From rec.arts.sf.written Fri Jan 29 12:34:56 1993 Path: lysator.liu.se!isy!liuida!sunic!mcsun!Germany.EU.net!news.netmbx.de!mailgzrz.TU-Berlin.DE!math.fu-berlin.de!ira.uka.de!yale.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!hannah.enet.dec.com!marotta From: marotta@hannah.enet.DEC.COM ("Hurt not the Earth, neither the sea, nor the trees. 27-Jan-1993 1016", Revelations 7:3) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: Review of "The Forever King" by Molly Cochran and Warren Murphy Message-ID: <9301271516.AA29772@enet-gw.pa.dec.com> Date: 27 Jan 93 15:16:38 GMT Sender: nobody@rutgers.rutgers.edu Lines: 84 Review of "The Forever King" A novel by Molly Cochran and Warren Murphy ISBN 0-312-85227-4 Published: June 1992, a TOR book This fantasy thriller novel is well-written, has plenty of action and unexpected turns, and is not as gorey as some thriller fiction. Plot summary: When a boy named Arthur finds a mysterious object in the snow on a New York City street, he has no way of knowing its powers and its past. But when he brings it home to his Aunt Emily (a distracted spinster and successful physicist), he draws the attention of some very nasty Arab fellows, who follow him there and shoot Emily. Quite by accident, Arthur drops the strange object and it touches Emily, who revives and is healed without a scar. Clearly, this object is unique and valuable; Emily's examination of it shows that it has properties unlike any earthly metal. "It cleaves in a curve," she says. Old Mr. Goldberg, Arthur's neighbor and friend, however, says it looks like an ashtray. Arthur has just recently learned that some propery in England has come to him by inheritance. Emily and Arthur, sure that the Arab guys are after the mysterious object, decide to go to England to see the property rather than wait around for the next attack on their lives. In the meantime, a burnt-out boozing ex-FBI agent named Hal is chosen to participate in a TV game show. Coincidences pile up when he wins the prize, a two-week vacation in England, by answer five "random" trivia questions. To the consternation and disappointment of the game show audience and its host, all five randomly-chosen questions pertain to the land and history of King Arthur of England: questions that Hal answers easily because of his childhood fascination with the legends of King Arthur and his knights. On a bus tour in England, the baddies attack Arthur and Emily again, but Hal is on the same bus tour and helps them escape. Hal, Arthur, and Emily meet an old man who reminds Arthur of Mr. Goldberg in a non-specific way, at the site of an old castle on the property willed to Arthur. The mysterious object is, of course, the fabulous Holy Grail, which Jesus is supposed to have used at His last supper with his apostles. The baddies are working for Saladin, a former owner of the Grail, who is most anxious to regain possession of it. The Grail, which grants eternal life as well as healing powers, has become Saladin's sole reason for existence; without it, he will age and die like any normal man. "The Forever King" tells how Hal discovers the meaning of his life when Arthur is captured (without the Grail) and ransomed for the return of the Grail. Hal must rescue Arthur from the evil stranger despite lack of support from local authorities. The fast-paced plot develops to an exciting climax. Despite the fantastic events that befall our protagonists, the ultimate resolution of the story depends on the strength of will and spirit of the boy Arthur and his protector, Hal. Critique: Readers who love the stories of King Arthur, his knights, Merlin, and the Holy Grail, will find much to amuse them in this novel. While the historical and geographical references are contemporary, the sites and characterization have the ambience of an Arthurian legend. This novel does not attempt to proselytize, but assumes that the reader is familiar with the motivations and goals of the characters in the legend. I particularly enjoyed the interactions among Emily, Hal, and Arthur. I immediately felt trust and security with Hal even though he did not feel trustworthy. Similarly, Emily is not all ice and science as she would have others believe. Her basic kindness and her need to protect Arthur are apparent from the beginning. The boy, Arthur, is intelligent and demonstrative; by no means a precocious or willful child, but reasonable and thoughtful. When he is captured by the evil Arab, Saladin, I was afraid that this was one of those horror tales where kids get cut, and worse. It is no spoiler to tell you that the authors of this novel control the violence. Indeed, the danger is quite real, and some nasty things do happen in the story, but the authors wisely chose not to rub the reader's face in it. I recommend this novel to anyone who likes contemporary settings with fantasy, a little magic, and a lot of realistic characters and places. It is a good action tale, with some mystery and some humor, with a great ending that is neither too neat nor incomplete.