Status
Available
Call number
Publication
DAW Books (New York, 1986). 1st edition, 1st printing. 416 pages. $3.95.
Description
"The Vazdru do not weep." "Who weeps? Not I." "Each word spoken was a tear." -- from Delirium's Mistress Delirium's Mistress is the fourth book of the stunning arabesque high fantasy series Tales from the Flat Earth, which, in the manner of The One Thousand and One Nights, portrays an ancient world in mythic grandeur via connected tales. Long time ago when the Earth was Flat, beautiful indifferent Gods lived in the airy Upperearth realm above, curious passionate demons lived in the exotic Underearth realm below, and mortals were relegated to exist in the middle. She is the neglected daughter of Azhrarn, Demon Lord of Darkness, and she has many names¿Soveh, Azhriaz, Sovaz, Atmeh. Half demon, half mortal, she is Moon's Fire, vulnerable child, vengeful sorceress, terrifying Goddess of a wondrous city of cruel delirium that spans thirteen kingdoms, and a humble priestess of life's true wisdom. When her lover, Chuz, Prince Madness himself, is taken from her, she who is Daughter of Wickedness and Delirium's Mistress finds herself on a journey spanning an eternity of lives, in her search for love and redemption, and the ultimate truth of humanity, Godhood, and self. Come within this ancient world of brilliant darkness and beauty, of glittering palaces and wondrous elegant beings, of cruel passions and undying love. Discover the exotic wonder that is the Flat Earth.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member paradoxosalpha
I am not the only one to have remarked the Arabian Nights quality to the nested and proliferating stories in Tanith Lee's Flat Earth books. But by this fourth volume, the use of biblical tropes seems to have increased to the point where they help to inform the content as much as Scheherazade does
Earlier books in this series have not lacked for sexiness, but wow. The coition of the undersea prince Tavir with the witch goddess Azhriaz is quite a textual achievement (281-3). This book also plays up the cosmic in impressive sequences like the creation of the three avenging angels (207-12). On the whole, it is the least capable of standing alone among the books of its series, being especially dependent on the events of Delusion's Master, but also often referencing the other two prior volumes. In fact, it knits together the various threads of previous stories so well, that I wonder if Lee can have had this book, centered on the half-mortal daughter of one of the Lords of Darkness, as a planned destination all along.
My suspicions in this regard are also informed by the strong resonance of Delerium's Mistress with Lee's first-published novel for adults, The Birthgrave. There is a shared scale and narrative sensibility, and the parallel roles of the protagonist seem to run in a reversed sequence. The philosophical outcomes are much the same, although a significant maturation of perspective is also present in this later book.
In addition to the attractive and appropriate cover art from Michael Whelan, this original paperback edition includes a handful of interior illustrations by Lee herself.
Show More
the style. Always subverted in the amoral otherworldly context of Lee's fantasy, incidents in Delerium's Mistress include her versions of the destruction of the Cities of the Plain (i.e. Sodom and Gomorrah) and the tempting of Jesus in the wilderness, among others. Earlier books in this series have not lacked for sexiness, but wow. The coition of the undersea prince Tavir with the witch goddess Azhriaz is quite a textual achievement (281-3). This book also plays up the cosmic in impressive sequences like the creation of the three avenging angels (207-12). On the whole, it is the least capable of standing alone among the books of its series, being especially dependent on the events of Delusion's Master, but also often referencing the other two prior volumes. In fact, it knits together the various threads of previous stories so well, that I wonder if Lee can have had this book, centered on the half-mortal daughter of one of the Lords of Darkness, as a planned destination all along.
My suspicions in this regard are also informed by the strong resonance of Delerium's Mistress with Lee's first-published novel for adults, The Birthgrave. There is a shared scale and narrative sensibility, and the parallel roles of the protagonist seem to run in a reversed sequence. The philosophical outcomes are much the same, although a significant maturation of perspective is also present in this later book.
In addition to the attractive and appropriate cover art from Michael Whelan, this original paperback edition includes a handful of interior illustrations by Lee herself.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sylviasotomayor
This one just didn't work for me. I loved Night's Master and Death's Master, liked Delusion's Master, and didn't like this one, though I do like Night's Sorceries. I think part of the reason I didn't like it is the length - Tanith Lee seems to be better with shorter works, and this novel is twice
Show More
the length of the other novels in the series. Or it could be that I simply never warmed to the central character - she seemed too passive to me. Show Less
LibraryThing member silentq
Next in the Flat Earth series, this one leads directly on from the last, with Azhrarn's daughter being liberated from Underearth by Chuz, Delusion's Master. Azhrarn gets upset by this, Chuz gets a mortal lifetime's punishment, and Azhriaz goes off and have adventures, changing her name as she moves
Quotes I liked:
"He had had no need to prepare himself for this journey. To some, the habit of itinerance is ordinary."
"A hungry man who finds a fruit tree may eat some of the fruit. It is perhaps sour or perhaps deliciously sweet. Etiher way, the matter is soon discovered and the man may go on with his journey. Conversely, he may halt under the tree for an hour with his stomach crying to him for food, deciding if it is worth biting at the fruit, since it may not be to his liking."
Show More
from goddess to child to woman. The scope of this book was expansive, it tied together threads from all the previous installments in the series, but I felt that magic was a bit too casually used. There were a few journeys but most often she'd just will herself to appear where she wanted to go. Quotes I liked:
"He had had no need to prepare himself for this journey. To some, the habit of itinerance is ordinary."
"A hungry man who finds a fruit tree may eat some of the fruit. It is perhaps sour or perhaps deliciously sweet. Etiher way, the matter is soon discovered and the man may go on with his journey. Conversely, he may halt under the tree for an hour with his stomach crying to him for food, deciding if it is worth biting at the fruit, since it may not be to his liking."
Show Less
LibraryThing member Gkarlives
This has been the first Tanith Lee book I have read. I had heard that she is a writer with a lerical style on a par with Patricia MkKillip whom I love as a writer. So I was shocked when I read the first chapter with a character that was less magical and maybe more deviate than I would have liked,
Show More
but soon the story began to grab me. Some people may find this a hard read because the story is more personal than it is grandios more in the vain of Tolkien's Sillmarillion than GRRM's Fire and Ice series. However, the under pinnings are as deep and strong as they are subtle and quiet and if you are looking for a deeply rewarding read that delves suprisingly deep into the nature of family and love, this is your book. The ending will resonate with you long after you finish the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nickidemus
The Basics
This is the fourth installment in Tanith Lee’s Tales of the Flat Earth. Last we left off in Delusion’s Master, Azhrarn, Prince of Demons, had fallen in love with a mortal and sired a child. This is the story of that child.
My Thoughts
Tales of the Flat Earth is Lee’s masterstroke when
From birth until Azhriaz’s ultimate fate, Lee covers it all. She is amazing at showing a character’s entire life, leaving out no detail, and yet condensing it so perfectly. It never drags. And it’s never rushed. But you’ve lived an entire life with Azhriaz, gone through all her changes (which include several name changes to denote her different stages), and it’s incredibly satisfying.
It’s hard for me to go into details without spoiling, because this is the fourth book in a series, but I will say it’s hard to get me hooked into a series. I tend toward standalone novels. Trilogies and series are hard to commit to for me. I ask a lot of a story that long. Namely that it be engaging throughout and have a world worth exploring. So admitting that I mostly avoid long series of books, that should be a testament to how wonderful these books are. I’ve been making my way through this series over the years, and I’m always so involved in the story and characters, every time. The same goes for this particular volume.
Lee is a highly overlooked author who deserves a great deal more attention, and this series is a fantastic place to start if you’re interested.
Final Rating
5/5
This is the fourth installment in Tanith Lee’s Tales of the Flat Earth. Last we left off in Delusion’s Master, Azhrarn, Prince of Demons, had fallen in love with a mortal and sired a child. This is the story of that child.
My Thoughts
Tales of the Flat Earth is Lee’s masterstroke when
Show More
it comes to fantasy writing. It’s a dark fairy tale that makes no attempt at being anything but purely adult. I have copies of the previous three books that plainly state “adult fantasy” on the cover, as if to say, “don’t say we didn’t warn you.” And going back to that “masterstroke” statement, its scope is enormous and the writing is perfectly beautiful. It’s purple, but it suits the world and these characters and the lustrous quality of everything shown.From birth until Azhriaz’s ultimate fate, Lee covers it all. She is amazing at showing a character’s entire life, leaving out no detail, and yet condensing it so perfectly. It never drags. And it’s never rushed. But you’ve lived an entire life with Azhriaz, gone through all her changes (which include several name changes to denote her different stages), and it’s incredibly satisfying.
It’s hard for me to go into details without spoiling, because this is the fourth book in a series, but I will say it’s hard to get me hooked into a series. I tend toward standalone novels. Trilogies and series are hard to commit to for me. I ask a lot of a story that long. Namely that it be engaging throughout and have a world worth exploring. So admitting that I mostly avoid long series of books, that should be a testament to how wonderful these books are. I’ve been making my way through this series over the years, and I’m always so involved in the story and characters, every time. The same goes for this particular volume.
Lee is a highly overlooked author who deserves a great deal more attention, and this series is a fantastic place to start if you’re interested.
Final Rating
5/5
Show Less
Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — 1987)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1986
Physical description
416 p.; 7 inches
ISBN
0886771358 / 9780886771355