The Quest Unaligned A Phillips
Very roughly speaking, there are three areas in which a book is judged: the world, the characters, and the plot. The Quest Of The Unaligned delivers solidly on all three fronts.
I. The World.
Quest Of The Unaligned features several interesting and intriguing worldbuildings. We start with the bizzare juxtaposition of the ultra-modern (and magicless) city-state of Tonzimmiel with the surrounding mythopoeic Kingdom Of Caederan. Each of the two societies is well developed over the course of the story and shown to have interlocking strengths and weaknesses, such that what one does wrong, the other often does right. Similarly, the magic of Caederan initially appears as the dull and lifeless seed of the classical four-element magic, but with the fleshing out of the secondary powers, and even more so with the royal unaligned house and the mysterious super-elemental mages known as orahs and hosheks, this magic produces beautiful and lively flowers.
II. The Characters
The characters of Quest Of The Unaligned are a varied bunch. The three main characters are Alaric, an initially reluctant hero who comes to accept his duty as Crown Prince of Caederan; Laeshana, a beautiful and extremely intelligent aesh seeking to transcend the limits imposed on her by birth, and Nahruahn, a hyperactive hero-worhsipper who eventually develops into a hero himself. Over the course of their quest, they encounter a mixed bag of secondary characters, ranging from the wise but manipulative Deshamai, to the proud and flighty Ruahkini, to the utterly vile Gaithim.
III. The Plot
The plot of Quest Of The Unaligned ends up being about three parts mystery, three parts heroic journey of discovery, and one part each of politics, romance, and comedy. (And about half a part badgers). It begins when a man appears out of thin air in a bar, accosts a ninth-level certified security chief in the Tonzimmelian First Security Force, calls him "Prince Alaric", and cons him into going on the titular Quest Of The Unaligned. Joined by Laeshana, a friend of his who was born in Caederan and understands its ways, Alaric must set out on an adventure that will reshape his life.
This delightful novel chronicles the adventures of an upwardly mobile security officer as he is lured away from his comfortable existence in ultra-modern Tonzimmel into Cadaeren's world of feudalism, magic, and intrigue. This fascinating mixture of fantasy and science fiction is a good read. It masterfully works classic Sociological distinctions between Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, status versus contract, mechanical versus organic solidarity, into a compelling "quest" narrative. In fictional form the story line traces, backwards, the great shifts in Western culture from medievalism to modernity, exploring some of the dilemmas and contradictions of both. This book is appropriate for ages 12 through adult. My 13 year old is already diving in!
BalasHapusThe Quest of the Unaligned is a fast-paced adventure story with engaging characters and dialogue that is both funny and thought-provoking. Here's hoping for more from this author!
BalasHapusAs soon as I opened to page one, I was caught up in the story and couldn't put it down. I read the entire novel in one sitting and found myself, at the end, wishing for more. The characters are dynamic and engaging, the cultures rich and real, the plot satisfying in both its archetypal simplicity and its unusual twists. This book satisfied my desire for a fun story, but also refreshed me, engaged my mind, and roused my own creativity. Phillips has achieved the two criteria for a good book: to teach and to delight.
BalasHapus
BalasHapus