Beyond the sci-fi cliches: this is one sequel that delivers
Written: Mar 28 '08 (Updated Mar 28 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: the beginning and ending
Cons: the middle
The Bottom Line: Four and a half stars – what the heck, five for the magnificent ending.
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| Greatpilgrim's Full Review: Beyond the Burning Lands |
Beyond the Burning Lands brings us to the middle of a futuristic sci-fi/fantasy series from John Christopher's long-neglected Sword of the Spirits Trilogy. When it opens, we find Luke, our brooding teenaged hero, more than ready to leave the Sanctuary of the High Seers, where we left him at the end of The Prince in Waiting. His mission now is firmly in place – to unite the rival feudal cities of post-Disaster England – but fate throws a hitch in the High Seers’ plans for Luke when Peter, his half-brother and current Prince of Winchester, forces a vow of loyalty from him. Larger forces are at work, however, as savage tribes threaten to cross the burning lands that separate Winchester from the outside world and destroy what little civilization is still left to man. Crossing this scorched wasteland as part of an embassy to King Cymru, Luke finds the "Wilsh" culture strange and even uncivilized: no distinction is made there between humans and the dwarves and deformed polymufs that had emerged from the radiation of the disaster; and even stranger, no political rivalries or intrigues disturb the peace of the Wilsh. Luke soon appreciates the value of political stability when he returns to Winchester to find his fortunes dramatically reversed…
~My take~
Beyond the Burning Lands is much darker and acute in tone than the first book; the stakes are higher, and more lives are being lost with each delay in the ascension of Luke to Prince of Princes. Christopher is beginning to toss out hints, though, that even this event, when and if it finally comes, may not be the blessing it promises. It’s this shadowy cast of foreboding, in the midst of Luke’s adventures and victories and setbacks, that adds a strangely mature dimension to the story; as a reader you can sense that behind all the twists of the plot, there’s something darker looming if the hero does succeed, and it makes you want to know just how things turn out.
What’s interesting about this book, and the others in the trilogy, is that it has many of the components of fantasy – medieval setting and politics, swords and sorcery, the wise wizard advisors, young underdog hero – but not only does it not feel like cliche fantasy, it doesn’t have a fantasy ambiance at all somehow; rather, the impression one has is more distinctly like science fiction. Not unusual considering Christopher’s sci-fi tendencies, but surprising given the individual elements of the book. Perhaps it is this very blend of the two genres, and its independence from the well-trod paths of each, that gives Beyond the Burning Lands its appeal. I found the overall atmosphere of the book richly attractive, if brutal and stark at times, and certainly Christopher does not gloss over the barbaric fierceness of the culture he has created; unlike many fantasy novels, the story presents a less than flattering portrait of these futuristic knights, castles, and kings. This honesty, while a bit painful, is also valuable to the strength of the book.
Things aren’t all dark. There are moments of wry (if thin) humor, and adventures galore. Christopher is great at suspense and action, as well as incorporating political and social dynamics effortlessly and painlessly into the action. Luke’s riveting battle with the mythical Bayemot has epic overtones of Beowulf; however, the romance that follows, when King Cymru as a reward betroths his beautiful daughter to Luke, is less successful. Christopher seems to have difficulty with female characters; they are either non-existent or rather flat in his novels. So it’s no wonder that the romantic aspect of the story seemed far out of his league here; it left me with the feeling that Christopher has no clue what he’s talking about.
I have yet to decide if Luke is an intentionally ironic example of the confident sci-fi hero, as he is so arrogant and unaware as to become slightly cartoonish in spite of excellent development over the course of the two books with distinctive strengths and flaws. He completely fails to see the devotion and respect that his companions give him, from his friend Edmund to his esquire Hans the dwarf to even the beautiful princess and the Seers, which made me wonder why they are so devoted to him when he takes their adoration so much for granted. Christopher fleshes these characters out with striking detail – except for the females, who are either perfect (the princess) or laughably unbelievable. If you can overlook that, you’ll find all of them (yes, even the females) are fascinating people to get to know.
Beyond the Burning Lands continues the thread of absorbing and tightly conceived storytelling with its plot. It starts off well, with some helpful introductory info that will explain things you might have missed in the previous book, and throws some interesting monkey wrenches into the story early on, but as soon as Luke leaves on his journey things unravel slightly. The embassy to Wales just seems a bit contrived, like Christopher somehow had to get Luke out of the city so he sends him off across the burning lands without giving him a real motivation. I thought it might have made the story stronger to have Luke go on this embassy to assess the threat posed to Winchester by the large bands of savages terrorizing the outlying lands, but this motive is only hinted at vaguely.
However, Christopher makes up for the weakness of the book’s middle by leaving us with a climatic and powerful conclusion. The unexpected turn of events builds up to a nail-biting duel and even more compelling final wrap-up. We know Luke is going to make it out of there alive, but how – and with what damage to his body and soul – is the pivotal question. If the rest of the book kept me coming back for more, the ending left me no chance of escape; I had to race to the finish at 11:30 pm before I could sleep in peace. Any adventure story is bound to please, but a well-written, riveting one such as this is a singular pleasure.
Christopher seems entirely comfortable describing the world he has built, and the confidence of his first-person voicing is convincing and likeable. For all of his soldier’s mentality and lack of imagination, Luke makes a surprisingly engaging narrator; the exposition and dialogue are written with an effective mixture of grace and clarity that, thankfully, does not reek of the fantasy/sci-fi greats. If I had to compare it, I would describe the narrative style as Lloyd Alexander without the cutesiness, or Tolkien without the pretentiousness. (I know, sacrilege against two of my favorite authors!) John Christopher has mastered the knack of capturing his reader’s fancy with a few well-timed words or a piercing characterization, and while he still has a couple knots to work out – romance and linear plots among them – the charm of his writing far outweighs any imperfections.
Bottom line
A close inspection of Beyond the Burning Lands reveals much more than a simple young adult sci-fi novel. The beautifully constructed layers of culture and character are complemented by the purposeful flaws Christopher has built into them. It’s these structural flaws, people and systems that have mistakes and weaknesses, that give the story depth and individuality. As long as the final book, The Sword of the Spirits, doesn’t make any major missteps, this is one trilogy that is consistently excellent and worth reading. Don’t let the young adult label fool you, or deter you from checking out this satisfying and mature sequel.
The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy
The Prince in Waiting
Beyond the Burning Lands
The Sword of the Spirits
Recommended:
Yes
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Greatpilgrim
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