Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Tor.com
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. LGBTQIA+ (Fiction.) HTML: Critically acclaimed author Kai Ashante Wilson makes his commercial debut with this striking, wondrous tale of gods and mortals, magic and steel, and life and death that will reshape how you look at sword and sorcery. Since leaving his homeland, the earthbound demigod Demane has been labeled a sorcerer. With his ancestors' artifacts in hand, the Sorcerer follows the Captain, a beautiful man with song for a voice and hair that drinks the sunlight. The two of them are the descendants of the gods who abandoned the Earth for Heaven, and they will need all the gifts those divine ancestors left to them to keep their caravan brothers alive. The one safe road between the northern oasis and southern kingdom is stalked by a necromantic terror. Demane may have to master his wild powers and trade humanity for godhood if he is to keep his brothers and his beloved captain alive..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
After seeing literally dozens of reviews for this novella, I had to see for myself what was going on here... I'd read only one other story from Wilson previously, and it didn't blow me away - but this - this was great.
A few of the reviews I'd seen criticized the style as being opaque and/or
The 'Sorcerer' is Demane, a young man who's been hired to be one of a number of caravan guards, accompanying a group of merchants through the dangerous wilderness known as the Wildeeps. 'Sorcerer' is the nickname he's earned for his seemingly-magical knowledge and abilities. Although he's a brawny fighter, healing is where he really excels. From the start, it's clear that Demane hails from what we would call a much more progressive and egalitarian society than his fellow guards. But although the ignorance and savagery that he is faced with on a daily basis often disgusts and depresses him, he has a deep respect for the Captain of his crew.
Unsurprisingly, the caravan's owner ignores warnings in favor of profits, and heads into the Wildeeps. As the story progresses, we learn more of Demane's past, and the truth about his background.
The finale is both action-packed and heartbreaking. I fail to see how anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, surrounded by the ignorant masses, could not love this story. If you've ever thought you've found the one person who could understand you...
In addition, the world introduced here is wholly intriguing. I'd love to learn more!!!
_____
March 2016: Nominated for Hugo.
A few of the reviews I'd seen criticized the style as being opaque and/or
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confusing. I didn't find it so at all. On the contrary, it was much more straightforward than the other story I'd read ('The Devil in America.') Sure, there's a gradual reveal of information which adds depth to the scenario - but that's kind of the point. The 'Sorcerer' is Demane, a young man who's been hired to be one of a number of caravan guards, accompanying a group of merchants through the dangerous wilderness known as the Wildeeps. 'Sorcerer' is the nickname he's earned for his seemingly-magical knowledge and abilities. Although he's a brawny fighter, healing is where he really excels. From the start, it's clear that Demane hails from what we would call a much more progressive and egalitarian society than his fellow guards. But although the ignorance and savagery that he is faced with on a daily basis often disgusts and depresses him, he has a deep respect for the Captain of his crew.
Unsurprisingly, the caravan's owner ignores warnings in favor of profits, and heads into the Wildeeps. As the story progresses, we learn more of Demane's past, and the truth about his background.
The finale is both action-packed and heartbreaking. I fail to see how anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, surrounded by the ignorant masses, could not love this story. If you've ever thought you've found the one person who could understand you...
In addition, the world introduced here is wholly intriguing. I'd love to learn more!!!
_____
March 2016: Nominated for Hugo.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Beautiful style, including a wonderful use of real-world languages to give the sense of fantasy cultures interacting, not always successfully. The main character—the titular sorceror—is well-educated and well-traveled, but considered a barbarian by many of the people he’s traveling with
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because he can’t communicate well in the merchants’ tongue. Also, the mercenaries in his company seem to frown on homosexuality, but he’s lovers with the captain of their company, a godling of some sort. (Magic here may be extremely advanced technology, left over from when the most advanced people left their bodies for the stars.) As his traveling company gets closer to the dangerous Wildeeps, fissures internal and external threaten the group, and in particular Demane and his Captain. The narrative jogs back and forth in time, and some of the phrases are quite striking; recommended for those who enjoy beautiful writing and not completely resolved mysteries. Show Less
LibraryThing member StigE
Poor little rebound book. It's not easy being read just after a highly anticipated and much loved book. It's certainly not fair.
I had heard great things about this book and was looking forward to reading it, but by the time I got into the rhythm of the book, it was over.
There are some great ideas
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here I wish had been spent a lot more time on, relationships that could have been painted on bigger canvases and language that deserve more time to get into your bloodstream. The book is either to short, or I read it too fast. Perhaps even both. It felt like a sample and not a full meal. I left still hungry.
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LibraryThing member Alissa-
Probably the language play was above me (and I'm not speaking about the quirky French and Spanish phrases, which were funny). I followed the story all right, but several of the lore references and the oblique meanings evaded me.
I liked it? I think so, it was fascinating, this estrangement feeling,
My reading pace never suffered, even when I stopped to wonder if my wondering were actually immersion in the story or plain I'm-missing-something-here. Maybe it's just me. Or the book. Okay, I'm satisfyingly puzzled, the ending was fitting and if over-the-top smart storytelling is your preference, give this a try and see for yourself.
Of all words, none more purely distills the futility of human hope, mortal dreams. Did we but know the end is foreordained and soon, who could go on making such tender plans—someday I shall run my fingers through my lover’s hair—when the very next step we take shall pitch us into the sinkhole, there to be crushed to nothingness, smothered in an instant, by a thousand tonnes of earth?
“Someday.” Ha!
I liked it? I think so, it was fascinating, this estrangement feeling,
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in a confusing kind of way; the characters - all of them - were singularly intriguing; the cross-sensorial descriptions, truly delectable. The book is short, slightly over 200 pages and considering the plot, the worldbuilding and complex prose it was a fine choice on the author's part.My reading pace never suffered, even when I stopped to wonder if my wondering were actually immersion in the story or plain I'm-missing-something-here. Maybe it's just me. Or the book. Okay, I'm satisfyingly puzzled, the ending was fitting and if over-the-top smart storytelling is your preference, give this a try and see for yourself.
Of all words, none more purely distills the futility of human hope, mortal dreams. Did we but know the end is foreordained and soon, who could go on making such tender plans—someday I shall run my fingers through my lover’s hair—when the very next step we take shall pitch us into the sinkhole, there to be crushed to nothingness, smothered in an instant, by a thousand tonnes of earth?
“Someday.” Ha!
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LibraryThing member Petroglyph
This novella is ancient-aliens-style science fiction masquerading as pseudo-ancient-african fantasy. The nonconventional language was, I think, its most appealing asset, once I got into it; although the worldbuilding isn't too shabby, either. Worth having read.
LibraryThing member amanda4242
This is one of those books that is disappointing because it should have been so much better than it is. The world Wilson created is interesting but the first 2/3 of the book just drag on, there are pointless and distracting footnotes, and lines like "every night the brazen sphere dissolves in a
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molten line, compelling the gaze westward when the sky's dark otherwise" that induce severe eye rolling. Show Less
LibraryThing member hopeevey
I am not at all sure how to talk about this book. On the one hand, the writing and characterization are outstanding. I was in love with this author's prosody from the first page. I get stuck at trying to discuss the structure of the narrative. It manages to have depth and breadth while being very
Let me just say this: [book:The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps|25819519] is a strong second world fantasy that is also a speculative future history. It will punch you in the gut and make you like it.
I am totally going to be reading this again.
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concise. If I were to attempt to explain it to you you wouldn't believe me when I also say that it's a satisfying read. Stepping away I can recognize that the structure is non-standard but I'm too much in love with the book to worry about it. Let me just say this: [book:The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps|25819519] is a strong second world fantasy that is also a speculative future history. It will punch you in the gut and make you like it.
I am totally going to be reading this again.
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LibraryThing member tapestry100
I've tried 3 times now to read this book, and I just can't. There's something about the writing that is not clicking for me. Will revisit again at some point.
LibraryThing member whatsmacksaid
FIVE STARS, OH MY GOD, THIS WAS AMAZING. The writing was PERFECT, the worldbuilding was masterful, the story was just--just UGH. READ IT.
Hopefully in a day or so I'll be a little more coherent and will be able to string together further praises for the dialogue, the juxtaposition of camaraderie and
Hopefully in a day or so I'll be a little more coherent and will be able to string together further praises for the dialogue, the juxtaposition of camaraderie and
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homophobia, of being Other and far from home. Jeeeeeezus. I read almost eighty books last year, and without hesitating this would easily be in the top three. Show Less
LibraryThing member pwaites
I will freely admit that the primary motive for my reading is entertainment. And whatever sort of literary merit The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps has, I don’t think it works on an entertainment level, or at least for me anyway.
Demane’s demigod, descended from the people who came down from the
Something you should know going in -this is a tragic queer story. Our bisexual protagonist is basically the only queer character to make it out alive. Seriously, even the background gay couple dies! The 75% death rate going on here is definitely a factor in why The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps doesn’t work for me.
Another thing – there are practically no women in the book. The only named female character with dialog is Auntie, and she only appears during flashback scenes where she’s training Demane. I get that this book was exploring masculinity (I think specifically in African American culture?), but masculinity doesn’t exist in isolation.
However my main problem with the book is the writing style. It’s non-linear and all the scenes seem to float together. It felt a bit like reading a really weird dream. And it also felt like nothing happened until they got to the Wildeeps – which they take over half the novel to reach.
The only reason this book manages to get three stars from me is that there were some interesting things going on with the world. For one, I think it was a fantasy equivalent of ancient Africa. For another, it had all these enticing bleed overs with science fiction. A lot of the “magic” of the book is presented as highly advanced science, and I got the impression that the protagonist is descended from genetically engineered people. And are the gods really gods? Or are they some far more advanced civilization from elsewhere that decided to walk among humans for a time?
I can’t shake the feeling that I’m missing something about this novella given all the rave reviews it has elsewhere. Still, I wouldn’t really recommend it based on my own reading.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Demane’s demigod, descended from the people who came down from the
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stars. But now he’s traveling with a merchant caravan as a guard and in love with the Captain, another man with divine ancestry. Yet, the caravan must pass through the wilderness of the Wildeeps, where a terrifying evil lurks.Something you should know going in -
Another thing – there are practically no women in the book. The only named female character with dialog is Auntie, and she only appears during flashback scenes where she’s training Demane. I get that this book was exploring masculinity (I think specifically in African American culture?), but masculinity doesn’t exist in isolation.
However my main problem with the book is the writing style. It’s non-linear and all the scenes seem to float together. It felt a bit like reading a really weird dream. And it also felt like nothing happened until they got to the Wildeeps – which they take over half the novel to reach.
The only reason this book manages to get three stars from me is that there were some interesting things going on with the world. For one, I think it was a fantasy equivalent of ancient Africa. For another, it had all these enticing bleed overs with science fiction. A lot of the “magic” of the book is presented as highly advanced science, and I got the impression that the protagonist is descended from genetically engineered people. And are the gods really gods? Or are they some far more advanced civilization from elsewhere that decided to walk among humans for a time?
I can’t shake the feeling that I’m missing something about this novella given all the rave reviews it has elsewhere. Still, I wouldn’t really recommend it based on my own reading.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member tldegray
This was amazing. I devoured it: the story, the characters, the poetry of the words.
LibraryThing member eldang
A strange and astonishing book. By far my favourite thing about it is the language: a mix of deeply lyrical--almost scriptural--descriptive prose, bluntly brutal action and thoroughly colloquial dialogue that I wouldn't have expected to work, but Wilson pulls off flawlessly. For that alone I would
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have kept reading for hundreds more pages, but there are also some great characters, an intriguing fantasy world that at first looks like it's going for some cheap outs but resists those temptations, and a decent plot. The plot is actually the least interesting part of this book, but everything is so good that I don't care. Show Less
LibraryThing member allison_s
*WAVES ARMS* Read this! And if it's anything to go by, go ahead and pre-order all the other Tor.com novellas as well. BUT THIS REVIEW IS ABOUT THIS GLORIOUS BOOK.
"Sumptuous" doesn't really do the language here justice. I read a ton of short fiction with language that I truly enjoy, but nothing
"The Devil in America", and Wilson's other short fiction, has been on my list for a while, and I'm about to go on a spree, for sure.
"Sumptuous" doesn't really do the language here justice. I read a ton of short fiction with language that I truly enjoy, but nothing
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novella or novel-length in quite some time. This ended that drought. And the plotting sure isn't bad either (IT'S GODDAMN GREAT). The dialogue is fantastic, the world-building is amazing, and the action is visceral as hell. THE MAGIC IS SCIENCE-Y AND EARTHY. AND THE CHARACTERS! DEMANE. THE CAPTAIN. CUMALO. ALL THE CARAVAN GUARDS. Even the *vague eyebrow waggling* creature, in the same way the shark was a looming background character in Jaws."The Devil in America", and Wilson's other short fiction, has been on my list for a while, and I'm about to go on a spree, for sure.
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LibraryThing member porges
I haven't read something this original in a long time!
LibraryThing member tatere
I hope this gets classified as a novella for the Hugos so it doesn't get crushed by The Fifth Season. The mixture of idioms and imagery and cultures and peoples is unlike anything else I've read, if not ever than for longer than I can remember. It works to immediately break and reset your
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expectations. I don't want to say much about the details, because I found I enjoyed knowing nothing about it when I began. I will say, I am in willful denial about the ending. Except I'm not, of course, because what *seems* to have happened of course did not happen at all. Of course not. Nope. Show Less
Awards
Locus Award (Finalist — First Novel — 2016)
Gaylactic Spectrum Award (Nominee — Novel — 2016)
IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (Winner — 2016)
Original publication date
2015-09-01
Local notes
Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, 1
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Wilson |