From /tmp/sf.15692 Tue Mar 30 18:22:07 1993 Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Path: lysator.liu.se!isy!liuida!sunic!mcsun!uunet!usc!wupost!micro-heart-of-gold.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu.!wex From: sheol!throopw@dg-rtp.dg.com (Wayne Throop) Subject: "The Anvil of Ice" by Michael Scott Rohan Message-ID: Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.misc Sender: news@news.media.mit.edu (USENET News System) Organization: Advanced Human Interface Group Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 04:46:46 GMT Approved: wex@media.mit.edu (Alan Wexelblat) Lines: 84 The Anvil of Ice by Michael Scott Rohan I've been reading quite a bit of fantasy lately, and had just been getting numb with the same-ness of it all, when this book came along. Mind you, the book has many of the traditional features, with somewhat reworked dwarves, elves, and a Great Enemy. But the framework of the background lends the story an interesting flavor. At least, I found it so. First of all, the story is set (roughly) in the time of the most recent ice age. The Great Enemy is the Ice, which is personified, and driven by malign intent of some nasty entity or entities. At first, from the cover blurb, I thought the book was going to go along the lines of finding "scientific" or historical explanations for dwarves (neanderthals), magecraft (advanced metalworking), monsters (the remnants of the ice-age fauna), and explain away a raft of myths as being rooted in these realities, and just exagerated for effect. But that's not quite the route taken. The dwarves *are* apparently neanderthals, but they are presented as a civilized, elder race. Magecraft *is* advanced metalworking, but it actually works (or worked) in the magical sense. They *do* encounter ice-age fauna, but they aren't then expanded to account for myths. On the other hand, recognizable fragments (in some cases, such as Raven (an Odin- character), very recognizable and coherent "fragments") of later culture's myths are presented. But in any event, it is much richer and more interesting than a trite explaining-away of old myths as simple exaggeration. The magical context is interesting all in itself, even ignoring the relationship to myth and history embodied in it. The "elder races" have perfected smithcraft to very high levels, and some humans have also acheived expertise. Smithcraft in this sense is the ability to manufacture magical artifacts of metal. In addition to expertise in the physical aspect of metalcraft, magical properties can be inserted in the work, and hence the central conflict of the tale, as an apprentice magesmith first does, and then attempts to undo, such a manufacture. Here we see some of the details of the manufacture of a cloak of invisibility, and a "mindsword". Sort of like peeking over the shoulder of Saberhagen's Vulcan as he forges the Swords. But magic occurs in other guises also. First, the direct creation of "spells", to manipulate weather for example, or to activate magical artifacts. And second, there are the Powers (essentially forces of nature personified, though that's perhaps an oversimplification), which play the roles of the Gods meddling in human affairs. As mentioned, the most essentially malign Power is the Ice, which seeks to destroy humanity out of a general hatred for life. But there is also the old forests personified, and the ocean. And perhaps Raven(Odin) represents luck or chance... or perhaps something more. How the Powers are plotting among and against each other, and what other plot elements will occur are only vaguely outlined in this, the first book of a trilogy. (The others will be _The_Forge_in_the_Forest_ and _The_Hammer_of_the_Sun_, but I haven't seen them yet.) All these factors are left as loose ends from the perspective this book, wich details the early years of Alv, who becomes an apprentice magesmith, and is thus drawn into plots and plans which will have global consequences in future works. Now as you can see, there isn't anything really original that I've detailed above. Even the appendix that lists in "modern" terms what's been going on in the book (such as explaining which species of sequoia made up the primeval forest which figures in the plot) aren't all *that* interesting in themselves (other than to show that some thought has been put into it). No, the book held my interest not because of any particular element, but the nice balanced interaction of the whole. I'll be looking forward to the conclusion of the series. (I suspect the books may already be out... I got this book in a somewhat aged condition. Guess I'll have to keep my eyes out.) (I also suspect I'm missing many "origins stories" of present-day myths, so if you read it, you might want to keep an eye out for that factor also.) %A Michael Scott Rohan %D Feburary 1989 %G ISBN 0-380-70547-8 %I Avon %P 354 pages %S The Winter of the World %T The Anvil of Ice %V Volume 1 -- Wayne Throop ...!mcnc!dg-rtp!sheol!throopw