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The Harp of the Grey Rose
He is the Songweaver, but before he was a master of song he was merely Cerin of Wran Cheaping—a seventeen-year-old orphan raised by a wildland witch. Then he encountered the Maid of the Grey Rose—the lone survivor of the war that devastated the Trembling Lands and the promised bride of Yarac Stone-Slayer, the feared and terrible Waster. The mysterious beauty captured Cerin’s heart, drawing him into a world both dark and deadly, until, armed with only a tinkerblade and the magic of song, he would take on a man’s challenge . . . and choose a treacherous path toward a magnificent destiny. The Harp of the Grey Rose is award-winning fantasist Charles de Lint’s first novel, long out of print—and it hints of the wonderful stories to come.
230 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1985
9 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
About the author
Charles de Lint
447 books4,004 followersCharles de Lint is the much beloved author of more than seventy adult, young adult, and children's books. Renowned as one of the trailblazers of the modern fantasy genre, he is the recipient of the World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, and White Pine awards, among others. Modern Library's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century poll, conducted by Random House and voted on by readers, put eight of de Lint's books among the top 100.
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for several prominent awards, including the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore Sturgeon and Bram Stoker.
Born in the Netherlands in 1951, de Lint immigrated to Canada with his family as an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, and was chosen by the New York Times Editors as one of the top six children's books for 2013. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for several prominent awards, including the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore Sturgeon and Bram Stoker.
Born in the Netherlands in 1951, de Lint immigrated to Canada with his family as an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, and was chosen by the New York Times Editors as one of the top six children's books for 2013. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
November 17, 2018
Charles de Lint is one of my favorite authors, though I hadn't actually read anything by him in years before picking up this novel as one to read to my wife for the second time. We'd read it back in the early 90s, but I'd forgotten much of the plot (and Barb had forgotten all of it!), so I felt it needed a reread before I could do it justice in a review. That was a fortunate decision; we both greatly enjoyed this read, and it reminded me afresh of why I appreciate de Lint so much as a writer!
Although his current reputation has mostly been made in the urban fantasy sub-genre, the author has an equally deft hand with traditional fantasy, which this book is; he wrote more in the latter vein earlier in his career, and after starting this reread, I learned that this was in fact his first novel, though he'd already written a number of short stories. It's an exceptionally accomplished first novel, IMO, with no marks of the beginner about it. Our fantasy world here is a low-tech, medieval-like one, with a decidedly Celtic flavor (the back cover copy uses the word Celtic, though the book text doesn't): there are standing stones, wandering tinker folk and harpers, individuals with the Sight, burial mounds, and other borrowings from Celtic folkways and lore; and the Tuathan, who play a major role here, are clearly modeled on the Tuatha De Danann of Irish legend (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuatha_... ). Some of the proper names and specialized terms are Celtic-derived (though protagonist Cerin's name is pronounced with a soft C, while that letter in Celtic philology is always hard). Like many fantasies, it's a coming of age story, with a 17-year-old hero; and though an adult novel, it's YA-friendly, with no sex or foul language.
De Lint creates a textured fantasy world here, like Tolkien's, which has an ancient back history, with past devastating wars and elder races with long legacies; it's part of a cosmology of other dimensions and worlds, from which the Tuathan and their evil rivals the Daketh originally came. The Kindreds think of them as gods (and religion in this world is strictly pagan), but they aren't that, and didn't create the worlds. (A half-Tuathan character believes that was done by "a power like the law of the Wysling, a hidden silence like music;" de Lint's body of work doesn't have the Christian framework of Tolkien's.) Dwarves and elves ("erls") here are also Tolkien-like; but there are other fantasy creations that spring from de Lint's own distinctive imagination. The well-shaped plot structures itself as a high-stakes quest narrative, beset with very real lethal dangers; but one quest goal begets others, and the author is masterful at maintaining suspense and creating surprising twists. There's a definite good vs. evil moral context; the two aren't hard to distinguish, so Cerin's challenge here is to find strength in himself to accomplish what he knows he has to for the good to prevail. I cared about the characters, and the tale has a strongly emotionally evocative quality.
Much modern fantasy literature takes the form of huge, multi-volume sagas that demand a substantial commitment of time; this one builds a satisfying complete story arc with epic scope in 226 excellently paced pages. Most fantasy fans, I think, would find this well worth a read.
Although his current reputation has mostly been made in the urban fantasy sub-genre, the author has an equally deft hand with traditional fantasy, which this book is; he wrote more in the latter vein earlier in his career, and after starting this reread, I learned that this was in fact his first novel, though he'd already written a number of short stories. It's an exceptionally accomplished first novel, IMO, with no marks of the beginner about it. Our fantasy world here is a low-tech, medieval-like one, with a decidedly Celtic flavor (the back cover copy uses the word Celtic, though the book text doesn't): there are standing stones, wandering tinker folk and harpers, individuals with the Sight, burial mounds, and other borrowings from Celtic folkways and lore; and the Tuathan, who play a major role here, are clearly modeled on the Tuatha De Danann of Irish legend (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuatha_... ). Some of the proper names and specialized terms are Celtic-derived (though protagonist Cerin's name is pronounced with a soft C, while that letter in Celtic philology is always hard). Like many fantasies, it's a coming of age story, with a 17-year-old hero; and though an adult novel, it's YA-friendly, with no sex or foul language.
De Lint creates a textured fantasy world here, like Tolkien's, which has an ancient back history, with past devastating wars and elder races with long legacies; it's part of a cosmology of other dimensions and worlds, from which the Tuathan and their evil rivals the Daketh originally came. The Kindreds think of them as gods (and religion in this world is strictly pagan), but they aren't that, and didn't create the worlds. (A half-Tuathan character believes that was done by "a power like the law of the Wysling, a hidden silence like music;" de Lint's body of work doesn't have the Christian framework of Tolkien's.) Dwarves and elves ("erls") here are also Tolkien-like; but there are other fantasy creations that spring from de Lint's own distinctive imagination. The well-shaped plot structures itself as a high-stakes quest narrative, beset with very real lethal dangers; but one quest goal begets others, and the author is masterful at maintaining suspense and creating surprising twists. There's a definite good vs. evil moral context; the two aren't hard to distinguish, so Cerin's challenge here is to find strength in himself to accomplish what he knows he has to for the good to prevail. I cared about the characters, and the tale has a strongly emotionally evocative quality.
Much modern fantasy literature takes the form of huge, multi-volume sagas that demand a substantial commitment of time; this one builds a satisfying complete story arc with epic scope in 226 excellently paced pages. Most fantasy fans, I think, would find this well worth a read.
October 20, 2010
The Harp of the Grey Rose has been called many things. A collection of cliches...a same old quest fantasy...nothing special.
For me, it was much more. This book was a return to my reading roots. I grew up in the days of Terry Brooks first fantasy stories and cut my reading teeth on Raymond Feist. This was built to appeal to the audience that dominated the mid-80's.
This was the first book de Lint actually wrote, but it was the second or third that he published. It is rough and I easily recognized the base fantasy model in the story of Cerin. Even with this basic approach, the reader can pick up on the voice of Charles de Lint and his own original touches.
My favorite part of de Lint's works is the mystery and vastness he portrays in his fantasy universes. The author did not give away all of the secrets of this literary universe in one book. He saved some for other stories such as Riddle of the Wren. This approach has carried over into much of his later works in his Newford universe.
Overall, if you are a fantasy lover or a de Lint fan...I recommend this highly.
For me, it was much more. This book was a return to my reading roots. I grew up in the days of Terry Brooks first fantasy stories and cut my reading teeth on Raymond Feist. This was built to appeal to the audience that dominated the mid-80's.
This was the first book de Lint actually wrote, but it was the second or third that he published. It is rough and I easily recognized the base fantasy model in the story of Cerin. Even with this basic approach, the reader can pick up on the voice of Charles de Lint and his own original touches.
My favorite part of de Lint's works is the mystery and vastness he portrays in his fantasy universes. The author did not give away all of the secrets of this literary universe in one book. He saved some for other stories such as Riddle of the Wren. This approach has carried over into much of his later works in his Newford universe.
Overall, if you are a fantasy lover or a de Lint fan...I recommend this highly.
November 18, 2018
**spoilers!! please be warned**
First published in 1985, author Charles de Lint says of this adult fantasy in his author's note at the end: "'The Harp of the Grey Rose' isn't the first book I started, but it's the first I finished.'" I definitely felt the truth of those words while reading, because this book reads like a first novel. The pacing is off, the plot loses steam early on and struggles to regain its tension (never successfully), and the female love interest of the title, most often called "the maid" or "the Grey Rose" by the male main character, ends the book by basically telling the hero, "I'm just not that into you." But she uses some bullsh*t excuse about suffering and time instead of just telling him the truth, which was super annoying. I wish she had just died at the end, since I was pretty much over her character as a plot device by that point and longed for her destruction. It's never a good sign when you're hoping the plot-device heroine dies.
Alas, I am made of salt and bitterness. I give this book 2.5 stars, and round it up to 3.
I wish I had loved this book, because "The Harp of the Grey Rose" is my friend Hannah's favorite fantasy novel, and she gave me this book as a gift.
The first 83 pages, or 30% of this novel, were a great read. I was really enjoying myself when the story began. This book is a classic fantasy bildungsroman, with a young boy named Cerin who is destined to save the world. He sets off on his hero's journey by leaving his small town behind, desperate to save Leia Organa Skywalker -- oh, sorry -- I mean the Grey Rose, a girl who is part goddess and blessed with immortal life. Very early in the book, the Grey Rose is kidnapped by an immortal shadow killer god-type thing named... sorry, I can't remember the first antagonist's name. Yarac the Waster is the name given on the back of the book, so I think that's him. Cerin easily kills Yarac within the first 83 pages, and the book introduces a new villain off-scene, a super-malevolent female killer armed with super-malevolent magic. I can't remember her name, either, but I was glad when she finally died because she was utterly horrible.
Cerin spends the bulk of this novel meeting a lot of warrior-dude buddies who help him on his quest to learn how to fight, use his magic, and save the Grey Rose, who is almost always off-scene and under constant threat of death by the super-malevolent witch woman, because reasons. The evil witch lady takes over a whole city and then sends creepy monsters after Cerin to kill him. There's a dwarf character who is a *lot* like Gimli (from The Lord of the Rings), and a talking bear-warrior friend who is a lot like Iorek Byrnison (from The Golden Compass, 1995). Talking animal friends are a popular trope in fantasy, and this novel has bears and other animals who talk and act just like people.
While "The Harp of the Grey Rose" is a traditional sausage-fest of male warriors who are motivated by: 1. the evil witch destroying everything, and 2. the beautiful good female who is the mc's love interest, it did attempt to subvert a few of the Super Fantasy Tropes that make this book so predictable. Having the Grey Rose tell Cerin at the end to (basically) piss off was one such subversion. My favorite part of this book was that the Grey Rose is the one to defeat the evil witch at the end, rather than Cerin or one of the other warrior-dudes. Though I have a suspicion there was only a sense of author-chivalry behind that choice, in that the author worried Cerin might be seen as an asshole for "killing a woman" at the end, so the Grey Rose gets that duty. Who knows.
There's also a topless woman who has the lower body of a deer in this book, because titties. Cerin might not get the Grey Rose at the end, but he does get to stare at some very pretty boobies. This naked deer-woman makes two appearances in the story, because boobies. I think she also kisses Cerin on the mouth, and the Grey Rose kisses him on the mouth at the end of the story, too. That's the extent of the novel's sexual content.
The nicest aspect of this book, for me, was that Cerin is a harpist, and he uses his music and his harp as a magical power. While the plot moments largely fell flat for me, regarding his powers and how they are used, Cerin does finally make good on his magic by the end, and that was nice.
The story is told in first person, and the writing is good, full of interesting detail and a nice use of vocabulary. But for all of its competency, the prose feels distant and lacks urgency. It often feels like Cerin is narrating this tale as an old man, and after the first 30% of the book, I never felt any fear for him, or wondered what would happen to him or how his story would end. The book just hammered hard on the most common fantasy tropes, and added a lot of world-building detail that went nowhere. While I liked seeing a male main character cry in a novel, the fact that the Grey Rose dumps Cerin at the end really made Cerin's growth into manhood suffer overall. Cerin isn't the one who vanquishes the evil witch, he cries more than once through the book, he has to be pushed by the Grey Rose and other people to use his magic at all, even at the end of the story -- and to me, he still felt like a 17-year-old boy by the end, not fully an adult yet.
I admit that I'm not the best audience for adult fantasy books. I didn't care for "The Golden Compass," or "Uprooted," I've only seen "The Lord of the Rings" movies twice (and never read the books), and my favorite adult fantasy is "Wise Child," which is not a traditional sausage-fest trope book. I read a lot of YA fantasy, but the adult titles just never seem to do it for me.
If you are a fan of adult fantasy and have not yet read this book, you might really enjoy it. Charles de Lint has published a lot of other novels that have had a wider readership than "The Harp of the Grey Rose," and you might also really enjoy his other books, too. He's a good writer, and has won many awards.
First published in 1985, author Charles de Lint says of this adult fantasy in his author's note at the end: "'The Harp of the Grey Rose' isn't the first book I started, but it's the first I finished.'" I definitely felt the truth of those words while reading, because this book reads like a first novel. The pacing is off, the plot loses steam early on and struggles to regain its tension (never successfully), and the female love interest of the title, most often called "the maid" or "the Grey Rose" by the male main character, ends the book by basically telling the hero, "I'm just not that into you." But she uses some bullsh*t excuse about suffering and time instead of just telling him the truth, which was super annoying. I wish she had just died at the end, since I was pretty much over her character as a plot device by that point and longed for her destruction. It's never a good sign when you're hoping the plot-device heroine dies.
Alas, I am made of salt and bitterness. I give this book 2.5 stars, and round it up to 3.
I wish I had loved this book, because "The Harp of the Grey Rose" is my friend Hannah's favorite fantasy novel, and she gave me this book as a gift.
The first 83 pages, or 30% of this novel, were a great read. I was really enjoying myself when the story began. This book is a classic fantasy bildungsroman, with a young boy named Cerin who is destined to save the world. He sets off on his hero's journey by leaving his small town behind, desperate to save Leia Organa Skywalker -- oh, sorry -- I mean the Grey Rose, a girl who is part goddess and blessed with immortal life. Very early in the book, the Grey Rose is kidnapped by an immortal shadow killer god-type thing named... sorry, I can't remember the first antagonist's name. Yarac the Waster is the name given on the back of the book, so I think that's him. Cerin easily kills Yarac within the first 83 pages, and the book introduces a new villain off-scene, a super-malevolent female killer armed with super-malevolent magic. I can't remember her name, either, but I was glad when she finally died because she was utterly horrible.
Cerin spends the bulk of this novel meeting a lot of warrior-dude buddies who help him on his quest to learn how to fight, use his magic, and save the Grey Rose, who is almost always off-scene and under constant threat of death by the super-malevolent witch woman, because reasons. The evil witch lady takes over a whole city and then sends creepy monsters after Cerin to kill him. There's a dwarf character who is a *lot* like Gimli (from The Lord of the Rings), and a talking bear-warrior friend who is a lot like Iorek Byrnison (from The Golden Compass, 1995). Talking animal friends are a popular trope in fantasy, and this novel has bears and other animals who talk and act just like people.
While "The Harp of the Grey Rose" is a traditional sausage-fest of male warriors who are motivated by: 1. the evil witch destroying everything, and 2. the beautiful good female who is the mc's love interest, it did attempt to subvert a few of the Super Fantasy Tropes that make this book so predictable. Having the Grey Rose tell Cerin at the end to (basically) piss off was one such subversion. My favorite part of this book was that the Grey Rose is the one to defeat the evil witch at the end, rather than Cerin or one of the other warrior-dudes. Though I have a suspicion there was only a sense of author-chivalry behind that choice, in that the author worried Cerin might be seen as an asshole for "killing a woman" at the end, so the Grey Rose gets that duty. Who knows.
There's also a topless woman who has the lower body of a deer in this book, because titties. Cerin might not get the Grey Rose at the end, but he does get to stare at some very pretty boobies. This naked deer-woman makes two appearances in the story, because boobies. I think she also kisses Cerin on the mouth, and the Grey Rose kisses him on the mouth at the end of the story, too. That's the extent of the novel's sexual content.
The nicest aspect of this book, for me, was that Cerin is a harpist, and he uses his music and his harp as a magical power. While the plot moments largely fell flat for me, regarding his powers and how they are used, Cerin does finally make good on his magic by the end, and that was nice.
The story is told in first person, and the writing is good, full of interesting detail and a nice use of vocabulary. But for all of its competency, the prose feels distant and lacks urgency. It often feels like Cerin is narrating this tale as an old man, and after the first 30% of the book, I never felt any fear for him, or wondered what would happen to him or how his story would end. The book just hammered hard on the most common fantasy tropes, and added a lot of world-building detail that went nowhere. While I liked seeing a male main character cry in a novel, the fact that the Grey Rose dumps Cerin at the end really made Cerin's growth into manhood suffer overall. Cerin isn't the one who vanquishes the evil witch, he cries more than once through the book, he has to be pushed by the Grey Rose and other people to use his magic at all, even at the end of the story -- and to me, he still felt like a 17-year-old boy by the end, not fully an adult yet.
I admit that I'm not the best audience for adult fantasy books. I didn't care for "The Golden Compass," or "Uprooted," I've only seen "The Lord of the Rings" movies twice (and never read the books), and my favorite adult fantasy is "Wise Child," which is not a traditional sausage-fest trope book. I read a lot of YA fantasy, but the adult titles just never seem to do it for me.
If you are a fan of adult fantasy and have not yet read this book, you might really enjoy it. Charles de Lint has published a lot of other novels that have had a wider readership than "The Harp of the Grey Rose," and you might also really enjoy his other books, too. He's a good writer, and has won many awards.
April 28, 2011
This is another one of those that's just a bit hard to rate... I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars. The only reason I stay with 3 here is that I can't quite rate it as high as other books I have given 4 stars.
I have read a few books by de Lint and I suppose I'd rate this one as my second favorite. While the book opens well and sucked me right in it didn't hold my interest. A young man beginning life, a seemingly hopeless love, a horrible monster all leading to a quest for our intrepid young Harpist...standard but reliable fantasy fare. Unfortunately (for me) the book sort of "fades". The characters are never as "personal" as they might be.
In many fantasy tales there are references made to "old stories" or basic legends, mysteries, and so on. This story feels a bit like it's one of those stories. I believe de Lint was going for the mythic feel, and got it a bit. For me however the characters of the book never quite touch me and there is a huge, "well I saw that coming" factor.
This is not a bad book. It's a very good book and quite enjoyable. I am however left with a feeling I have often with Charles de Lint's books, it could have been so much better.
I have read a few books by de Lint and I suppose I'd rate this one as my second favorite. While the book opens well and sucked me right in it didn't hold my interest. A young man beginning life, a seemingly hopeless love, a horrible monster all leading to a quest for our intrepid young Harpist...standard but reliable fantasy fare. Unfortunately (for me) the book sort of "fades". The characters are never as "personal" as they might be.
In many fantasy tales there are references made to "old stories" or basic legends, mysteries, and so on. This story feels a bit like it's one of those stories. I believe de Lint was going for the mythic feel, and got it a bit. For me however the characters of the book never quite touch me and there is a huge, "well I saw that coming" factor.
This is not a bad book. It's a very good book and quite enjoyable. I am however left with a feeling I have often with Charles de Lint's books, it could have been so much better.
October 6, 2017
I grabbed this book off my shelf mostly because it's short, and I needed a book to read at work. Given my general groggy state of mind in the mornings, it's better if I just leave a book at work, rather than having to remember it every morning. My expectations were pretty much non-existent, so this ended up being something of a pleasant surprise. It's a huge bundle of fantasy cliches, but it's also pretty enjoyable, despite it's age and lack of originality.
I think that the strong point of this book is that it's well-rounded. The characters aren't great, but they're not terrible. If they're not the kind of people that I fall in love with and get attached to, they're also not the kind of people that I don't want to read about. Probably my favorite of the lot was the main character, Cerin, who is such a quietly human character that it was easy to slip behind his eyes and follow along with his story.
The world-building is also nothing special, but also nothing terrible. It follows along with the stock races of fantasy, providing its equivalents of elves, dwarves, and animal hybrids with little comment. It's clear that the author did put some thought into his various human races, but he never really expounds on it. Facts are mentioned, but never concentrated on, which was kind of nice. It kept the plot of the book moving without losing that touch of the fantastic.
Like the human races, the magic is present but rarely explained. It exists as just a natural part of the world, and comes to the characters as if by instinct, for the most part. It operates mostly along lines of sympathy, with each character imbuing magic into the items that they find precious, rather than anything being truly and innately magical, except perhaps some of the creatures.
As for the plot, it moves along without really seeming to. The characters are reactive only, with no one taking any preemptive action. The actions they take are rarely false, and everything flows along without interruption. There are few stretches of true boredom, which is always a plus in a book this length.
In short, an enjoyable but ultimately forgettable foray for me.
I think that the strong point of this book is that it's well-rounded. The characters aren't great, but they're not terrible. If they're not the kind of people that I fall in love with and get attached to, they're also not the kind of people that I don't want to read about. Probably my favorite of the lot was the main character, Cerin, who is such a quietly human character that it was easy to slip behind his eyes and follow along with his story.
The world-building is also nothing special, but also nothing terrible. It follows along with the stock races of fantasy, providing its equivalents of elves, dwarves, and animal hybrids with little comment. It's clear that the author did put some thought into his various human races, but he never really expounds on it. Facts are mentioned, but never concentrated on, which was kind of nice. It kept the plot of the book moving without losing that touch of the fantastic.
Like the human races, the magic is present but rarely explained. It exists as just a natural part of the world, and comes to the characters as if by instinct, for the most part. It operates mostly along lines of sympathy, with each character imbuing magic into the items that they find precious, rather than anything being truly and innately magical, except perhaps some of the creatures.
As for the plot, it moves along without really seeming to. The characters are reactive only, with no one taking any preemptive action. The actions they take are rarely false, and everything flows along without interruption. There are few stretches of true boredom, which is always a plus in a book this length.
In short, an enjoyable but ultimately forgettable foray for me.
October 28, 2021
The Kelladys are two of my favorite characters in the Newford books by Mr. de Lint, so it was a real joy for me to delve into Cerin's past, and the past of his magical harp, Telynros. I hope, somewhere, there is more about how he met Meran. That, I would love to read.
I sometime buy used books, when new ones are beyond my meager budget, and this one came to me from the entire other side of the country, from Scotts Valley High School library, in California. I'm sure it made a few stops on the way. I was saddened to see that it had only been checked out once in its original home. It will be lovingly placed on my shelves, and reread and treasured, until I take my own spot in That Place Where All Things Are Known.
I sometime buy used books, when new ones are beyond my meager budget, and this one came to me from the entire other side of the country, from Scotts Valley High School library, in California. I'm sure it made a few stops on the way. I was saddened to see that it had only been checked out once in its original home. It will be lovingly placed on my shelves, and reread and treasured, until I take my own spot in That Place Where All Things Are Known.
February 22, 2011
The Harp of the Grey Rose was a wonderful folklore tale. Like a ballad of old, suffused with magic, love, friendship, pain, and evil. It read a little like The Lord of the Rings, the adventure and the friendships bonded tightly through the journey, and the mythical and dark creatures found within. I found that I was enchanted with the story, I became attuned to the characters and found them endearing. De Lint’s storytelling gave the perfect feel of fantasy and folklore to this tale.
Cerin, a lowly harpist, lives in the West Downs of Eldwolde with his foster mother, a witch-wife and a tinker. Cerin feels out of place in the village, like he doesn’t belong, and begins to feel the stirrings of wanting to go out and travel on the road. One day, he sees a maid in the market. She steals quietly into his heart as he watches her. In her hair is a grey rose, therefore, not knowing her name, he dubs her his Grey Rose. One day he is in the Golden Woods and his Grey Rose chances upon him. She invites him to her cottage, and they begin to spend time together. And he realizes he’s falling in love with her. But then the Grey Rose’s betrothed finds her, a terrible creature called a Waster, a child of the Dark Gods, that she had escaped when she found out something horrible he did. He takes her away, and Cerin, desolate with grief, but newly determined with a fiery passion to save his Grey Rose, sets out to save her. And thus begins the journey of Cerin, where he finds his destiny, and himself. Along the way Cerin finds and makes a few friends that quickly become like blood brothers, for the unbreakable bonds that they form. I especially loved Hickathrift, and wish he could have been in more of the story. The ending surprised me, but was done very well.
The ending was sad, but full of hope and a new, wonderful future for our hero Cerin, the songweaver. Cerin is a strong young man. In the beginning of the story, he started out hesitant, and unsure of himself and what he was and wasn’t capable of. He felt inadequate. But through his friends faith in him, and the love he had for the Grey Rose, he discovered hidden magic and song inside him, which he wove into his harp playing, which filled him with strength and hope. The journey he took helped him to grow, and he realized the potential he had, and that he was worthy of being the songweaver.
This book was part light Lord of the Rings reminiscant, part folklore intrigue, with the mythical song of the harp and crowning glory of love threaded beautifully into the story, but not deviating from the danger, and not shying away from the darkness and the violence that such danger possesses. It was written well, with well developed characters. Reading it, my heart was warmed, it cried out to the characters, and I was quietly captivated with it. De Lint is indeed a gifted storyteller, being able to create a wonderful tale of sorrow and peril, and of love and triumph.
Cerin, a lowly harpist, lives in the West Downs of Eldwolde with his foster mother, a witch-wife and a tinker. Cerin feels out of place in the village, like he doesn’t belong, and begins to feel the stirrings of wanting to go out and travel on the road. One day, he sees a maid in the market. She steals quietly into his heart as he watches her. In her hair is a grey rose, therefore, not knowing her name, he dubs her his Grey Rose. One day he is in the Golden Woods and his Grey Rose chances upon him. She invites him to her cottage, and they begin to spend time together. And he realizes he’s falling in love with her. But then the Grey Rose’s betrothed finds her, a terrible creature called a Waster, a child of the Dark Gods, that she had escaped when she found out something horrible he did. He takes her away, and Cerin, desolate with grief, but newly determined with a fiery passion to save his Grey Rose, sets out to save her. And thus begins the journey of Cerin, where he finds his destiny, and himself. Along the way Cerin finds and makes a few friends that quickly become like blood brothers, for the unbreakable bonds that they form. I especially loved Hickathrift, and wish he could have been in more of the story. The ending surprised me, but was done very well.
The ending was sad, but full of hope and a new, wonderful future for our hero Cerin, the songweaver. Cerin is a strong young man. In the beginning of the story, he started out hesitant, and unsure of himself and what he was and wasn’t capable of. He felt inadequate. But through his friends faith in him, and the love he had for the Grey Rose, he discovered hidden magic and song inside him, which he wove into his harp playing, which filled him with strength and hope. The journey he took helped him to grow, and he realized the potential he had, and that he was worthy of being the songweaver.
This book was part light Lord of the Rings reminiscant, part folklore intrigue, with the mythical song of the harp and crowning glory of love threaded beautifully into the story, but not deviating from the danger, and not shying away from the darkness and the violence that such danger possesses. It was written well, with well developed characters. Reading it, my heart was warmed, it cried out to the characters, and I was quietly captivated with it. De Lint is indeed a gifted storyteller, being able to create a wonderful tale of sorrow and peril, and of love and triumph.
January 19, 2014
Much like Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain (but with less humour), with a bit lot of Tolkien. Actually, it's probably a lot like a hundred other high fantasy boy-goes-on-quest-and-there's-magic-and-a-girl books. I don't really know. I haven't read so many that I'm sick of them yet. Lovely characters (perhaps a bit distant, but there's a story telling bear with mind powers, so we're all good), good plot, beautiful writing... A fairly satisfying read. I liked it. Not brilliant, but worthwhile if you like the ballads-of-old style.
3.5/5
3.5/5
January 11, 2018
I really love de Lint's mastery of high fantasy. His worldbuilding is always a pleasure and he creates interesting characters that have that evince the characteristics of classic fantasy figures, brave and wise. There was a good bit of action and the requisite travels in the novel and this made for some good tension. There were two things that kept it from being a higher rated book for me: the hero's weakness and the melancholy ending. Cerin seemed to live constantly in fear and self-doubt, but what was worse was the way that he was constantly having to be saved by others. There were a number of times that he passed out and became gravely sick and had to be saved and nursed back to health by others. Even when it came to the final defeat of the evil, he was not actually instrumental in any real way. The ending was also quite sad and unsatisfying to me. I almost feel like this should be a trilogy and go on somehow to see Cerin grow in self-confidence and eventually be united with the Grey Rose or find another love. I love the book for the writing, the worldbuilding, the secondary characters, and the delicious evil forces the group faces, but I didn't find Cerin, as a hero, compelling at all. Still can't wait to read more from the author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2018
I have to start by saying that this book pleasantly surprised me!
Charles De Lint's The Harp of the Grey Rose does have a rather cliche storyline about a rather outcast orphan boy being brought up by his fostermother who has which-like powers, then seeing the Grey Rose, falling for her almost instantly and then after forming a friendship with her, goes on a quest to save her from dark forces that are trying to take over the human realm.
However the way it's written is very nice twist on the cliche. The use of harps and music to call upon hidden powers is a nice touch and there are some wonderfully written verses of song throughout the book.
There are some good twists and turns and the characters are rather endearing and loveable.
It's a nice, quick read that surpassed my expectations and one that I very much enjoyed!
It's a classic plot with a nice niche to it and Charles De Lint has done a fine job of keeping the reader engaged.
Charles De Lint's The Harp of the Grey Rose does have a rather cliche storyline about a rather outcast orphan boy being brought up by his fostermother who has which-like powers, then seeing the Grey Rose, falling for her almost instantly and then after forming a friendship with her, goes on a quest to save her from dark forces that are trying to take over the human realm.
However the way it's written is very nice twist on the cliche. The use of harps and music to call upon hidden powers is a nice touch and there are some wonderfully written verses of song throughout the book.
There are some good twists and turns and the characters are rather endearing and loveable.
It's a nice, quick read that surpassed my expectations and one that I very much enjoyed!
It's a classic plot with a nice niche to it and Charles De Lint has done a fine job of keeping the reader engaged.
October 10, 2018
I really wanted to like this book, it has a great title but for me there wasn’t enough back story. Everything seemed to happen to quickly for me to enjoy this. I did like the concept and Hitchathift the bear but I wanted him in the story more than some of the other characters... Having read some other reviews I might give later works a chance this was the 1st book he ever wrote...
March 26, 2017
This has a lot of fantasy tropes: young man learning he has magic, stone-carving dwarf, intelligent non-human character, battle between good and evil gods. So much is going on that there wasn't time for much world-building.
March 1, 2019
Lovely but strange. With clear heritage in Celtic lore, it's still very unique.
March 2, 2022
A very early De Lint and the first of his I did not love. Definitely worth the read.
October 6, 2023
Decent read, although weak by deLint standards.
February 12, 2025
Lovely story. I can always feel the magic in Charles de Lint books.
December 29, 2025
Definitely a little outdated but still fine
Read
February 16, 2017There are early books in an author's career that show the years of striving that are poured into a work and those that show a craft being honed but not yet great. The Harp of the Grey Rose is the latter, one of the very first books written by Charles de Lint. For a fantasy, by today's standards, this is a short novel. With time, several characters could have been filled out and the plotlines steadied and interwoven with a more coherent pattern. I find Galin, who appears approximately two-thirds of the way through the book, is an example: he seems to appear out of nowhere, leaps into action, gets a quick backstory and plays a role that needs to be better explained.
I could have wished for the world-building to be more involved, tighter, as it plays a part beyond backdrop in magical fantasy. The setting seems related to that created in The Riddle of the Wren, and the magical constructs (Wasters, for example) are similar; so much more could have been done with how the races and ancient cities contain the story. [Actually, Harp was written before Riddle, the publication dates being reversed.] Having read later work by Charles de Lint, I know that his craft improved, the magic whispering through his entire body of fiction like little sparkles you see out of the corner of your eye. The Little Country and Into the Green are wonderful books.
I look forward to starting his Newfield series and reading Jack of Kinrowan in the near future.
I could have wished for the world-building to be more involved, tighter, as it plays a part beyond backdrop in magical fantasy. The setting seems related to that created in The Riddle of the Wren, and the magical constructs (Wasters, for example) are similar; so much more could have been done with how the races and ancient cities contain the story. [Actually, Harp was written before Riddle, the publication dates being reversed.] Having read later work by Charles de Lint, I know that his craft improved, the magic whispering through his entire body of fiction like little sparkles you see out of the corner of your eye. The Little Country and Into the Green are wonderful books.
I look forward to starting his Newfield series and reading Jack of Kinrowan in the near future.
September 5, 2014
This is another one of those books that I've looked at for several years, tried to start more than once and always ended up putting down for one reason or another. After several people, who don't know each other and have no way of ever meeting, tell you that you should check out an author, you will probably do it, right? Well, Charles de Lint is that author for me. I like fantasy novels usually, and I sometimes enjoy lush characterizations with richly inventive worlds, but there is just something about the first 30 pages of this novel that put me off. Every. Single. Time.
Well, this time I stuck it out. And by that I mean, I was bored at work and this was the only book I had with me to pass the time. I made it past the first 30 pages and let me tell you that they are the only draggy part of this novel. The introduction of this novel has nothing on the rest of the book. This book was good. It felt a little Lord of the Rings-y at times to me, but the action flowed without seeming too forced. If anything, I thought some of the things happened a little too fast and too close together. It is a short book and with the amount of stuff that happens to the characters, it could have easily been another hundred pages if the descriptions and characterizations were fleshed out a little more. But they shouldn't be. It would just be an easy thing to do, that is all.
This was my first foray into the world of Charles de Lint, and I'm not sure if I want to go back there anytime soon. Oh, I will go back eventually, but I don't think I could handle it right now. He's very lush in his word choices. He feels like the fantasy version of Anne Rice sometimes, with less actual words, whereas Anne Rice is verbose to me. Florid is another word I use to describe her at times.
Well, this time I stuck it out. And by that I mean, I was bored at work and this was the only book I had with me to pass the time. I made it past the first 30 pages and let me tell you that they are the only draggy part of this novel. The introduction of this novel has nothing on the rest of the book. This book was good. It felt a little Lord of the Rings-y at times to me, but the action flowed without seeming too forced. If anything, I thought some of the things happened a little too fast and too close together. It is a short book and with the amount of stuff that happens to the characters, it could have easily been another hundred pages if the descriptions and characterizations were fleshed out a little more. But they shouldn't be. It would just be an easy thing to do, that is all.
This was my first foray into the world of Charles de Lint, and I'm not sure if I want to go back there anytime soon. Oh, I will go back eventually, but I don't think I could handle it right now. He's very lush in his word choices. He feels like the fantasy version of Anne Rice sometimes, with less actual words, whereas Anne Rice is verbose to me. Florid is another word I use to describe her at times.
January 30, 2016
I haven't read too many books by De Lint. I read Wolf Moon and found myself utterly enchanted; it's a book I still go back to, re-reading and remembering. But I find that I simply do not have the same enchantment with his other books. This one was not any different.
I did still enjoy the story. I was much like many other classic fantasy stories, with elements of it that easily link to LOTR, Dune.....really any like that. At the same time, such elements were not taken upon with so much time. That sword that he's going to find will be the whole book right? Nope, not even the first half of the book. This can be looked at two ways; either that it is written succinctly with the focus being on the characters and not on endless journeys, or that it is written poorly because the ideas are not truly fleshed out. The entire book is like that, completing as multifaceted a journey as that of LOTR (though only following one of the groups) but being only some 270 pages long. If you would be of the group that says it is poorly written for that, then do not read this book.
As it was I did enjoy this book. I found that I liked a read that took all of that journey in such a short space- though sometimes I did wish for more. The book was interesting, the characters engaging, I just found that I wasn't sitting there wanting to go back and read again. That alone has kept me from giving the fifth star. Otherwise, a perfectly good read.
I did still enjoy the story. I was much like many other classic fantasy stories, with elements of it that easily link to LOTR, Dune.....really any like that. At the same time, such elements were not taken upon with so much time. That sword that he's going to find will be the whole book right? Nope, not even the first half of the book. This can be looked at two ways; either that it is written succinctly with the focus being on the characters and not on endless journeys, or that it is written poorly because the ideas are not truly fleshed out. The entire book is like that, completing as multifaceted a journey as that of LOTR (though only following one of the groups) but being only some 270 pages long. If you would be of the group that says it is poorly written for that, then do not read this book.
As it was I did enjoy this book. I found that I liked a read that took all of that journey in such a short space- though sometimes I did wish for more. The book was interesting, the characters engaging, I just found that I wasn't sitting there wanting to go back and read again. That alone has kept me from giving the fifth star. Otherwise, a perfectly good read.
May 20, 2016
I have had this book for quite a while. I don't even remember buying the special cloth edition I own but it is quite nice and as I was looking for books to donate to the Little Free Libraries that are everywhere in Madison I realized I had never read this particular de Lint. I've enjoyed most of what I have read by Charles de Lint in the past. I enjoy his themes and he draws very engaging characters even if he tends to be a touch long winded at times in the novels. These early stories do not suffer from this problem however. The title story and the few that follow are tightly written and echo themes that de Lint explores more thoroughly in later works. The title story is my favorite and I think most representative of the writer's considerable talents. What I appreciate most about the writer is captured nicely in The Harp of the Grey Rose. Imagine if you will, just on the edge of our known world, an entirely different and magical world, if only we had the eyes to see it. Charles de Lint gives us the eyes to see these magical intersections and takes the reader on satisfying adventures in these twilight fae worlds.
September 2, 2025
I absolutely adore this book. I'm actually shocked that anyone would classify it negatively as an 80s book. This is a timeless fairy tale/folk tale, and the writing is gorgeous. It's been a long time since I've read a book where there was so much care put into the writing, and the story. De Lint is a master storyteller, and this book is a testament to his prowess. He's one of my top favorite authors, and I'm truly very frustrated it's so hard to find his books on the shelves at any bookstores these days. (And yet, there's so much crap).
I do wish there was a map, but it's not super necessary to have one. The characterizations are wonderful. Hickathrift - wow, who wouldn't want a big bear like that for a best friend. It's like Gandalf inhabiting Ben from Grizzly Adams.
If your thinking of reading this - just do it! The way the scenes pass, it's perfect for reading in blocks, and finding a good spots to step off until tomorrow. If this book doesn't thrill your inner kid, you probably don't have a heart.
I have the version with Derrell K Sweet cover art, and I find that perfect!
Love it!
I do wish there was a map, but it's not super necessary to have one. The characterizations are wonderful. Hickathrift - wow, who wouldn't want a big bear like that for a best friend. It's like Gandalf inhabiting Ben from Grizzly Adams.
If your thinking of reading this - just do it! The way the scenes pass, it's perfect for reading in blocks, and finding a good spots to step off until tomorrow. If this book doesn't thrill your inner kid, you probably don't have a heart.
I have the version with Derrell K Sweet cover art, and I find that perfect!
Love it!
March 8, 2009
A young man sets out on a quest, after his friend/love was captured by an evil entity. The young man is a harper,and there is magic in his music. There is even magic in his blood.
He finds friends in strange guises who help him along the way - like a bear who mind speaks, a young woman who is part deer and part human, and a grouchy little dwarf who was cursed by the young man's mother. With help like this, he finds his Grey Rose and confronts an evil even darker than the one who had stolen her away in the first place.
It's worth reading. The happy ending wasn't as happy as I'd have liked it, but alas I am a romantic. De Lint wrote this first as a short story and expanded on it to make it novel length. I could sort of tell. There's definitely a place where the story could have ended neatly - the closure was intact and everything. Moving on from that point was a little clumsy for me, but after a chapter I was fully engaged in the continuation of the tale.
He finds friends in strange guises who help him along the way - like a bear who mind speaks, a young woman who is part deer and part human, and a grouchy little dwarf who was cursed by the young man's mother. With help like this, he finds his Grey Rose and confronts an evil even darker than the one who had stolen her away in the first place.
It's worth reading. The happy ending wasn't as happy as I'd have liked it, but alas I am a romantic. De Lint wrote this first as a short story and expanded on it to make it novel length. I could sort of tell. There's definitely a place where the story could have ended neatly - the closure was intact and everything. Moving on from that point was a little clumsy for me, but after a chapter I was fully engaged in the continuation of the tale.
June 3, 2014
The Harp of the Grey Rose (1985) follows a pretty straight forward fantasy fiction storyline; a young man meets a mysterious woman, sets out on a quest, and ends up having a significant destiny.
Even with that, however, the story moved along swiftly and like an excellent fairy tale, kept me either smiling at the great characterization or enthralled by the action sequences. Having been a little underwhelmed by his first two books, but hanging on as my wife kept telling me that his later books would be right up my alley, I was happy to find this third book was pretty much bang on in terms of what I expect from quest-based fantasy fiction; swift, filled with great descriptions, and intriguing characters (my personal favourite, a bear who also serves as a harper himself).
A great read and strongly recommended.
Even with that, however, the story moved along swiftly and like an excellent fairy tale, kept me either smiling at the great characterization or enthralled by the action sequences. Having been a little underwhelmed by his first two books, but hanging on as my wife kept telling me that his later books would be right up my alley, I was happy to find this third book was pretty much bang on in terms of what I expect from quest-based fantasy fiction; swift, filled with great descriptions, and intriguing characters (my personal favourite, a bear who also serves as a harper himself).
A great read and strongly recommended.
December 21, 2008
Having just gotten into his writing, i thought I'd get his first book and that was a mistake. I know this was written in the eighties, but it fulfills many a fantasy cliche. The writing isn't that great and the characters don't seem as if they could be real, like in his later works. Check out his urban fantasy stuff and avoid the so-called high fantasy.
I wrote a parody of a fantasy story (which you can find in my writing) before I had read this, yet a couple of things I wrote as parodies of fantasy cliches showed up int his book--that's how standard it is.
It may be that I'm being unfair, like saying Judas Preist sounds derivative of the MWOBHM when, in fact, they helped start it. Still, the writing and story don't hold up.
I wrote a parody of a fantasy story (which you can find in my writing) before I had read this, yet a couple of things I wrote as parodies of fantasy cliches showed up int his book--that's how standard it is.
It may be that I'm being unfair, like saying Judas Preist sounds derivative of the MWOBHM when, in fact, they helped start it. Still, the writing and story don't hold up.
March 29, 2009
This is constructed along the lines of a generic fantasy quest narrative: an accidental but nevertheless intrepid hero must go on a quest to save his love and is accompanied by a cast of characters along the way. De Lint does much better urban fantasy than traditional, and this is one of his earlier works, before his voice really came into its own. It's not bad exactly, but I'd recommend skipping it for one of the Newford books. There's nothing here that hasn't been covered a million times before.
January 1, 2009
So this was apparently Charles de Lint's first book, and it was the first book of his that I've read. I have heard his praises sung over and over again, and this first book? Well...it was a little bit of a letdown. I felt that he utilized half the clichés in the fantasy genre. The characters stirred no particular emotion in me; they didn't seem real at all. Still, it was prettily written. I wouldn't reread it, but I will still check out his other things to see if I can see why he's so highly praised.
April 19, 2013
I was given this book by a friend who knew I liked Charles de Lint, and you can see the promise in the fairly cliched story - what did impress me was the way that the standard quest story was finished quite quickly, and turned into something else.
Interesting for completists, I think - but it does show how the author developed his craft, and his later books (those I've managed to track down, anyway) are among my all time favourites.
Interesting for completists, I think - but it does show how the author developed his craft, and his later books (those I've managed to track down, anyway) are among my all time favourites.
June 3, 2013
You know how sometimes a book just never grabs you, but you don't understand quite why? That was this book for me. It was easy enough to read. I went through it quickly. It wasn't one of those cases where I just thought, "Ugh. This book is awful. Why can't I be done with it already?" The writing was just fine. The story was fine. I can't put my finger on anything in particular I disliked about it. But . . . I don't know, it was just sort of unremarkable to me.
June 26, 2016
This is an interesting read to compare to his latest works.
De Lint is so unique in his current fiction, and has been for so long that this book is startlingly similar to all the other epic style fantasy of the 80's. It's not bad by any means, it just doesn't have that de Lint feel, though I can see hints of his current writing style showing through.
De Lint is so unique in his current fiction, and has been for so long that this book is startlingly similar to all the other epic style fantasy of the 80's. It's not bad by any means, it just doesn't have that de Lint feel, though I can see hints of his current writing style showing through.
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