and the tragedy of this lends extra complexity and depth to an already venerable character.
So yeah. If you like big words for the sake of big words, or if you like Sherlock Holmes a lot, read this book.
Majestrum probably stuck with me for one particular reason: it's style parodies- lovingly, heroically, always dryly- the antiquarian, Enlish English I associate with Victorian and post-Victorian writers. I love that stuffy style (depending on the writer) because I find it delightful when authors successfully string together as many obscure Latin- or Greek-rooted words as they can. I know that's not a delight I'm likely to have in common with most folks (yes, the use of 'folks' is intentionally ironic), but I know there have got to be a few kindred spirits out there who also know a dead language or two and share my love of intricately ponderous diction. You guys ought to read Majestrum.
Further, Majestrum is a fantastical (perhaps steampunk) adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. Who doesn't love Sherlock Holmes? Communists, that's who. And you're not a Communist, are you reader?
Anyhow, I particularly like the concept of Hughes' stand-in for Sherlock. Like the original, he's a brilliant and eccentric private detective. But Sherlock was a detective ahead of his time impatiently waiting for modernity to catch up. Hapthorn is a detective comfortably ensconced in modernity, living in a world which is becoming fantastic (and decidedly non-modern). And Hapthorn knows that he will not survive his world's inevitable transition. Hapthorn can spot his Reichenbach Falls from a great distance, and the tragedy of this lends extra complexity and depth to an already venerable character.
So yeah. If you like big words for the sake of big words, or if you like Sherlock Holmes a lot, read this book.
May 8, 2008
The one where Henghis Hapthorn is a discriminator -- i.e. detective -- in a world where the age of science is in the process of giving way to the age of magic.
I dropped this quite abruptly on page 200. I know: Who abandons a book less than forty pages from the end? But here's my problem.
Hapthorn has only two significant relationships. One is with his integrator, which I gather used to be something like an AI but is now a little furry animal that serves as his familiar. The other is with his intuitive, right-brained self, now manifesting as a separate person though sharing the same body.
That's bad enough, but he doesn't even really have relationships with them. Instead, he has the same tedious conversation over and over. With the integrator, he says, "You never used to [sleep/eat/have emotions]. It is inconvenient for me that you do now," and the integrator says, "Things are not as they used to be." With his intuitive self, he says, "I don't trust your information," and the intuitive self says, "You used to, when we were one person," and he says, "Yes, but now my age is on the way out and your age is about to begin, and I don't trust you not to try to do me in to hasten the process."
And this happens so often that eventually I said, "All right, the next time I see a multi-page conversation that covers this same ground, I'm-a quit reading." And I did.
I dropped this quite abruptly on page 200. I know: Who abandons a book less than forty pages from the end? But here's my problem.
Hapthorn has only two significant relationships. One is with his integrator, which I gather used to be something like an AI but is now a little furry animal that serves as his familiar. The other is with his intuitive, right-brained self, now manifesting as a separate person though sharing the same body.
That's bad enough, but he doesn't even really have relationships with them. Instead, he has the same tedious conversation over and over. With the integrator, he says, "You never used to [sleep/eat/have emotions]. It is inconvenient for me that you do now," and the integrator says, "Things are not as they used to be." With his intuitive self, he says, "I don't trust your information," and the intuitive self says, "You used to, when we were one person," and he says, "Yes, but now my age is on the way out and your age is about to begin, and I don't trust you not to try to do me in to hasten the process."
And this happens so often that eventually I said, "All right, the next time I see a multi-page conversation that covers this same ground, I'm-a quit reading." And I did.
May 28, 2009
I've been a big fan of Matt Hughes ever since I read my first Henghis Hapthorn short story in F&SF a few years ago. If I'm counting right, this is his 5th novel.
Strange things have happened to Henghis and his assistant in the last few stories and this one takes that a step further. I can't recommend that you read this before any of the other Henghis stories as it may not stand alone. All of Hughes books take place in the same universe, the penultimate age of earth. We're at a time where magic is again on the increase and this book is integral to that evolution.
Originally Hehghis seemed to me to be a sort of armchair detective, but in this one, he's off galavanting around the worlds in search of the mystery he's been assigned.
This is not exactly a "lite" read, but Hughes" humor (not belly laugh like Pratchett or Adams, but still funny) makes it bearable.
Highly recommened, but read the short stories (Gist Hunter and Other Stories and the other novels first, it'll make more sense.
Strange things have happened to Henghis and his assistant in the last few stories and this one takes that a step further. I can't recommend that you read this before any of the other Henghis stories as it may not stand alone. All of Hughes books take place in the same universe, the penultimate age of earth. We're at a time where magic is again on the increase and this book is integral to that evolution.
Originally Hehghis seemed to me to be a sort of armchair detective, but in this one, he's off galavanting around the worlds in search of the mystery he's been assigned.
This is not exactly a "lite" read, but Hughes" humor (not belly laugh like Pratchett or Adams, but still funny) makes it bearable.
Highly recommened, but read the short stories (Gist Hunter and Other Stories and the other novels first, it'll make more sense.
February 20, 2016
Excellent! I can honestly say that I would recommend anything written by Matt. His work is always up to his high standards, not to mention the stories are just so much fun to read. Mystery, comedy, adventure. What's not to like?
Majestrum is the opening volume of a trilogy starring Matt's Sherlock Holmesian Henghis Hapthorn, freelance discriminator. Living in the city of Olkney on Old Earth, Hapthorn gets drawn into a case that leads him to discover that magic is about to overtake science on Old Earth, as the two have cycled back and forth for ages. Hapthorn, a logical man if ever there was one, is unprepared for this and experiences some strange occurences due to the change and his resistance to it. To get into details is to spoil the story, and I think Matt can tell it much better than I can. Highly recommended for fans of Jack Vance, Sherlock Holmes, or just great SF/F. Enjoy!
Majestrum is the opening volume of a trilogy starring Matt's Sherlock Holmesian Henghis Hapthorn, freelance discriminator. Living in the city of Olkney on Old Earth, Hapthorn gets drawn into a case that leads him to discover that magic is about to overtake science on Old Earth, as the two have cycled back and forth for ages. Hapthorn, a logical man if ever there was one, is unprepared for this and experiences some strange occurences due to the change and his resistance to it. To get into details is to spoil the story, and I think Matt can tell it much better than I can. Highly recommended for fans of Jack Vance, Sherlock Holmes, or just great SF/F. Enjoy!
June 10, 2008
Sherlock Holmes in the far flung future, with humanity set on several thousand worlds, including "Old Earth", which is ruled by ironclad customs and history. A little weak in a few areas, but I'll be getting more by this author, as it was a delight to read, with some really funny lines and an intriguing plot.
April 1, 2022
Why have I never read anything by Matthew Hughes before reading Majestrum: A Tale of Henghis Hapthorn? Did I land in the middle of a series? Are all of his books as clever as this one? I don’t know the answer. Majestrum is the most entertaining split-brain tale I’ve read since Robert Don Hughes’ (no relation) two-headed dragon, Vicia-Heinox in The Prophet of Lamath. In this case, instead of portraying a two-headed antagonist who could speak aloud, the story presents a right-brain/left-brain protagonist who debates internally within himself. The author is aware that the hemispherical dominance of the brain is not purely affective versus cognitive, but the characters representing these domains (still the same protagonist) do act as inclusively intuitive versus linearly rational even when their internal dialogue demonstrates a blurring, shifting within them.
Henghis Hapthorn is a discriminator, apparently his universe’s equivalent to a consulting detective. Rather than having an amanuensis named Dr. Watson as his foil, he has an integrator (what was originally a digital personal assistant which has “magically” taken a life of its own) to do his dirty work and prod him from time-to-time as well as his inner self, the living affective domain which seems to have come to life in his personality at the same time as his integrator came to life. The inner dialogue assumes rather a coarse harshness at first, though his affective self does dispense a wise aphorism that “a man who is afraid of himself needs no enemies.” (p. 99) As the book continues, the motivation for this rivalry is revealed and proves uniquely important to the plot.
To be honest, I don’t know whether to label this novel as science-fiction, science-fantasy, or merely fantasy. There are elements of all three. To solve the mystery of an obscure convocation which seems to be somewhat related to a plot against the archon, Henghis must travel across several star systems using “whimsies” as some science-fiction stories use wormholes. We discover that the civilization he knows is largely derived from the First Efflocation, a human diaspora from Earth (p. 148), but the Old Earth has been resettled as a fashionable regentrification project (p. 149) . It turns out the universe slowly cycles between mechanical/chemical dominance and magical dominance and Henghis must figure out what is prematurely driving the universe toward the magical dominance that he fears will minimize his life.
Hence, one also encounters an awareness of (but not, at least yet, a dominance of) magical powers. Hughes has enabled this magical reality with marvelous spell names that would make Arneson and Gygax envious: Albernoth’s Nagging Itch (p. 132), Sringitan’s Subtle Compulsion (p. 132), Ramaran’s Progressive Rescindment (p. 134), Loang’s Impenetrable Box (p. 154), Brumaire’s Physiognomiical Torrent (p. 156), or Sengovan’s Fortifier of the Spirit (p. 188), for example. Of course, the threat of magical dominance being premature, one would likely (along with rational Henghis) wonder about the value and validity of such spells.
Naturally, this tension between logic and thaumaturgic provides a fascinating and cleverly written story. This is not television-style or action-movie fodder science-fiction. Majestrum: A Tale of Henghis Hapthorn is a fascinating, thought-provoking, meandering, and amazing story. Though I usually enjoy stories with more overt conflict in them than Hughes provides here, I’ve never read a book quite like this one. It impinged on my dreams. It haunted my thoughts. And it provoked my imagination! How could I deduct anything from the highest rating?
Henghis Hapthorn is a discriminator, apparently his universe’s equivalent to a consulting detective. Rather than having an amanuensis named Dr. Watson as his foil, he has an integrator (what was originally a digital personal assistant which has “magically” taken a life of its own) to do his dirty work and prod him from time-to-time as well as his inner self, the living affective domain which seems to have come to life in his personality at the same time as his integrator came to life. The inner dialogue assumes rather a coarse harshness at first, though his affective self does dispense a wise aphorism that “a man who is afraid of himself needs no enemies.” (p. 99) As the book continues, the motivation for this rivalry is revealed and proves uniquely important to the plot.
To be honest, I don’t know whether to label this novel as science-fiction, science-fantasy, or merely fantasy. There are elements of all three. To solve the mystery of an obscure convocation which seems to be somewhat related to a plot against the archon, Henghis must travel across several star systems using “whimsies” as some science-fiction stories use wormholes. We discover that the civilization he knows is largely derived from the First Efflocation, a human diaspora from Earth (p. 148), but the Old Earth has been resettled as a fashionable regentrification project (p. 149) . It turns out the universe slowly cycles between mechanical/chemical dominance and magical dominance and Henghis must figure out what is prematurely driving the universe toward the magical dominance that he fears will minimize his life.
Hence, one also encounters an awareness of (but not, at least yet, a dominance of) magical powers. Hughes has enabled this magical reality with marvelous spell names that would make Arneson and Gygax envious: Albernoth’s Nagging Itch (p. 132), Sringitan’s Subtle Compulsion (p. 132), Ramaran’s Progressive Rescindment (p. 134), Loang’s Impenetrable Box (p. 154), Brumaire’s Physiognomiical Torrent (p. 156), or Sengovan’s Fortifier of the Spirit (p. 188), for example. Of course, the threat of magical dominance being premature, one would likely (along with rational Henghis) wonder about the value and validity of such spells.
Naturally, this tension between logic and thaumaturgic provides a fascinating and cleverly written story. This is not television-style or action-movie fodder science-fiction. Majestrum: A Tale of Henghis Hapthorn is a fascinating, thought-provoking, meandering, and amazing story. Though I usually enjoy stories with more overt conflict in them than Hughes provides here, I’ve never read a book quite like this one. It impinged on my dreams. It haunted my thoughts. And it provoked my imagination! How could I deduct anything from the highest rating?
July 5, 2025
The back cover of this book refers to a series I'd like to read but have not yet: The Dying Earth. This book had some definite flaws (a drop you into the middle start, confusion as to who the voices are talking to the main character, and some clunky language). But the unusual word choices throughout, along with the dry humor, had an odd appeal for me.
We learn that Henghis Hapthorn is a skilled investigator. He is accompanied by a computer assistant (integrator) who has recently taken the form of a small animal and part of his psyche who responds to things separately from Henghis. This is all a bit confusing for a while.
In inventive and educated language, we learn that bodies are discovered minus eyes and other body parts as well as remains of a strange black powder. Henghis is hired by the high-ranking Archon to discover what is happening. The world feels somewhat Sci Fi (multiple planets, flying airships, computer technology) as well as Fantasy like, with magic that increases as Henghis gets closer to solving the mystery. The mystery includes a book of magic spells with names written in colored ink in the front, an unusual young boy who appears and disappears seemingly at will, and a mystery man, Osk Rievor. Many of the characters stand out as unique. Henghis does quite a bit of looking into things before he realizes what is happening. The mystery is solved rather quickly, but thankfully with a bit more explanation. .
In the end, magic plays a strong role in the crimes, moving away from the rational investigation Henghis begins to a more vague explanation. But there was a charm to the conversations between the parts of Henghis, and some humorous interactions with various characters. The characters and some of the dialogue and descriptions were fun, the world unique. Other times, I felt the author needed to refine his work more.
The pacing is strong. I'd like to read more from this author to experience more of this unique approach.
We learn that Henghis Hapthorn is a skilled investigator. He is accompanied by a computer assistant (integrator) who has recently taken the form of a small animal and part of his psyche who responds to things separately from Henghis. This is all a bit confusing for a while.
In inventive and educated language, we learn that bodies are discovered minus eyes and other body parts as well as remains of a strange black powder. Henghis is hired by the high-ranking Archon to discover what is happening. The world feels somewhat Sci Fi (multiple planets, flying airships, computer technology) as well as Fantasy like, with magic that increases as Henghis gets closer to solving the mystery. The mystery includes a book of magic spells with names written in colored ink in the front, an unusual young boy who appears and disappears seemingly at will, and a mystery man, Osk Rievor. Many of the characters stand out as unique. Henghis does quite a bit of looking into things before he realizes what is happening. The mystery is solved rather quickly, but thankfully with a bit more explanation. .
In the end, magic plays a strong role in the crimes, moving away from the rational investigation Henghis begins to a more vague explanation. But there was a charm to the conversations between the parts of Henghis, and some humorous interactions with various characters. The characters and some of the dialogue and descriptions were fun, the world unique. Other times, I felt the author needed to refine his work more.
The pacing is strong. I'd like to read more from this author to experience more of this unique approach.
March 25, 2017
Majestrum (2006) 232 pages by Matthew Hughes.
Henghis Hapthorn is the foremost discriminator (private detective) in Olkney. He has an integrator (sort of an AI) and a part of his brain that he calls his intuitive side. His previous case pulled him into some magical realm and now his integrator is an ape-cat creature, acts like a magician's familiar and his intuitive side has developed into a second entity.
He gets a case to investigate the origin of the suitor of a wealthy aristocrat's daughter. When that is done the Archon comes to him with another case--intrigue at the palace. He needs someone independent because he doesn't know who to trust.
Four aeons ago in the seventeenth aeon Majestrum was the Authority (precursor to Archons) and wanted to gain power. To do so he defeated the one thaumaturge that chose to challenge him and then got seven others to construct a device to collect power from another dimension. The seven went ahead and did Majestrum's bidding, each constructing their own piece (Majestrum wanted no one else to know everything). At the completion of the project, they included a hidden defect in the key to the device to thwart Majestrums plans, the device created an explosion, turning Horthalian district into the desert now known as Barran.
Hapthorn chases down clues, doing his best to solve the case. There are many dialogs with his other self. Many concerning the fear of the change from a scientific to magical universe, which will bring his other self to the forefront and leave him with a diminished role. It's a pretty good mystery, typical Hughes humor and great characters. Haptorn's inner struggle key to all three of those elements. It is not premature to say that I definitely look forward to reading more Hughes.
Henghis Hapthorn is the foremost discriminator (private detective) in Olkney. He has an integrator (sort of an AI) and a part of his brain that he calls his intuitive side. His previous case pulled him into some magical realm and now his integrator is an ape-cat creature, acts like a magician's familiar and his intuitive side has developed into a second entity.
He gets a case to investigate the origin of the suitor of a wealthy aristocrat's daughter. When that is done the Archon comes to him with another case--intrigue at the palace. He needs someone independent because he doesn't know who to trust.
Four aeons ago in the seventeenth aeon Majestrum was the Authority (precursor to Archons) and wanted to gain power. To do so he defeated the one thaumaturge that chose to challenge him and then got seven others to construct a device to collect power from another dimension. The seven went ahead and did Majestrum's bidding, each constructing their own piece (Majestrum wanted no one else to know everything). At the completion of the project, they included a hidden defect in the key to the device to thwart Majestrums plans, the device created an explosion, turning Horthalian district into the desert now known as Barran.
Hapthorn chases down clues, doing his best to solve the case. There are many dialogs with his other self. Many concerning the fear of the change from a scientific to magical universe, which will bring his other self to the forefront and leave him with a diminished role. It's a pretty good mystery, typical Hughes humor and great characters. Haptorn's inner struggle key to all three of those elements. It is not premature to say that I definitely look forward to reading more Hughes.
June 7, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the rational world of science is flipping over to the irrational one of magic, which is the world that I began reading when I discovered Hughes' writing. I really enjoy his later work, which is pure fantasy, while his earlier work which I am finally reading is much more like science fiction, or at least a version of fantasy that relies more on machines and space ships and less on spells and flying carpets.
This book marks a transition between the two and so I hope the next few volumes are more to my liking.
Like most of the early Archonate stories, the main character comes across as a bit of a doofus. I could see that Henghis was wrong and his other self was clearly right. In spite of being a top discriminator he really didn't seem all to bright at the best of times. I must say the long discussions of distrust between Hapthorn's two selves were long and boring and didn't move the story ahead very quickly. I also felt that things got repeated a bit too frequently. The age of Hapthorn's demon friend was mentioned at least three times and didn't need to be.
I enjoyed the ending quite a bit, but the journey to get there was a little harder than I like, which is probably why it took me so long to finish this one.
This book marks a transition between the two and so I hope the next few volumes are more to my liking.
Like most of the early Archonate stories, the main character comes across as a bit of a doofus. I could see that Henghis was wrong and his other self was clearly right. In spite of being a top discriminator he really didn't seem all to bright at the best of times. I must say the long discussions of distrust between Hapthorn's two selves were long and boring and didn't move the story ahead very quickly. I also felt that things got repeated a bit too frequently. The age of Hapthorn's demon friend was mentioned at least three times and didn't need to be.
I enjoyed the ending quite a bit, but the journey to get there was a little harder than I like, which is probably why it took me so long to finish this one.
September 13, 2017
This is an entertaining Dying Earth type book on solid and original concepts - Henghis Hapthorn, scion of the age of rationalism, has to unwind a twisty plot smacking of ancient magic, with the added burden of a decidedly irrational split personality who's set up shop in the parlor of his mind. Splashy interplanetary/dimensional adventures ensue.
The issue I had with this book is a number of continuity and editing errors: it says "north" on one page and "south" on the next, one chapter begins with Hapthorn approaching a planet that is never mentioned again after a jump back in time, it seems two hermits merge into one, and at one point a waiter turns into a head chef within a conversation. Perhaps these are all pieces of some clever puzzle that I failed to grasp. But at this time I'm just assuming they're mistakes and although I enjoyed the book there was a bit of confusion.
In all, really liked the story and characters, and will pick up any other book in this series.
The issue I had with this book is a number of continuity and editing errors: it says "north" on one page and "south" on the next, one chapter begins with Hapthorn approaching a planet that is never mentioned again after a jump back in time, it seems two hermits merge into one, and at one point a waiter turns into a head chef within a conversation. Perhaps these are all pieces of some clever puzzle that I failed to grasp. But at this time I'm just assuming they're mistakes and although I enjoyed the book there was a bit of confusion.
In all, really liked the story and characters, and will pick up any other book in this series.
December 16, 2017
This is a delightfully weird book.
Two features I liked:
1. Such major weird things happened to Henghis Hapthorn before the book started that I kept thinking this must be the second book in the series. But no, this is the first book. We just have to get up to speed.
2. One of the things that happened is that Hapthorn is now living with another complete personality in his head who can share his body. This is something Hapthorn has challenges with, but mostly he just accepts it and makes the best of it. Which really is what many of us would actually do.
I'm delighted to have an author to add to my must-read list.
Two features I liked:
1. Such major weird things happened to Henghis Hapthorn before the book started that I kept thinking this must be the second book in the series. But no, this is the first book. We just have to get up to speed.
2. One of the things that happened is that Hapthorn is now living with another complete personality in his head who can share his body. This is something Hapthorn has challenges with, but mostly he just accepts it and makes the best of it. Which really is what many of us would actually do.
I'm delighted to have an author to add to my must-read list.
August 22, 2020
I liked the old-fashioned feeling, the mixture of magic and rationalism, sci-fi and fantasy, if you will, the ironic voice. The world building was interesting, but served the story and not vice versa. However, the finale, although somewhat satisfying, lost a lot of momentum. Same goes for passages of the novel where the question-answer game of which most dialogues are construed results in a kind of over-pensiveness. I see the general similarity to Jack Vance, but the latter one is still some steps above this nice adventure.
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