Review: A Wizard Abroad.

[starlady]

Yup, another reread, this time of the much-maligned fourth volume in Diane Duane's Young Wizards series, partially in honor of the fact that the ninth, A Wizard of Mars, is due out some time this year.

Well, I say much-maligned because I think there is a general consensus that AWA is the slightest of the eight books in the series, but I have to say that even Duane's slighter books, such as this one, still manage to pack a decent amount of thinky thoughts in. On rereading, I can see that this book is Duane processing her having relocated from New York to Ireland after her marriage, and having been to Ireland, I think she gets a lot of the country right. Compared with the other books in the series, though, the narrative simply lacks punch; it's no where near as evocative or as urgent as any of the others before or since, and I'm not sure I could say why, unless it's the insistence that what's threatening Ireland is the past coming alive again (not that this might not be an issue in Ireland in reality, har har). Replaying old roles just inherently lacks pizazz, for all that Duane gives Irish legends her own spin with customary flair, and the ending is positively anti-climactic. There's interesting hints, though, of what is becoming more of an issue in the later books--Nita's fraught relationship with the Lone Power. Since in this book the Lone One is a hill with a malevolent eyeball that has perhaps one line of dialogue, as opposed to Its other sexy and/or wittier incarnations in the other books, that's a drag too. Worth a read as part of the series, and I'm glad I finally have my matched copy, but no great shakes. Though I will say, I do like how Duane has managed to write a nine-volume series that has stretched from 1983 to 2009 in which only about two years has gone by internally, while having each book be both of its time and yet perennial.

Comments

[deutscheami.livejournal.com]

I really like A Wizard Abroad-- it's certainly not perfect, but as something bordering on a Ronan fan-girl, I'm fond of the book for its introduction and initial development of his character.

I also love the Easter Egg of Aunt Anne being a fictional portrait of Anne McCaffrey.

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

See, I didn't know at all that Aunt Annie is Anne McCaffrey. That definitely enhances my appreciation for the book.

I don't know, I like Ronan a lot too, but I feel like he has less actual personality on display in this book than he does in #8. Partly I'd think that's because the length of Abroad is so short, compared with the longer lengths that have become okay in YA recently. But, yeah, he dresses all in black, and gives Nita some sarcasm, and then he freaks about the Defender, then recovers, and then the book ends. It's very brief.

[deutscheami.livejournal.com]

I don't think Duane has confirmed that at all-- it's just an extremely educated guess given the parallels between the personal histories of both women-- both are divorced American women operating a horse farm in Ireland. Too, page 37 of Abroad specifically mentions that Aunt Annie has two sons named Alec and Todd, which squares exactly with the names of McCaffrey's sons.

I love Duane's Easter Eggs. I let out the most undignified shriek ever when I realized she'd managed to hide the Doctor in High Wizardry.

And I see your point-- Ronan's a very flat character in Abroad. I suppose for me, Ronan's actions at the turning point of War have-- something of an additional layer of resonance in light of his initial reluctance in Abroad?

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

Wait what, THE DOCTOR!?

Well, I'm going to re-read High Wizardry now. Right now.

I don't know anything about Anne McCaffrey (aside from what fandom_wank has taught me about her views vis-a-vis blue and green dragonriders), but the details certainly seem to be suspiciously similar. And don't the Wizards books say somewhere that there's no such thing as coincidence? XD

I definitely agree that Ronan's actions in War are more poignant in light of his feelings in Abroad, which I guess is one of the virtues of writing a nine-books-and-counting sequence. :-) I just wish Abroad were longer, though.

[eavanmoore.livejournal.com]

I feel like his reluctance in Abroad is simply erased by the time War starts -- in the last eight months or so, he has somehow managed to come to terms with the Defender so that he can communicate fairly comfortably with Him.

There is a great deal of Ronan's everyday missing, sadly.

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

Yes. I would love to read a standalone book about Ronan--from the hints that have been dropped, it sounds like his Ordeal was quite something, just for starters.

[eavanmoore.livejournal.com]

It's funny, it sounded like very little actually happened on his Ordeal, other than that he performed one very difficult wizardry. I've wondered if it was a test of his capacity to accommodate very large entities and not go insane.