Ursus of Ultima Thule

by Avram Davidson

Book by Davidson, Avram

Genres: Fantasy

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Avram Davidson was an American Jewish writer of fantasy fiction, science fiction, and crime fiction, as well as the author of many stories that do not fit into a genre niche. He won a Hugo Award and three World Fantasy Awards in the science fiction and fantasy genre, a World Fantasy Life Achievement award, and a Queen's Award and an Edgar Award in the mystery genre. Davidson edited The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction from 1962 to 1964. His last novel The Boss in the Wall: A Treatise on the House Devil was completed by Grania Davis and was a Nebula Award finalist in 1998. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction says "he is perhaps sf's most explicitly literary author".

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel was serialized in the August and October issues of Fantastic Stories magazine, which was edited by Ted White, in 1972, with the somewhat bizarre title The Forges of Nainland Are Cold. Avon released it in mass market format at the end of the following year with what they thought was a more marketable title and with a cover that would appeal to Conan readers. It's set in a sword & sorcery pre-historical era and is the story of a boy named Arnten who gets a girlfriend and turns into a bear and then back into a man, so he fights a guy who turns into a wolf. There are a lot of vague yet detailed descriptions of stuff and then it ends. It's a slow and hard to understand story; I don't recommend it.

[Richard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love a good sword and sorcery book. This was not one. The wording was hard to follow at least to me and there seemed to be no action what so ever. I finally put it down half way through, I just couldn't make myself finish it.

[ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing of this sort seems discouraged these days, inexplicably, as if we are embarrassed to express emotion so openly and freely, or as if writing must be free of affectation. Maybe it's the influence of Marketability, that loathsome god to which everyone bows obediently, including the economic justice seekers when it aids them; or an aesthetic shift: the word as reportage eclipses the word as experience.

And despite being occasionally irritating, Davidson's prose here is lively, liquid honey running from a golden hive on the eave of winter. It's almost sing-song, it's the tale-teller's rhythm, referenced in the book, and the story is very much meant to be a tale told in this world, this world of an Arctic Atlantis now as lost as that city of legend. It begs to be read aloud.

I appreciate standalone fantasy novels. This is a pretty untypical heroic adventure fantasy about a boy who becomes a bear who becomes a man. And also still a bear. His adventure includes all the typical elements done in Davidson style, which is unusual, mysterious, magical, occasionally opaque (just the right amount), and sometimes beautiful. I enjoyed the wholesome friendships.

The pacing is above average for a short fantasy of this period, and I really enjoyed it most of the time. A good winter read.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit opaque.