The Seer and the Sword (Hanely)

Some people are chain smokers. I'm a chain borrower. One book went back to its shelf of origin in someone else's home, and The Seer and the Sword came back with me. My friend told me that this one belonged in her canon of all time favourites. Since she was right about the highland warrior, I gambled on the acuity of her judgement and gave another afternoon on her recommendation.

Her correctness is enjoying a streak of at least two. Hanley's novel is unpretentiously excellent. She doesn't try to be clever, she doesn't wrench at her audience's emotion, and her ideas aren't keyed to impress, bemuse and overwhelm. What we have here is a solid fantasy and a satisfying story. It has that elegant simplicity that never seems to find its way into adult fiction.

To change topic, this will be the eighth novel of the year and I'm only two months in. Clearly this is unacceptable. Once I finish The Princess Bride (>.<) we'll be off on the smart books again. For a couple of months at least. It'll mean I spend less time reading extracurricular books because works low in plot and high in thought density just don't go down so well in a single gulp. Reviews will take more thought, because it'll be a survey of what I learned and not these tedious little reviews. Net effect: I won't need to post so often. Every month instead of every week? Please yes.