Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Tor Books (1992), Edition: 1st, 272 pages
Description
Cigany is the gypsy, stalking the city in a cloud of magic. Stepovich is the seasoned cop, who keeps finding dead bodies in the gypsy's wake. The Fair Lady is Queen of the Underworld, drawing them both into her murderous web...until only the gypsy's broken memories stand between Stepovich's beloved city and the Lady's dark designs. Part crime novel, part magic, Steven Brust and Megan Lindholm'sThe Gypsy is "a powerful and memorable fantasy" (Publishers Weekly).
User reviews
LibraryThing member xicanti
A cop gets entangled in an old gypsy story.
This book is all about the layers. Brust and Lindholm introduce us to a large and varied cast of characters, then feed us pieces of their story. Everything comes together via a series of brief scenes in which we learn who these people are, how they relate
I'm big on layered books. I love stories with a slow and careful buildup. It makes that wonderful point where everything crashes together all the more special.
The problem here is that nothing really crashes. Nothing really clicks. Instead of drawing me in, the bits and pieces pushed me out of the story and made it tough for me to really commit to these characters. No one gets enough screen time; by the novel's end, I didn't feel that I knew a one of them. I didn't really care about any of them, so I didn't invest very much in the story.
The plot is decent, but a great deal of the action is driven by a mythology I'm just not familiar with. That might not have been an impediment had the authors presented the gypsy lore in such a way that I could learn as I went, but I really don't feel that they did. Instead, I constantly felt like I was being left out of some big secret, something that would help me understand. Even the non-gypsy characters seemed to know more or less what was going on and what had caused all of it. I was out of the loop.
So to be honest, I kind of stopped paying a lot of attention and just coasted on through to the end.
It wasn't a bad book. As far as contemporary fantasy mysteries go, it's perfectly decent. But it's nothing special. I wouldn't really recommend that you rush out and find yourself a copy, especially since it's out of print and can carry a pretty hefty price tag.
(A slightly different version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina).
This book is all about the layers. Brust and Lindholm introduce us to a large and varied cast of characters, then feed us pieces of their story. Everything comes together via a series of brief scenes in which we learn who these people are, how they relate
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to one another and what their ultimate goal is.I'm big on layered books. I love stories with a slow and careful buildup. It makes that wonderful point where everything crashes together all the more special.
The problem here is that nothing really crashes. Nothing really clicks. Instead of drawing me in, the bits and pieces pushed me out of the story and made it tough for me to really commit to these characters. No one gets enough screen time; by the novel's end, I didn't feel that I knew a one of them. I didn't really care about any of them, so I didn't invest very much in the story.
The plot is decent, but a great deal of the action is driven by a mythology I'm just not familiar with. That might not have been an impediment had the authors presented the gypsy lore in such a way that I could learn as I went, but I really don't feel that they did. Instead, I constantly felt like I was being left out of some big secret, something that would help me understand. Even the non-gypsy characters seemed to know more or less what was going on and what had caused all of it. I was out of the loop.
So to be honest, I kind of stopped paying a lot of attention and just coasted on through to the end.
It wasn't a bad book. As far as contemporary fantasy mysteries go, it's perfectly decent. But it's nothing special. I wouldn't really recommend that you rush out and find yourself a copy, especially since it's out of print and can carry a pretty hefty price tag.
(A slightly different version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina).
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LibraryThing member Jammies
This is a truly amazing urban fantasy. The characters are strongly drawn and intriguing, and while the plot is not new, it's handled well. One of the strongest elements of this book for me was the way the Gypsy/Dove character slipped involuntarily from a magical to a realistic view of his
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surroundings and then back again. Show Less
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
Definitely one for the urban fantasy fans.
Co-written by Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb) and Steven Brust, the book mixes Hungarian folkloric archetypes with a story of modern police and teens. I suspect that Lindholm wrote the folklore-inspired characters, because some of them, especially the title
Overall, though, this isn't a major work by either of these authors. It's all right, but I wanted a little more depth to it. The main villain didn't seem to have any motivation for her deeds other than that "well, she's Pure Evil," and her minions/henchmen were kinda stereotypical, like "the bullied child who turns bad due to his resentment," and "the girl who goes bad 'cause she wants to grow up too fast and be cool" It also could have done a bit more delving into actual Gypsy culture, rather than just dealing with figures of folklore.
I guess there's a companion musical album that goes with this book, which I haven't heard. The chapters all are headed with lyrics from the songs - and they all rhyme really annoyingly. Maybe they're great in their musical context, but many lyrics just do not work as written poetry.
Just thinking about urban fantasy in general.. I love the idea of myth and magic mixing with the modern world, the whole idea of gritty "faerie-punk." The Bordertown series did it particularly well. But very often, I find myself unsatisfied by many books in the genre, and I've been trying to put my finger on why. I think it's because these stories so often deal with the disenfranchised and/or troubled, and too often, one feels like it's coming from an outside, even preachy (or at least message-y) perspective. I didn't feel like the authors of this book really knew (or if they know, it didn't really come through) what it's like to live as a gypsy, always suspected of crimes. Or as a punk teen. Or as a 'reformed' prostitute. Or even as a cop.
I feel a little unfair, complaining here, because the book really isn't that bad, and I do like both of these authors - but I also really like believable, convincing characters, and stories that really let you understand someone from the inside out.
Co-written by Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb) and Steven Brust, the book mixes Hungarian folkloric archetypes with a story of modern police and teens. I suspect that Lindholm wrote the folklore-inspired characters, because some of them, especially the title
Show More
character, reminded me of her early book "Wizard of the Pigeons." There are a few references to tie this in to Brust's 'Taltos' series, which fans of his will likely appreciate. Overall, though, this isn't a major work by either of these authors. It's all right, but I wanted a little more depth to it. The main villain didn't seem to have any motivation for her deeds other than that "well, she's Pure Evil," and her minions/henchmen were kinda stereotypical, like "the bullied child who turns bad due to his resentment," and "the girl who goes bad 'cause she wants to grow up too fast and be cool" It also could have done a bit more delving into actual Gypsy culture, rather than just dealing with figures of folklore.
I guess there's a companion musical album that goes with this book, which I haven't heard. The chapters all are headed with lyrics from the songs - and they all rhyme really annoyingly. Maybe they're great in their musical context, but many lyrics just do not work as written poetry.
Just thinking about urban fantasy in general.. I love the idea of myth and magic mixing with the modern world, the whole idea of gritty "faerie-punk." The Bordertown series did it particularly well. But very often, I find myself unsatisfied by many books in the genre, and I've been trying to put my finger on why. I think it's because these stories so often deal with the disenfranchised and/or troubled, and too often, one feels like it's coming from an outside, even preachy (or at least message-y) perspective. I didn't feel like the authors of this book really knew (or if they know, it didn't really come through) what it's like to live as a gypsy, always suspected of crimes. Or as a punk teen. Or as a 'reformed' prostitute. Or even as a cop.
I feel a little unfair, complaining here, because the book really isn't that bad, and I do like both of these authors - but I also really like believable, convincing characters, and stories that really let you understand someone from the inside out.
Show Less
LibraryThing member janisbeth
This story, based heavily on Hungarian folklore, has a dreamlike quality that some may dislike and that takes it a little out of the standard light-reading fantasy category. I found it fascinating once I caught on, and expect to enjoy it more with a second reading now that I know what to expect.
LibraryThing member quondame
The first portions of the book feel like being caught in an Autumn Windstorm of book leaves, each with a disconnected fragment on which you start to notice the continuing bits of different views. I don't think the story was sufficient to remain interesting if told as a straight narrative, but since
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the characters are often in as much confusion as the reader the approach isn't arbitrary. As a fan of both Steven Brust and Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb I wouldn't push this on fans of one or the other. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1992
Physical description
272 p.; 5.79 x 0.97 inches
ISBN
0312852746 / 9780312852740
Local notes
Cigany is the gypsy, stalking the city in a cloud of magic. Stepovich is the seasoned cop, who keeps finding dead bodies in the gypsy's wake. The Fair Lady is Queen of the Underworld, drawing them both into her murderous web.
Mixes Hungarian folkloric archetypes with a story of modern police and teens.
Mixes Hungarian folkloric archetypes with a story of modern police and teens.