Kesrick

Terra Magica #1

by Lin Carter

Sir Kesrick of Dragonrouge enters the strange world of Terra Magica in search of the stolen pommel stone of the sword Dastagard and has many adventures

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

180 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[Brent Moffitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, fast read very heavy on the lyrical prose. The author really likes naked heroines.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carter seems to be largely known for his continuations of stories by other pulp fantasy and science fiction writers, including Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, and for his scholarship into such writing. He also wrote two Oz books that were published after his death by Chris Dulabone. This book, from 1982, is a comic fantasy that references a lot of other works in the genre, including classical mythology, medieval romances, the Arabian Nights, and, yes, the Oz books. It's a fast-paced story about a knight errant, the titular Kesrick, who sets out to find the missing pommel stone from his magic sword Dastagard, in the process befriending a wizard, riding a hippogriff, rescuing a woman who spends the whole adventure in the nude, tricking a genie, and confronting an evil sorcerer. One conceit of the setting is that it's basically our world as it's presented in myth and legend, doing a decent job at tying together very different legends and fiction. There's a character named Gaglioffo, who's a parody of how Muslims were written in old European tales, a cowardly, treacherous pagan. There are endnotes explaining most of the references, which have definitely inspired further research on my part. It's rather slight and silly overall, but it's very relevant to my interests. And I understand there are three sequels.

[shawn m banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This adventure could have been under 100 pages is they took out all the extra syllables, but then would it have been so epic?
I spent three days reading it carefully and setting it down carefully so as not to have to explain to my kids made it an “adult” adventure.
Even after finishing I’m not sure I can explain it.
Tis a silly read.

[D M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of exposition, not a lot of action, but light easy read. It was written well, really felt like a hodge podge of ideas of the things the author likes. I would have preferred a completely fantastical world. I liked Mandricardo, the tartary knight the best.

[Hippocleides · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an interesting little book. It's essentially a Conan-esque pulp novel combined with a medieval romance, and juxtaposes busty maidens and cunning heroes of 20th century fantasy with ancient and medieval literary/mythological references.

That's the thing, though. They're just references, for the most part. In the end, it doesn't matter much if the evil sorceror is Egyptian or if they visit the Scythians at "Sauromatae" on the River Tanais--these could easily be filled in with made-up names with little difference. The Scythian female protagonist isn't really a Scythian character, she's a Robert E. Howard-esque busty romantic interest. The worldbuilding of this novel lacks restraint, and is ultimately unimmersive. It's either an imitation of medieval romances (in which case, why not just read those), or an indicator of the author's limited erudition. Terra Magica is tethered to reality in a way that a generic fantasy world isn't, and Carter refuses to engage with that.

[David Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had previously read, Mandricardo, the 3rd book in the Terra Magica series first, out of order, so now I am reading the previous books to remedy this. Carter wrote this series towards the end of his rather short life. Previously he was known for writing essentially pastiches of heroic fantasy, based on works of Howard, Burroughs and the like. His claim to fame though was when he became editor of Ballantine Books' Adult Fantasy series -- not adult in the XXX sense, but rather as opposed to children's fantasy books. He brought back into print otherwise forgotten fantasy works, riding the crest of popularity of the JRR Tolkien paperback reprints in the 60s and 70s. Carter contributed literate introductions and commentary to these works, and was instrumental in selecting them as well.

Carter's adventure fantasies are imitative and forgettable, but when imitation is slightly twisted to become parody, the result is delightful. Kesrick is a delightful send-up of fantasy clichés and tropes, full of humor, punning and tongue-in-cheekiness. The style is close to Cabell, and anticipates writers like Terry Pratchett and Tom Holt. I won't go into the plot; it is pure silliness. It's all very entertaining. Carter provides a set of chapter notes at the end, showing that all the weird beasts and names are drawn from previous fantastic literature.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to keep reminding myself that this was written in 1982, because I kept thinking it must have heavily inspired Dungeons & Dragons. But whenever I needed to be reminded that it’s the eighties, I just had to flip back to the cover art, which is a demented hybrid of sixties and eighties, with its nearly-mulletted, tank-topped, mustached hero atop a hippogriff with variegated stars in the background.

In fact, it is heavily influenced by many of the same very early influences, which Lin Carter goes into in the appendix. Carter dedicates it to James Branch Cabell and Lord Dunsany, but I detect a lot of William Morris and others as well. It’s a lot of fun, with strange creatures, strange places, and strange characters mixing into a very basic quest by the titular Kesrick to confront the wizard who means to kill him, so as to avoid being killed by him.

[Severius · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like pulp fantasy, then you'll like this book. While the plot is cliched, it is meant to be and doesn't take itself seriously. It's not a masterpiece of literature, but it was quite enjoyable and entertaining and that was all I wanted from it.

[Charles · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't much care for it.