Who Would Like This Book:
This clever mash-up of fantasy and humor is perfect for fans who prefer their magic with a side of wit. If you enjoy sprawling, quirky worlds filled with oddball characters - think a dash of Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman - you'll find a lot to love here. Kage Baker crafts memorable adventures that blend laugh-out-loud moments with poignant insight, making the book great for readers who want engaging tales without heavy-handed epic drama. The interconnected stories keep things fresh, and the cast (hello, Lord Ermenwyr!) is delightfully eccentric.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers might find the novel’s structure - composed of three loosely linked stories - a bit disjointed, especially if you’re looking for a single, driving plot. Others noted that the pacing can feel uneven, and character names (so many Smiths!) might get confusing at first. If you’re after epic battles, sweeping romances, or tightly-wound narratives, this one’s lighter, breezier approach may not fully satisfy.
About:
'The Anvil of the World' by Kage Baker is a collection of three interconnected stories following the adventures of a character named Smith. The plot revolves around Smith's journey as a caravan master, a hotelier, and a rescuer, each segment filled with unique challenges and unexpected twists. The writing style is described as witty, humorous, and engaging, with a blend of fantasy and steampunk elements that create an intriguing world for the characters to navigate.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains themes related to assassination, potential violence, and complex familial and societal dynamics, warranting a medium level of content sensitivity.
Has Romance?
There are elements of romance interspersed throughout the stories, though it is not a central focus.
From The Publisher:
Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue and pointed social commentary with a light touch.
"Ms. Baker is the best thing to happen to modern science fiction since Connie Willis or Dan Simmons. She mixes adventure, history and societal concerns in just the right amount, creating an action-packed but thoughtful read," says The Dallas Morning News.
The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin.
Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.
His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh.
The caravan is dogged by murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed.
Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.
The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat.
This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition that runs from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.
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The Anvil of the World?
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