River of Dancing Gods

Rating:
Summary: Amusing fantasy
Review: This is a lightweight but nevertheless entertaining fantasy novel. What makes this book stand out is Chalker's taking on the cliches of fantasy. If this wasn't clearly a parody, it would be nothing more than a routine novel. Certainly, the plot involving two "real world" individuals who must go to a fantasy land to save it is nothing original; it's how Chalker plays with the standard conventions that makes this an above average story.

There are flaws, admittedly. The characters are rather bland and often fit into the cliches that Chalker is trying to ridicule. Also, too much time is spent on the set-up (around 60% of the book) and too little time on the actual adventure (and the final battle is somewhat anticlimactic). However, if this viewed as only volume one in a larger four volume story, perhaps the setup isn't too long; after all, Tolkien took a couple hundred pages to get his fellowship moving.

This book is a fun, quick read. I recommend it especially to people familiar with fantasy as they'll understand the humor more readily.

Rating:
Summary: Amusing fantasy
Review: This is a lightweight but nevertheless entertaining fantasy novel. What makes this book stand out is Chalker's taking on the cliches of fantasy. If this wasn't clearly a parody, it would be nothing more than a routine novel. Certainly, the plot involving two "real world" individuals who must go to a fantasy land to save it is nothing original; it's how Chalker plays with the standard conventions that makes this an above average story.

There are flaws, admittedly. The characters are rather bland and often fit into the cliches that Chalker is trying to ridicule. Also, too much time is spent on the set-up (around 60% of the book) and too little time on the actual adventure (and the final battle is somewhat anticlimactic). However, if this viewed as only volume one in a larger four volume story, perhaps the setup isn't too long; after all, Tolkien took a couple hundred pages to get his fellowship moving.

This book is a fun, quick read. I recommend it especially to people familiar with fantasy as they'll understand the humor more readily.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful introduction to a whole new world
Review: This was the first true series of medieval fantasy books I had ever read and it was fantastic. Jack Chalker starts us here in our own time and then spins us into another world with our heroes Joe and Marge, two loners who are picked up off a lonely road and brought to the new world, by the sorcerer Ruddygore.

Chalker does a great job with character development, allowing us to follow both Joe and Marge through their transformations into legends. He keeps the action moving along and even gives the readers some humor as well. Ruddygore's importance to the story is noted in almost every situation, since he seems to have affected everybody and everything around him.

What I like about this book (and the Dancing Gods series in general) is that Chalker shows us real imagination in every situation he throws his characters in. Joe the barabarian isn't your typical barbarian hero so it makes sense that he shouldn't be in typical situations. Joe's problems are recognizable to the reader which helps us get into the character, and yet only Joe could solve them. Marge isn't your average changeling magic-user either, although we don't follow her nearly as closely as we do Joe the barabarian.

Chalker's style of writing is also very easy to follow. It flows well and isn't cluttered with lots of words you would need a dictionary to look up. I'm not saying that his writing is simple, it isn't, but it's not written above the reader, either. It is a very enjoyable book and Chalker does us the favor of wrapping up the story as well. You can follow Joe and Marge in their next adventure or, if you don't like it, you can stop here and be content in finishing the book.