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Sun Wolf and Starhawk #1
Ladies of Mandrigyn
When the women of the City of Mandrigyn, led by Sheera Galernas, hired the mercenary army of Captain Sun Wolf, to help them rescue their men from the mines of evil, he refused. Little did he realize how insistent the ladies could be, and how far they would go to persuade him to train them against the evil of Altiokis....
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
207 people are currently reading
3,178 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Hambly
216 books1,519 followersaka Barbara Hamilton
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
December 31, 2013
I’ll begin by saying that I loved this book. Fiercely. To the point I wasn’t ready to let go when it came due at the library, so I ordered my own copy. Does that mean it’s without flaws? No, which is why I’m giving 4 stars. But it’s one of those books that reminded me why I still read fantasy, even though I’ve become a much more analytical reader than I was when I fell in love with the genre as a kid. Because the rare books that engage my emotions this way, that have me passionately invested not only in the characters’ fates but in their every interaction, are almost always fantasy.
So here is the setup: the city of Mandrigyn has been conquered by a power-hungry wizard, and all the men who marched out to fight him were either killed or taken captive to work in the mines. The women, led by the charismatic Sheera, have formed a resistance movement, and blackmail mercenary captain Sun Wolf into training them to fight. Meanwhile, his lieutenant, Starhawk, sets out on a quest to rescue him. At first glance it’s very much a genre fantasy novel (just look at those names), without literary pretensions, but while there’s plenty of adventure and fighting, the plot turned out to be a thoughtful one, surprisingly free of cliché, even though it was published in 1984.
What I loved most about this book are the characters. Hambly makes liberal use of stock character roles, but don't be fooled: within them are real, three-dimensional people. The book turns the typical fantasy setup on its head: instead of a lone heroine surrounded by men, we get a hero (Sun Wolf) surrounded by women. As a woman, I love to read about women doing things, and was a little surprised at just how much fun this setup was. For once, someone was telling me the kind of story I want to read! And while Sun Wolf and the few other male characters are believable and entertaining (I especially loved Sun Wolf's snarking about his drunken barbarian ancestors), it's with the women that Hambly really shines. Her female characters are a diverse group, in personalities and lifestyle choices and everything else, yet even the most difficult ones are rendered with sympathy and without quick or easy judgments. Hambly takes types of characters who in any other book would be vilified, or who would be dismissed as shallow and uninteresting, and not only turns them into well-developed and sympathetic characters, but gives them hopeful endings where any other author would have killed them off.
The book is also surprisingly thoughtful in other ways. For instance, Starhawk's quest might at first seem like a sideshow--after all, we know where Sun Wolf is--but her journey turns out to be the moral center of the book. Hambly could have gotten away with idealizing the mercenaries (making them disciplined professionals who would never harm a non-combatant), but instead she draws a less flattering picture, and forces Starhawk to re-evaluate her worldview as she comes into close contact with civilians. And then there's the society of Mandrigyn itself, which historically adhered to strict gender roles but is thrown into upheaval during the story. The consequences of abrupt change are dealt with, and it isn't always pretty. Which leads to a perfect bittersweet ending: not bittersweet in the easy way of most fantasy novels (where the protagonists get everything they're fighting for, losing a friend or two along the way), but in a way that's realistic and earned and leaves the characters with plenty of challenges ahead.
All this is not to say the book is perfect, because it isn't. There are some plot elements I wasn't thrilled with: Sun Wolf and Starhawk are often slow to draw obvious conclusions (though perhaps as mercenaries they weren't intended to be the brightest bulbs on the tree), and Sun Wolf has a bit of better-at-everything-than-everyone syndrome. The worldbuilding is mixed. Hambly does an excellent job with visual and sensory description, as well as with the macro changes in the society. But the details don't always quite coalesce. For instance, the requirement that women in pre-conquest Mandrigyn wear veils in public is often referred to as a touchstone for the degree of repression that existed, but contrasts with much of what we see: there are female gladiators; even people who are ashamed of their looks fail to take advantage of the custom; and the rebels show up for battle training in not much more than bikinis. Sure, they're self-conscious at first, but in a society with such high expectations of modesty I'd have expected them to devise far less revealing workout clothes, especially since this training happens in winter. None of these inconsistencies threw me out of the story, but they seem odd in retrospect. Finally, as for the writing, it was good enough to keep me in the story, but it is genre fantasy, so expect unnecessary adverbs and unusually expressive eyes and so on.
But I hope you won't take my quibbles too much to heart, because in the end this was a fantastically fun book that I loved to pieces. It's a story about excellently-drawn, lovable characters who grow and change and have exciting adventures, and really, what could be better than that?
So here is the setup: the city of Mandrigyn has been conquered by a power-hungry wizard, and all the men who marched out to fight him were either killed or taken captive to work in the mines. The women, led by the charismatic Sheera, have formed a resistance movement, and blackmail mercenary captain Sun Wolf into training them to fight. Meanwhile, his lieutenant, Starhawk, sets out on a quest to rescue him. At first glance it’s very much a genre fantasy novel (just look at those names), without literary pretensions, but while there’s plenty of adventure and fighting, the plot turned out to be a thoughtful one, surprisingly free of cliché, even though it was published in 1984.
What I loved most about this book are the characters. Hambly makes liberal use of stock character roles, but don't be fooled: within them are real, three-dimensional people. The book turns the typical fantasy setup on its head: instead of a lone heroine surrounded by men, we get a hero (Sun Wolf) surrounded by women. As a woman, I love to read about women doing things, and was a little surprised at just how much fun this setup was. For once, someone was telling me the kind of story I want to read! And while Sun Wolf and the few other male characters are believable and entertaining (I especially loved Sun Wolf's snarking about his drunken barbarian ancestors), it's with the women that Hambly really shines. Her female characters are a diverse group, in personalities and lifestyle choices and everything else, yet even the most difficult ones are rendered with sympathy and without quick or easy judgments. Hambly takes types of characters who in any other book would be vilified, or who would be dismissed as shallow and uninteresting, and not only turns them into well-developed and sympathetic characters, but gives them hopeful endings where any other author would have killed them off.
The book is also surprisingly thoughtful in other ways. For instance, Starhawk's quest might at first seem like a sideshow--after all, we know where Sun Wolf is--but her journey turns out to be the moral center of the book. Hambly could have gotten away with idealizing the mercenaries (making them disciplined professionals who would never harm a non-combatant), but instead she draws a less flattering picture, and forces Starhawk to re-evaluate her worldview as she comes into close contact with civilians. And then there's the society of Mandrigyn itself, which historically adhered to strict gender roles but is thrown into upheaval during the story. The consequences of abrupt change are dealt with, and it isn't always pretty. Which leads to a perfect bittersweet ending: not bittersweet in the easy way of most fantasy novels (where the protagonists get everything they're fighting for, losing a friend or two along the way), but in a way that's realistic and earned and leaves the characters with plenty of challenges ahead.
All this is not to say the book is perfect, because it isn't. There are some plot elements I wasn't thrilled with: Sun Wolf and Starhawk are often slow to draw obvious conclusions (though perhaps as mercenaries they weren't intended to be the brightest bulbs on the tree), and Sun Wolf has a bit of better-at-everything-than-everyone syndrome. The worldbuilding is mixed. Hambly does an excellent job with visual and sensory description, as well as with the macro changes in the society. But the details don't always quite coalesce. For instance, the requirement that women in pre-conquest Mandrigyn wear veils in public is often referred to as a touchstone for the degree of repression that existed, but contrasts with much of what we see: there are female gladiators; even people who are ashamed of their looks fail to take advantage of the custom; and the rebels show up for battle training in not much more than bikinis. Sure, they're self-conscious at first, but in a society with such high expectations of modesty I'd have expected them to devise far less revealing workout clothes, especially since this training happens in winter. None of these inconsistencies threw me out of the story, but they seem odd in retrospect. Finally, as for the writing, it was good enough to keep me in the story, but it is genre fantasy, so expect unnecessary adverbs and unusually expressive eyes and so on.
But I hope you won't take my quibbles too much to heart, because in the end this was a fantastically fun book that I loved to pieces. It's a story about excellently-drawn, lovable characters who grow and change and have exciting adventures, and really, what could be better than that?
January 30, 2014
I do not understand why Barbara Hambly is not better known and celebrated more for her books about Sun Wolf and Starhawk. Recommended.
March 4, 2017
I really enjoyed The Ladies of Mandrigyn way more than I expected to. It's kind of an old school sword and sorcery type fantasy, written in the 80s, but I didn't think it felt too dated.
There are two main POVs. One is Sun Wolf, the captain of a band of mercenaries. His story is interesting because he is the only man in it for most of the book. There is a strong cast of women of all personalities and motivations, since all the men of Mandrigyn have been enslaved by an evil wizard. The women hire Sun Wolf to rescue their men, and what they learn from him challenges everyone's views of what women can and can't do or should and shouldn't do. There's definitely a feminist message in this.
The other main POV is Starhawk, a female mercenary and Sun Wolf's second in command. She is as tough a heroine as you could want, a true warrior. We actually get to see her kicking some butt instead of just being told that she's capable of taking care of herself. I really liked her.
They are both noble warriors without a lot of flaws or gray areas, and without much of the moral complexity that you find in fantasy characters these days, but they both learn important truths about themselves and their 'neutral' positions as mercenaries, so they grow in that sense. The evil wizard and his zombie-like creatures are completely evil, however. There's no doubt they need to be killed.
This is a trilogy, but I found that the first book can really stand on its own. The main conflict is completely resolved here, so it's on to new adventures in the next one.
There are two main POVs. One is Sun Wolf, the captain of a band of mercenaries. His story is interesting because he is the only man in it for most of the book. There is a strong cast of women of all personalities and motivations, since all the men of Mandrigyn have been enslaved by an evil wizard. The women hire Sun Wolf to rescue their men, and what they learn from him challenges everyone's views of what women can and can't do or should and shouldn't do. There's definitely a feminist message in this.
The other main POV is Starhawk, a female mercenary and Sun Wolf's second in command. She is as tough a heroine as you could want, a true warrior. We actually get to see her kicking some butt instead of just being told that she's capable of taking care of herself. I really liked her.
They are both noble warriors without a lot of flaws or gray areas, and without much of the moral complexity that you find in fantasy characters these days, but they both learn important truths about themselves and their 'neutral' positions as mercenaries, so they grow in that sense. The evil wizard and his zombie-like creatures are completely evil, however. There's no doubt they need to be killed.
This is a trilogy, but I found that the first book can really stand on its own. The main conflict is completely resolved here, so it's on to new adventures in the next one.
May 25, 2018
So much “sword & sorcery” writing is pretty formulaic. Most authors have read Robert Howard’s iconic tales of Conan or Kull and borrow liberally from them or use the plots as their template. In doing so, they honor the form but not the substance. This is not a criticism of such greats as Fritz Leiber, Robert Jordan and L. Sprague de Camp whose work I find enjoyable in many of my revisits.
For me, Hambly hasn’t yet attained that level of greatness but she is well underway. This series is off to an excellent start with a complex but easily followed plot with three-dimensional characters and wide-worldscape in which they can frolic.
It features: some mercenaries, both good and bad; a wizard with ambitions to dominate the world; some strange and disturbing monsters; surprising townspeople and merchants; and the women of the title whose menfolk have been either killed or made slaves. She moves things along at a fairly fast pace and keeps coming up with surprising twists. I even detect a bit of a Cthulu homage as part of it.
Hambly has me happily willing to move on to the next in the series.
For me, Hambly hasn’t yet attained that level of greatness but she is well underway. This series is off to an excellent start with a complex but easily followed plot with three-dimensional characters and wide-worldscape in which they can frolic.
It features: some mercenaries, both good and bad; a wizard with ambitions to dominate the world; some strange and disturbing monsters; surprising townspeople and merchants; and the women of the title whose menfolk have been either killed or made slaves. She moves things along at a fairly fast pace and keeps coming up with surprising twists. I even detect a bit of a Cthulu homage as part of it.
Hambly has me happily willing to move on to the next in the series.
November 24, 2008
The eighties were good (or "good") for more than just music and hair: they left a definite imprint on fantasy as well. Witness:
Starhawk ducked under the door flap of her tent, and held it aside for Fawn to pass. "I don't know if that's why the wizards finally died out," she said. "But I do know they weren't all evil like Altiokis. I knew a wizard once when I was a little girl. She was--very good."
Fawn stared at her in surprise that came partly from astonishment that Starhawk had ever been a little girl. In a way, it seemed inconceivable that she had ever been anything but what she was now: a tall, leggy cheetah of a woman, colorless as fine ivory--pale hair, pewter-gray eyes--save where the sun had darkened the fine-grained, flawless skin of her face and throat to burnt gold. Her light, cool voice was remarkably soft for a warrior's, though she was said to have a store of invective that could raise blisters on tanned oxhide. It was more believable of her that she had known a wizard than that she had been a little girl.
--pp 6-7, mass market paperback
Really, could this delight come from any other decade? For an added bonus, my copy even has tremulous binding and that old-paperback smell! Definitely a comfort re-read, with some fantastic female characters (have we been backsliding on this?), great world-building (religions, histories, magic systems), and gruff male and female mercenaries with hearts of gold (mmmm, fantasy tropes! how I love this one).
Starhawk ducked under the door flap of her tent, and held it aside for Fawn to pass. "I don't know if that's why the wizards finally died out," she said. "But I do know they weren't all evil like Altiokis. I knew a wizard once when I was a little girl. She was--very good."
Fawn stared at her in surprise that came partly from astonishment that Starhawk had ever been a little girl. In a way, it seemed inconceivable that she had ever been anything but what she was now: a tall, leggy cheetah of a woman, colorless as fine ivory--pale hair, pewter-gray eyes--save where the sun had darkened the fine-grained, flawless skin of her face and throat to burnt gold. Her light, cool voice was remarkably soft for a warrior's, though she was said to have a store of invective that could raise blisters on tanned oxhide. It was more believable of her that she had known a wizard than that she had been a little girl.
--pp 6-7, mass market paperback
Really, could this delight come from any other decade? For an added bonus, my copy even has tremulous binding and that old-paperback smell! Definitely a comfort re-read, with some fantastic female characters (have we been backsliding on this?), great world-building (religions, histories, magic systems), and gruff male and female mercenaries with hearts of gold (mmmm, fantasy tropes! how I love this one).
June 26, 2017
Over the last four decades, conditions have improved for female characters in the fantasy genre -- namely, that we see more of them, and they're more likely to play significant heroic roles. Yet there's one thing above all others that we continue to struggle toward in the depictions of women in fantasy: VARIETY. Too many individual novels continue to follow the Smurfette Principle, with one exceptional woman surrounded primarily or exclusively by male characters, which creates an impression of tokenism, as it's hard not to see that lone woman as a stand-in for an entire gender and all her personality traits, good and bad, as functions of her gender. So whenever I find a fantasy novel with a huge cast of female characters, I'm hopeful from the get-go. This time, maybe, just maybe, we'll see women portrayed as diverse and complex individuals.
That's just what we get in this, my first experience with Barbara Hambly. Some women are strong and competent. Some are weak and jealous. Some appear weak but have strengths of their own just waiting to emerge. Some are powerful. Some are funny. Some are introverted, some extroverted. Some are fighters, some peacemakers. And these women form friendships with each other just as with the central male character, Sun Wolf. (This book, like Ben S. Dobson's Scriber -- an excellent read that I highly recommend -- reverses the usual Smurfette Principle, in that for a significant portion of page time, the male lead interacts almost exclusively with female characters.) I particularly like the friendship between the tough, no-nonsense Starhawk, Sun Wolf's second-in-command, and the quiet, "feminine" Fawn, Sun Wolf's mistress, precisely because the bond is so unexpected.
This alone wouldn't make a book work, but mix in an involving plot, a strong sense of danger, self-discovery, and action, and we have a winner.
That's just what we get in this, my first experience with Barbara Hambly. Some women are strong and competent. Some are weak and jealous. Some appear weak but have strengths of their own just waiting to emerge. Some are powerful. Some are funny. Some are introverted, some extroverted. Some are fighters, some peacemakers. And these women form friendships with each other just as with the central male character, Sun Wolf. (This book, like Ben S. Dobson's Scriber -- an excellent read that I highly recommend -- reverses the usual Smurfette Principle, in that for a significant portion of page time, the male lead interacts almost exclusively with female characters.) I particularly like the friendship between the tough, no-nonsense Starhawk, Sun Wolf's second-in-command, and the quiet, "feminine" Fawn, Sun Wolf's mistress, precisely because the bond is so unexpected.
This alone wouldn't make a book work, but mix in an involving plot, a strong sense of danger, self-discovery, and action, and we have a winner.
October 6, 2012
*3.75 stars
This book has been sitting on my shelf for 10 years, the poor thing. I finally decided to read it because I read Graceling, and all the while I was thinking, if I'm going to read a book about strong women in a medieval fantasy, I might as well read The Ladies of Mandrigyn
You know when you read "The Ladies of Mandrigyn" you immediately think of warrior women, right? I thought it would focus on the women battling the villain's armies and defeating the Evil Wizard himself. But this book unraveled in ways I did not expect at all. For one thing, I didn't expect it to have such a romantic sub-plot.
Let's start from the beginning. Sun Wolf and StarHawk are the main characters in this story, and they are not the ladies of Mandrigyn. Sun Wolf is a mercenary and Starhawk is his second-in-command, who happens to be a woman. Sun Wolf is coerced (read: poisoned and withheld from its antidote) into teaching the ladies of Mandrigyn to fight, so that they could free their city from the rule of Altiokis, "deathless evil wizard". You see, all the men of Mandrigyn who were able to fight were enslaved by Altiokis, after their failure to protect the city. So, it's up to the women to run Mandrigyn and free the men. It is in this period that they find that they are very capable, and not fragile dolls as their men treated them. Also, there's Sun Wolf whose motto is "Don't fall in love and don't mess with magic" with powers he is not aware of. He takes in Starhawk, ex-nun-turned-mercenary, who tracks Sun Wolf after noticing he was missing, and realizes in the middle of the story that she was in love with Sun Wolf all along. Hence, romantic sub-plot!
I loved how Barbara Hambly portrayed women as "more than you think they are". I loved how they formed relationships despite social stratification. Once I got over the romantic sub-plot (which was actually good but kind of distracting), I enjoyed the humor in it, as well as the action, the supernatural elements,and of course, the characters. At least there was no agenda-pushing. Just a simple illustration of women's strengths, and yes indeed, we women are badass.
This book has been sitting on my shelf for 10 years, the poor thing. I finally decided to read it because I read Graceling, and all the while I was thinking, if I'm going to read a book about strong women in a medieval fantasy, I might as well read The Ladies of Mandrigyn
You know when you read "The Ladies of Mandrigyn" you immediately think of warrior women, right? I thought it would focus on the women battling the villain's armies and defeating the Evil Wizard himself. But this book unraveled in ways I did not expect at all. For one thing, I didn't expect it to have such a romantic sub-plot.
Let's start from the beginning. Sun Wolf and StarHawk are the main characters in this story, and they are not the ladies of Mandrigyn. Sun Wolf is a mercenary and Starhawk is his second-in-command, who happens to be a woman. Sun Wolf is coerced (read: poisoned and withheld from its antidote) into teaching the ladies of Mandrigyn to fight, so that they could free their city from the rule of Altiokis, "deathless evil wizard". You see, all the men of Mandrigyn who were able to fight were enslaved by Altiokis, after their failure to protect the city. So, it's up to the women to run Mandrigyn and free the men. It is in this period that they find that they are very capable, and not fragile dolls as their men treated them. Also, there's Sun Wolf whose motto is "Don't fall in love and don't mess with magic" with powers he is not aware of. He takes in Starhawk, ex-nun-turned-mercenary, who tracks Sun Wolf after noticing he was missing, and realizes in the middle of the story that she was in love with Sun Wolf all along. Hence, romantic sub-plot!
I loved how Barbara Hambly portrayed women as "more than you think they are". I loved how they formed relationships despite social stratification. Once I got over the romantic sub-plot (which was actually good but kind of distracting), I enjoyed the humor in it, as well as the action, the supernatural elements,and of course, the characters. At least there was no agenda-pushing. Just a simple illustration of women's strengths, and yes indeed, we women are badass.
* As a comparison to Graceling (I can't help it!), which I gave 3.5 stars. I never even thought I'd give 3.75 stars to a book, and I'll be avoiding that in the near future.
November 7, 2012
The cover blurb is hilarious: “How sharper than a wizard’s spell is the wrath of a woman unmanned!”
It’s a nice little story, though, with strong feminist elements. Sun Wolf is a mercenary captain who is kidnapped by a group of women after he rejects their offer of employment. The women threaten him with death by torture if he doesn’t help them rescue their menfolk, who have been imprisoned by an evil wizard.
Starhawk is the mercenary who loves him, and she has her own set of adventures while trying to track him down.
Sun Wolf seems awfully genial with his captors, considering the death-by-torture threat, so I was glad that
The romance didn’t really work for me; I felt no chemistry between our heroes, maybe because they’re separated for most of the book. Also there’s no explanation for why they are named “Sun Wolf” and “Starhawk” when nobody else has names like that. But I enjoyed the characters and the story, and I always like Hambly’s writing.
It’s a nice little story, though, with strong feminist elements. Sun Wolf is a mercenary captain who is kidnapped by a group of women after he rejects their offer of employment. The women threaten him with death by torture if he doesn’t help them rescue their menfolk, who have been imprisoned by an evil wizard.
Starhawk is the mercenary who loves him, and she has her own set of adventures while trying to track him down.
Sun Wolf seems awfully genial with his captors, considering the death-by-torture threat, so I was glad that
The romance didn’t really work for me; I felt no chemistry between our heroes, maybe because they’re separated for most of the book. Also there’s no explanation for why they are named “Sun Wolf” and “Starhawk” when nobody else has names like that. But I enjoyed the characters and the story, and I always like Hambly’s writing.
March 10, 2018
A GR friend rated this very highly, and though I'm not a big high-fantasy reader, I put it to the head of the line.
This is an early Hambly book (1980s), but given the medieval setting in a make-believe land, it has aged well. The language is both subtle and detailed - the thesaurus got a workout.
The fantasy wasn't too high, with the magical aspects taking a backseat to the plot and characters right up until the final 3rd. The characters were great, and the dual perspective was well done.
I probably won't read the other 2 books in the series, but if you like well-written adult fantasy, you should.
This is an early Hambly book (1980s), but given the medieval setting in a make-believe land, it has aged well. The language is both subtle and detailed - the thesaurus got a workout.
The fantasy wasn't too high, with the magical aspects taking a backseat to the plot and characters right up until the final 3rd. The characters were great, and the dual perspective was well done.
I probably won't read the other 2 books in the series, but if you like well-written adult fantasy, you should.
October 16, 2024
SunWolf and StarHawk Vol1
piacevole, soddisfacente, scorrevole, deliziosamente classico
clicca perche sicuro questo commento vuoi leggerlo
TRAMA E SPOILER:
l'ultimo grande stregone conquista una città dopo l'altra, rastrellando gli uomini superstiti per imprigionarli nelle miniere.
In uno di questi domini le donne non restano inermi e si organizzano per assoldare la migliore delle compagnie mercenarie: quella di Sunwolf, che però rifiuta e per questo viene rapito e costretto, sotto ricatto, ad addestrare le sue "committenti"
Durante la cattività Sunwolf supera la Grande Ordalia sbloccando così il suo innato talento magico che gli permetterà di affrontare l'invasore
piacevole, soddisfacente, scorrevole, deliziosamente classico
clicca perche sicuro questo commento vuoi leggerlo
TRAMA E SPOILER:
l'ultimo grande stregone conquista una città dopo l'altra, rastrellando gli uomini superstiti per imprigionarli nelle miniere.
In uno di questi domini le donne non restano inermi e si organizzano per assoldare la migliore delle compagnie mercenarie: quella di Sunwolf, che però rifiuta e per questo viene rapito e costretto, sotto ricatto, ad addestrare le sue "committenti"
Durante la cattività Sunwolf supera la Grande Ordalia sbloccando così il suo innato talento magico che gli permetterà di affrontare l'invasore
October 4, 2007
I know what you're thinking. "Really? The barbarian hero's name is Sun Wolf? And this is a must read?"
Yep, it is. Barbara Hambly might have suffered from a severe attack of bad-naming-itis in this book, but it covers the gamut of issues that you like to see in "epic" fantasy, politics, an interesting problem in the social structure that has parallels with the real world, strong character development, and a truly interesting system of magic. I recommend the trilogy highly.
Yep, it is. Barbara Hambly might have suffered from a severe attack of bad-naming-itis in this book, but it covers the gamut of issues that you like to see in "epic" fantasy, politics, an interesting problem in the social structure that has parallels with the real world, strong character development, and a truly interesting system of magic. I recommend the trilogy highly.
October 29, 2021
Rereading after many years. So enjoyable.
July 23, 2013
A solid fantasy novel, if a bit more intense than I like. The author wouldn’t leave the hero alone, always tossing one problem after another at him, all of them causing him pain. The tension level is so high all the time, with no respite, that eventually I got tired of it. I felt so sorry for the hero that I decided to drop the rating from my original estimation of 4 stars down to 3, but it’s a purely subjective evaluation. Objectively, the writing is good, and the story flows easily.
Sun Wolf is a mercenary captain. When the women of Mandrigyn want to hire his troops to liberate their city and their men from an evil wizard, he refuses. He doesn’t wish to risk his soldiers in a futile confrontation against magic. But the women wouldn’t take ‘No’ for an answer. They abduct him, poison him, and give him a choice: either he trains them to fight the wizard and be given an antidote or he dies.
Wolf’s trusted lieutenant Starhawk is a woman in love with her commander, even though he doesn’t suspect her love, and even she herself wouldn’t acknowledge her secret yearning. When she discovers that he has vanished, she goes after him, and her search takes her across a continent and brings her in contact with many different people. She experiences intimately the peaceful lives of merchants and tradesmen, the lives she only knew before from the other side – as a soldier who killed them.
By the end of the novel, everyone learns something. Starhawk learns to appreciate peace. She doesn’t want to wage war anymore. She also learns her heart’s desire. Starhawk’s line in this novel is romantic – a woman climbing out of her tight cocoon of a soldier.
The aristocratic ladies of Mandrigyn learn to fight.
And the Wolf, the hero of the tale – what does he learn? Here I sigh and shake my head. I like the guy, but he doesn’t seem believable. He is just too nice to be true.
In the beginning, he is portrayed as a keen, fear-inspiring general, ruthless and erudite, able to make hundreds of his mercenaries obey his iron will. But he accepts his defeat and enslavement by the ladies of Mandrigyn meekly enough. Instead of sabotaging their schemes or employing some stratagems to escape (like kidnapping a child of one of the ladies and holding her in exchange for his life and freedom – even I could think of that) he accedes to their demands and teaches them to kill their enemies. When he is betrayed, twice, no less, he doesn’t for a moment consider any revenge upon his betrayer. He is as gentle as a lamb, despite his foul language and his abilities with weapons. He is supposed to be a hardened mercenary but he behaves like a tamed philosopher. I don’t believe it.
Even though the Wolf is not what I thought, he is still a fascinating fellow, strong and courageous, with a kind of rough, unpolished charm. The only thing that puts me off is that the author calls him a barbarian. I dislike the word, especially after I read Conan the Barbarian. It means nothing, and the Wolf is definitely not a barbarian. He is very intelligent and well-behaved, despite his sharp tongue.
On the whole, the book was okay. I enjoyed reading it and I might read the sequel; it’s already on my Kindle. I want to know what happens to the Wolf next.
Sun Wolf is a mercenary captain. When the women of Mandrigyn want to hire his troops to liberate their city and their men from an evil wizard, he refuses. He doesn’t wish to risk his soldiers in a futile confrontation against magic. But the women wouldn’t take ‘No’ for an answer. They abduct him, poison him, and give him a choice: either he trains them to fight the wizard and be given an antidote or he dies.
Wolf’s trusted lieutenant Starhawk is a woman in love with her commander, even though he doesn’t suspect her love, and even she herself wouldn’t acknowledge her secret yearning. When she discovers that he has vanished, she goes after him, and her search takes her across a continent and brings her in contact with many different people. She experiences intimately the peaceful lives of merchants and tradesmen, the lives she only knew before from the other side – as a soldier who killed them.
By the end of the novel, everyone learns something. Starhawk learns to appreciate peace. She doesn’t want to wage war anymore. She also learns her heart’s desire. Starhawk’s line in this novel is romantic – a woman climbing out of her tight cocoon of a soldier.
The aristocratic ladies of Mandrigyn learn to fight.
And the Wolf, the hero of the tale – what does he learn? Here I sigh and shake my head. I like the guy, but he doesn’t seem believable. He is just too nice to be true.
In the beginning, he is portrayed as a keen, fear-inspiring general, ruthless and erudite, able to make hundreds of his mercenaries obey his iron will. But he accepts his defeat and enslavement by the ladies of Mandrigyn meekly enough. Instead of sabotaging their schemes or employing some stratagems to escape (like kidnapping a child of one of the ladies and holding her in exchange for his life and freedom – even I could think of that) he accedes to their demands and teaches them to kill their enemies. When he is betrayed, twice, no less, he doesn’t for a moment consider any revenge upon his betrayer. He is as gentle as a lamb, despite his foul language and his abilities with weapons. He is supposed to be a hardened mercenary but he behaves like a tamed philosopher. I don’t believe it.
Even though the Wolf is not what I thought, he is still a fascinating fellow, strong and courageous, with a kind of rough, unpolished charm. The only thing that puts me off is that the author calls him a barbarian. I dislike the word, especially after I read Conan the Barbarian. It means nothing, and the Wolf is definitely not a barbarian. He is very intelligent and well-behaved, despite his sharp tongue.
On the whole, the book was okay. I enjoyed reading it and I might read the sequel; it’s already on my Kindle. I want to know what happens to the Wolf next.
January 7, 2012
It's been a long time since I've reread The Ladies of Mandrigyn and I've changed a lot in the meantime, making it interesting to revisit the story with new eyes. Though I knew the book was a fond favorite, I don't think I ever realized before how much of the book I'd absorbed to carry back into the real world. At the time, there were few enough books in SFF--and further, few enough that I'd read--that were female and feminist in the way Ladies is. At the age I was when I first read Ladies, I suspect it was a book I needed rather badly, in ways I couldn't describe or even understand at the time. But, having engaged in a lot more feminist discussion in the meantime, especially where it intersects with SFF, I can see how fortunate I was to find and absorb this book when I did. And, even now, with a greater prevalence (or even dominance) of women in the genre, I think that there's a lot for modern readers in Ladies' varied depiction of women.
Interestingly enough, though I always loved the character of Starhawk, in the chapters told through Sun Wolf's POV, I was always, I think, a lot more sympathetic to him and his viewpoint. Which only makes sense, as he is the story's protagonist and a fairly sympathetic one...but this time around, I found myself wishing a great deal more for greater insight to the women of the troop because our experience with them is so limited by Sun Wolf's presence and viewpoint and his opportunity for more is equally limited by his circumstances. It's kind of fascinating to imagine what a different story it would've been written from Sheera's POV, or Amber Eyes or Denga Rey.
That being said, familiarity and time and the desire for even more female POV haven't made the story any less readable. From a purely sword & sorcery adventure level, it's a good read, the hothouse intrigue of the scenes in Mandrigyn balanced nightly by the road trip with Starhawk and Fawn.
Ladies is the first Hambly book I ever read and, having now read every other thing she's written, it was also interesting to see how much the themes I recognize from her later works are still very much present here, particularly that of
In any case, with so many things--books, movies--that have not held up to the test of time for me, there's something incredibly satisfying and soothing that Hambly does and that I can create a clear and smooth trajectory from this book, in particular, to the person I've become. I hope it has and will continue to do the same for lots of other geeky little girls and grown women. And dudes too, sure, why not? :)
Interestingly enough, though I always loved the character of Starhawk, in the chapters told through Sun Wolf's POV, I was always, I think, a lot more sympathetic to him and his viewpoint. Which only makes sense, as he is the story's protagonist and a fairly sympathetic one...but this time around, I found myself wishing a great deal more for greater insight to the women of the troop because our experience with them is so limited by Sun Wolf's presence and viewpoint and his opportunity for more is equally limited by his circumstances. It's kind of fascinating to imagine what a different story it would've been written from Sheera's POV, or Amber Eyes or Denga Rey.
That being said, familiarity and time and the desire for even more female POV haven't made the story any less readable. From a purely sword & sorcery adventure level, it's a good read, the hothouse intrigue of the scenes in Mandrigyn balanced nightly by the road trip with Starhawk and Fawn.
Ladies is the first Hambly book I ever read and, having now read every other thing she's written, it was also interesting to see how much the themes I recognize from her later works are still very much present here, particularly that of
In any case, with so many things--books, movies--that have not held up to the test of time for me, there's something incredibly satisfying and soothing that Hambly does and that I can create a clear and smooth trajectory from this book, in particular, to the person I've become. I hope it has and will continue to do the same for lots of other geeky little girls and grown women. And dudes too, sure, why not? :)
January 15, 2017
Barbara Hambly (San Diego, 1951) se dio cuenta de que iba a escribir Las señoras de Mandrigyn al comienzo de una clase de autodefensa para mujeres.
Es absolutamente imposible que un hombre hubiese podido escribir Las señoras de Mandrigyn.
Vale, es una perogrullada (porque el libro se ha escrito ya, ¡no puede ser de otra manera!); lo que quiero decir es que ningún autor podría haber desarrollado ninguna historia partiendo desde el punto del que partió Hambly para construir Las señoras de Mandrigyn.
Es una cuestión de experiencias o, dicho de otro modo, es imposible que un hombre participase en una clase de autodefensa para mujeres como lo hizo Hambly. Por eso, dentro de la fantasía épica, este libro es único entre los únicos.
¿Desea saber más? http://fantaciencia.com/las-senoras-m...
Es absolutamente imposible que un hombre hubiese podido escribir Las señoras de Mandrigyn.
Vale, es una perogrullada (porque el libro se ha escrito ya, ¡no puede ser de otra manera!); lo que quiero decir es que ningún autor podría haber desarrollado ninguna historia partiendo desde el punto del que partió Hambly para construir Las señoras de Mandrigyn.
Es una cuestión de experiencias o, dicho de otro modo, es imposible que un hombre participase en una clase de autodefensa para mujeres como lo hizo Hambly. Por eso, dentro de la fantasía épica, este libro es único entre los únicos.
¿Desea saber más? http://fantaciencia.com/las-senoras-m...
April 9, 2015
One of Barbara Hambly's early novels, The Ladies of Mandrigyn pulled me in right away. Ms. Hambly is generally an excellent story teller, and she has a strong background in medieval history and cultural anthropology. This novel is something of the "Thelma and Louise" of fantasy, and it was exceptional for its time in the way that it dealt with women in the genre. In some ways it still is, sadly!
There are some original elements in the way that it handles magic as well. And Ms. Hambly comes up with quite original and wonderful characters. Definitely worth seeking this one out. A great book!
There are some original elements in the way that it handles magic as well. And Ms. Hambly comes up with quite original and wonderful characters. Definitely worth seeking this one out. A great book!
January 23, 2020
Trouble is brewing in Mandrigyn, and its women want tue evil wizard out. Wolf and Hawk are mercenaries, both becoming a bit old for that calling, but it seems they will become involved.
This was a satisfying adventure, nostalgic, with great characterization, and character growth. The adventure itself was pretty straightforward, the evil absolute, and the musings on sexism, toxic masculinity, and class preachy at times - but it was so fun, and reminded me strongly of Prince Valiant I adored as a child.
I'm sad I haven't read this as a teen.
This was a satisfying adventure, nostalgic, with great characterization, and character growth. The adventure itself was pretty straightforward, the evil absolute, and the musings on sexism, toxic masculinity, and class preachy at times - but it was so fun, and reminded me strongly of Prince Valiant I adored as a child.
I'm sad I haven't read this as a teen.
February 7, 2018
2/7/18 $1.99 for Kindle.
December 9, 2017
Fun epic adventure. Suffers a little bit from what every fantasy book does, namely the fact that wizards are overpowered.
December 16, 2024
Necesito hablar del libro sin spoilers porque merece que se conozca más, junto a la obra de Barbara Hambly que por desgracia está toda descatalogada en España salvo "Vencer al dragón", algo tristísimo con el importante mensaje que transmiten todavía muy vigente al día de hoy.
Lo primero de todo, ¿de qué va "Las señoras de Mandrigyn"? La ciudad de Mandrigyn ha sido conquistada por el mago malvado y todopoderoso™ de turno, ha esclavizado a todos los hombres ¿y qué deciden hacer las mujeres? Secuestran al mejor mercenario para que las enseñe a luchar y así poder liberar la ciudad. Hay dos puntos de vista principales: nuestro mercenario secuestrado, Lobo del Sol, que no le hace ni una pizca de gracia verse envuelto en un conflicto contra su voluntad y Halcón de las Estrellas, su segunda al mando que parte en su búsqueda tras la desaparición repentina de este.
El libro se publicó en el '84 y como tal bebe mucho de la fantasía ochentera. Tenemos un mundo medieval con magos prácticamente extintos pero con tropos muy comunes: bárbaros en el norte, culturas más orientales hacia el este, guerras por la religión... Y sí, una sociedad misógina. Barbara Hambly recoge lo conocido, esa fantasía más típica y empieza a desentrañarla a partir de lo que significa ser mujer, de lo que se espera que hagan y desempeñen en esa sociedad. Explora los mecanismos del poder y como se ejecuta bajo esa mirada crítica que nunca abandona su pluma.
Lobo del Sol, nuestro protagonista masculino no se libra de ejercer esas dinámicas de poder, es un hombre de casi 40 años con sus sesgos. Mientras entrena a las señoras que le secuestraron tiene que reaprender todo lo que conocía sobre las mujeres y su relación con ellas, especialmente con Halcón.
Halcón de las estrellas tiene un viaje distinto, el de reconciliarse con su feminidad siendo ella una mujer mercenaria en un mundo de hombres, el que significa para ella la guerra y lo que supone, como se desmorona su imagen de como veía el mundo que le rodea y como ve a Lobo, su jefe.
Y como no, están nuestras protagonistas que son el eje central de toda la narrativa: las señoras de Mandrigyn. Ellas han tenido por la fuerza ejercer los roles que desempeñaban sus esposos, hermanos o padres; han tenido que buscar por su cuenta una forma de salvarles y subsistir. Han adquirido ese poder de sopetón, el de decidir por ellas mismas, de utilizarlo y ser independiente algo de lo que nunca antes habían podido hacer. Ese conflicto nunca abandona el libro, el final refleja perfectamente la tesitura y es tan bueno por como nos lo expone sin medias tintas.
La pluma de Barbara es brillante con su narrativa introspectiva, refleja magistralmente todo lo que he comentado anteriormente a través de los ojos de los personajes. Puede parecer que es muy denso pero nada más lejos de la realidad, se hace muy ameno de leer y QUIERES saber como va a terminar.
Se siente una obra actual como Vencer al dragón, toca temas que se siguen hablando y manifestando al día de hoy de forma magistral. Estoy indignado a que no podamos acceder a ella más allá de métodos de dudosa legalidad, tener la suerte de pillarla de segunda mano o en inglés.
Si os habéis chamado todo mi ted talk os invito encarecidamente a que le deis una oportunidad. Vais a disfrutar de señoras liándola basto y a señores incómodos porque mujeres tomen el mando y decisiones por su propio pie junto una evolución de un señoro para mejor.
Lo primero de todo, ¿de qué va "Las señoras de Mandrigyn"? La ciudad de Mandrigyn ha sido conquistada por el mago malvado y todopoderoso™ de turno, ha esclavizado a todos los hombres ¿y qué deciden hacer las mujeres? Secuestran al mejor mercenario para que las enseñe a luchar y así poder liberar la ciudad. Hay dos puntos de vista principales: nuestro mercenario secuestrado, Lobo del Sol, que no le hace ni una pizca de gracia verse envuelto en un conflicto contra su voluntad y Halcón de las Estrellas, su segunda al mando que parte en su búsqueda tras la desaparición repentina de este.
El libro se publicó en el '84 y como tal bebe mucho de la fantasía ochentera. Tenemos un mundo medieval con magos prácticamente extintos pero con tropos muy comunes: bárbaros en el norte, culturas más orientales hacia el este, guerras por la religión... Y sí, una sociedad misógina. Barbara Hambly recoge lo conocido, esa fantasía más típica y empieza a desentrañarla a partir de lo que significa ser mujer, de lo que se espera que hagan y desempeñen en esa sociedad. Explora los mecanismos del poder y como se ejecuta bajo esa mirada crítica que nunca abandona su pluma.
Lobo del Sol, nuestro protagonista masculino no se libra de ejercer esas dinámicas de poder, es un hombre de casi 40 años con sus sesgos. Mientras entrena a las señoras que le secuestraron tiene que reaprender todo lo que conocía sobre las mujeres y su relación con ellas, especialmente con Halcón.
Halcón de las estrellas tiene un viaje distinto, el de reconciliarse con su feminidad siendo ella una mujer mercenaria en un mundo de hombres, el que significa para ella la guerra y lo que supone, como se desmorona su imagen de como veía el mundo que le rodea y como ve a Lobo, su jefe.
Y como no, están nuestras protagonistas que son el eje central de toda la narrativa: las señoras de Mandrigyn. Ellas han tenido por la fuerza ejercer los roles que desempeñaban sus esposos, hermanos o padres; han tenido que buscar por su cuenta una forma de salvarles y subsistir. Han adquirido ese poder de sopetón, el de decidir por ellas mismas, de utilizarlo y ser independiente algo de lo que nunca antes habían podido hacer. Ese conflicto nunca abandona el libro, el final refleja perfectamente la tesitura y es tan bueno por como nos lo expone sin medias tintas.
La pluma de Barbara es brillante con su narrativa introspectiva, refleja magistralmente todo lo que he comentado anteriormente a través de los ojos de los personajes. Puede parecer que es muy denso pero nada más lejos de la realidad, se hace muy ameno de leer y QUIERES saber como va a terminar.
Se siente una obra actual como Vencer al dragón, toca temas que se siguen hablando y manifestando al día de hoy de forma magistral. Estoy indignado a que no podamos acceder a ella más allá de métodos de dudosa legalidad, tener la suerte de pillarla de segunda mano o en inglés.
Si os habéis chamado todo mi ted talk os invito encarecidamente a que le deis una oportunidad. Vais a disfrutar de señoras liándola basto y a señores incómodos porque mujeres tomen el mando y decisiones por su propio pie junto una evolución de un señoro para mejor.
June 3, 2019
A classic sword and sorcery adventure. Sun Wolf is offered a bunch of money to take down the last wizard. But as the wizard is deadly and creative, Wolf refuses... and is forced to train the ladies of Mandrigyn to fight.
Smart, funny, and interesting. Sun Wolf and his captain Starhawk are flawed, with a complex relationship, and develop as the book progresses. There's some fun side characters, too. Worth the read.
Smart, funny, and interesting. Sun Wolf and his captain Starhawk are flawed, with a complex relationship, and develop as the book progresses. There's some fun side characters, too. Worth the read.
April 6, 2024
Mostly a lot of fun. Most of the characters are three-dimensional, but there was still a lot of gender essentialism on display.
Hambly's writing is extremely descriptive, which I love, but it means that when she throws in something gross, hoo boy.
I would have preferred more Starhawk and much less Sun Wolf.
Hambly's writing is extremely descriptive, which I love, but it means that when she throws in something gross, hoo boy.
I would have preferred more Starhawk and much less Sun Wolf.
December 28, 2010
The Ladies of Mandrigyn is utterly delightful. It is, in fact, exactly what I was looking for when I attempted Jennifer Roberson's Sword Dancer, which so disappointed me. The Ladies of Mandrigyn makes no pretensions to being anything more than a pure sword-and-sorcery novel, replete with heroic acts and larger than life characters played out against a highly romantic background, but the execution is flawless, the characters never cease being sympathetic (or devolve into charicatures) and, most importantly, there is plenty of humor.
Sun Wolf and Starhawk, needless to say, are stock characters. What so delighted me about this novel was that Hambly handled them like real people without ever losing what has made those stock characters so successful in the fantasy genre. She spent most of the novel inside their two heads (though it was technically written third-person omniscient, because when it suited her Hambly did delve into other characters' motivations at will), letting us see the pasts that made them what they are. And by staying in their heads so closely through all the action, we were also able to see the fears and doubts that neither character would ever share with those around him/her, maintaining both the realism for the reader and the virtual perfection for the observer inside the novel.
What set this novel apart even further from the run of the mill sword-and-sorcery novel was that that realism of character extended to all of the minor characters in the novel. Every character that has a speaking role is an easily identified stock character that Hambly makes completely three dimensional. Where this is most impressive (or at least most noticeable) is with the eponymous ladies of Mandrigyn. Most fantasy novels, even those written by women, have very few female characters. This may be because fantasy is usually action or politics oriented and women traditionally have not been leaders in those spheres; it may be because the female fantasy authors today grew up reading male fantasy authors who only introduced women to their novels as damsels in distress; it may be because women still grow up in a society that places more value on men. Whatever the reason, I have learned to enjoy the occasional strong female character in isolation from her own kind. Starhawk is this type of strong female character, and if the story had been about Sun Wolf and Starhawk in their mercenary band that is exactly what it would have looked like.
But the brilliant (though of course still not unique -- I can name one or two other authors that have a similar premise, but only one or two) thing that Hambly did in this novel was make Sun Wolf the fish out of water, a lone strong man surrounded by women. She didn't take the cop-out route of making the women a bizarre Amazonian exception to all the normal gender roles; she set him down firmly among women who were used to fulfilling those traditional gender roles and are being forced out of them by circumstances out of their control. The myriad ways the women reacted to this unwanted freedom is wonderfully realized, as is Sun Wolf's gradual awareness of how similar and different these women are from the men (and the occasional solitary woman) he is used to training. I especially loved Hambly decision to give Sheera that calamitous magic that true leaders have, that charisma that turns otherwise intelligent human beings into lemmings, rather than simply making her leader because her soon-to-be husband possesses that magic.
There isn't that much else to say about the novel. I will admit, Hambly doesn't write her battle scenes terribly well; I found myself lost within them at several points. However, she seems to know that this is a weakness, because she lets most of the battles occur off stage, keeping the focus of the story on those things she does best: funny dialogue and wonderful characterization. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the second volume in this trilogy.
Sun Wolf and Starhawk, needless to say, are stock characters. What so delighted me about this novel was that Hambly handled them like real people without ever losing what has made those stock characters so successful in the fantasy genre. She spent most of the novel inside their two heads (though it was technically written third-person omniscient, because when it suited her Hambly did delve into other characters' motivations at will), letting us see the pasts that made them what they are. And by staying in their heads so closely through all the action, we were also able to see the fears and doubts that neither character would ever share with those around him/her, maintaining both the realism for the reader and the virtual perfection for the observer inside the novel.
What set this novel apart even further from the run of the mill sword-and-sorcery novel was that that realism of character extended to all of the minor characters in the novel. Every character that has a speaking role is an easily identified stock character that Hambly makes completely three dimensional. Where this is most impressive (or at least most noticeable) is with the eponymous ladies of Mandrigyn. Most fantasy novels, even those written by women, have very few female characters. This may be because fantasy is usually action or politics oriented and women traditionally have not been leaders in those spheres; it may be because the female fantasy authors today grew up reading male fantasy authors who only introduced women to their novels as damsels in distress; it may be because women still grow up in a society that places more value on men. Whatever the reason, I have learned to enjoy the occasional strong female character in isolation from her own kind. Starhawk is this type of strong female character, and if the story had been about Sun Wolf and Starhawk in their mercenary band that is exactly what it would have looked like.
But the brilliant (though of course still not unique -- I can name one or two other authors that have a similar premise, but only one or two) thing that Hambly did in this novel was make Sun Wolf the fish out of water, a lone strong man surrounded by women. She didn't take the cop-out route of making the women a bizarre Amazonian exception to all the normal gender roles; she set him down firmly among women who were used to fulfilling those traditional gender roles and are being forced out of them by circumstances out of their control. The myriad ways the women reacted to this unwanted freedom is wonderfully realized, as is Sun Wolf's gradual awareness of how similar and different these women are from the men (and the occasional solitary woman) he is used to training. I especially loved Hambly decision to give Sheera that calamitous magic that true leaders have, that charisma that turns otherwise intelligent human beings into lemmings, rather than simply making her leader because her soon-to-be husband possesses that magic.
There isn't that much else to say about the novel. I will admit, Hambly doesn't write her battle scenes terribly well; I found myself lost within them at several points. However, she seems to know that this is a weakness, because she lets most of the battles occur off stage, keeping the focus of the story on those things she does best: funny dialogue and wonderful characterization. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the second volume in this trilogy.
January 30, 2018
I read this one as part of a stack of books I had purchased cheaply for light reading, intending to dispose of them afterwards (cut covers, oftentimes a bit water stained, and decidedly ratty copies.) I've enjoyed Hambly's work in the past, but this book was unable to suspend my disbelief in any manner. I suppose it just seemed like a hasty idea expanded into an outline and then written up quickly in a bare-bones way. There was no real character development, and even the touchstones of fantasy feel-good tropes were handled in the most rote manner possible. Gay love story, check . . . except there's no actual story there, just a throwaway line at the end that two characters were "happy" together. Any and all romance was left out. Women learning to become warriors, check. Well, there's precisely one scene of them being trained, all the rest is simply stated to have happened. Big battle at the end? We don't see it, just a little mopping up scene, during which the pov character is passing in and out of consciousness. The ending is one of the most awkward scenes I've read in recent times, with the pov character veering from righteous rage to benevolent "yo, bro, no biggie. We good." All of that in the space of two pages. The characters who are supposed to be deeply in love? I just didn't buy it. Especially as the male character kept chiming in with "I can't believe anyone ever thought she was plain." (Obviously he HAD thought she was, or he would have notched his belt previously.)
An extra star off because the names and descriptions were SO incredibly bad. Seriously, Starhawk and Sun Wolf are cliche enough, but one of the main antagonists, a prim and uptight sort, is named "Drypettis." The gal in charge is Sheera. (after the action figure? surely not.) The king is from, get this, The House of Her. I can't figure out if this is Freudian naming run riot or if it was intended as a joke. One character gets named "Amber Eyes." That's it, and about as much personality as she gets, too. Eyes are apparently a big pitfall, as she describes the male character as having "beer-colored eyes." Not "the warm amber of ale" or "like golden light shining through a full mug of pilsner" or even "a chocolaty brown, with the hidden depths of a full bodied stout." Nope, "beer-colored."
sigh. Looking at the rest of the books published in 1984 (the release year of this book) is like a long slog through low expectations. It seems harsh to single this one out.
An extra star off because the names and descriptions were SO incredibly bad. Seriously, Starhawk and Sun Wolf are cliche enough, but one of the main antagonists, a prim and uptight sort, is named "Drypettis." The gal in charge is Sheera. (after the action figure? surely not.) The king is from, get this, The House of Her. I can't figure out if this is Freudian naming run riot or if it was intended as a joke. One character gets named "Amber Eyes." That's it, and about as much personality as she gets, too. Eyes are apparently a big pitfall, as she describes the male character as having "beer-colored eyes." Not "the warm amber of ale" or "like golden light shining through a full mug of pilsner" or even "a chocolaty brown, with the hidden depths of a full bodied stout." Nope, "beer-colored."
sigh. Looking at the rest of the books published in 1984 (the release year of this book) is like a long slog through low expectations. It seems harsh to single this one out.
September 17, 2013
This story fit more into my idea of a medieval society than a fantasy, especially as we had several glimpses of Starhawk’s younger years in a convent, where she apparently had taken vows as a nun.
Our story starts at the end… the end of a battle that is, where our hero, Sun Wolf, is relaxing with his troop after an epic battle which they won, as they decide what to do next. Part of the decision is made for them when the Wolf disappears after a night visit from a veiled lady . From that point forward, the Wolf is involved in a continuous series of issues, which resolve themselves – for the most part – by the end of the story.
I had just a few issues with the story:
1) here the Wolf is a heroic mercenary captain, but meekly accepts slavery and the notion that he is poisoned and his captors hold the only cure
2) Starhawk rambles around the countryside without making massive inquiries before leaving (okay she made some but little effort was wasted before her own voyage began)
3) The Wolf is not a barbarian, he is literate, considerate, and a true leader
I did enjoy that both the Hawk and the Wolf learned to look at life from the victim’s view instead of from their own, making them more human. The Hawk has a gentle side, and the Wolf is strong and brave, and both have a rough charm, like a gem which has not been cut or polished.
I will pick up the next book.
Our story starts at the end… the end of a battle that is, where our hero, Sun Wolf, is relaxing with his troop after an epic battle which they won, as they decide what to do next. Part of the decision is made for them when the Wolf disappears after a night visit from a veiled lady . From that point forward, the Wolf is involved in a continuous series of issues, which resolve themselves – for the most part – by the end of the story.
I had just a few issues with the story:
1) here the Wolf is a heroic mercenary captain, but meekly accepts slavery and the notion that he is poisoned and his captors hold the only cure
2) Starhawk rambles around the countryside without making massive inquiries before leaving (okay she made some but little effort was wasted before her own voyage began)
3) The Wolf is not a barbarian, he is literate, considerate, and a true leader
I did enjoy that both the Hawk and the Wolf learned to look at life from the victim’s view instead of from their own, making them more human. The Hawk has a gentle side, and the Wolf is strong and brave, and both have a rough charm, like a gem which has not been cut or polished.
I will pick up the next book.
June 3, 2018
This is a good read. It's feminist in a way I usually think of as 'second wave': men and women are equally good, and can do the same things, but do them in ways which are distinctly gendered. There can be much to enjoy in that - this book features, for example, women who are both warriors and feminine - but there's also an underlying logic which might, if pressed, turn out to be essentialist. I don't know if that's the case here, as the plot doesn't present any cases which would force the issue. Instead, as befits the genre, it is mainly concerned with evil wizards, horrible monsters, forging a fighting force in secret, trials through which you claim your power, and realising who your True Love is at an inconvenient moment. The story also has some careful thought about class positioning and, while some characters are less than respectful of sex workers, the authorial voice takes women from all walks of life seriously and gives them a lot of agency. Unfortunately, it does assume that fat = lazy and/or morally bad, and although different cultures are mentioned, different races/ethnicities don't seem to exist. This is mainly a light fantasy romp for people who like swords, sorcery, and equality of the sexes. The 'please stab my heart' boob-armour in the cover art is not at all representative of the way either women or fighting are described in the text!
March 11, 2017
Half of “The Ladies of Mandrigyn” is a rather generic, if well handled, fable of female empowerment. The city of Mandrigyn has recently been conquered by the evil wizard-king Altiokis, who has hauled almost all the city’s men off to work in his mines. (It’s never entirely clear exactly why this is necessary, other than to make the plot possible.) In response, a clandestine group of women, overcoming the traditional Mandrigyn belief that a woman’s place is in the home, have determined to form a female fighting force to lead a rebellion against Altiokis. As none of them have any experience in battle, they determine to recruit Sun Wolf, a leading mercenary captain known for his ability to train young warriors. And when he refuses to join them in what sounds like a suicide mission — Altiokis is the only wizard anybody knows about and appears to be immortal — they kidnap him instead, forcing him to work for them by poisoning him with a poison for which they have the only antidote. The rest of this plot thread is mostly fairly predictable: Sun Wolf eventually gains a grudging respect for the ladies as well as learning a few things about women in general, the women gain increasing confidence in themselves, etc., etc. It’s sort of like “A League of Their Own”, only with more swords and mindless zombie-like monsters. More interesting are the parts of the book not directly connected to the main plotline. Sun Wolf’s realizations about women are not the only things he learns in Mandrigyn, and the other revelations, about his life, his career as a mercenary, and his relationship with his chief lieutenant, Starhawk, are much more interesting and more important to his evolution as a character. And Starhawk’s separate quest to try to rescue Sun Wolf — a quest which, since she believes that he has been kidnapped by Altiokis, seems to be beyond hopeless — is also very well done: though Starhawk has some echoes of Gil, from the Darwath trilogy, her character arc works better. And Hambly fans will be happy to know that several mainstays — the fate of wizardry in the world, the appearance of the Void between worlds, and of course the necessity of wearing a sweater when reading against the possibility that your teeth start chattering in sympathy with the characters’ — are also present. Non-fans, however, should probably start with “Dragonsbane” instead.
June 23, 2019
El libro es más que la suma de sus partes. El libro es más que lo que cuenta. El libro es más que lo que plantea. El libro es más que el propio libro. El libro son las reflexiones finales. Verdad y realidad. Las implicaciones de un cambio.
Tres estrellas porque es lo que vale. Las irregulares “explosiones” de violencia en medio de contextos “moñas” a lo lardo del libro no son gran cosa pero vas viendo los pequeños cambios en los personajes hasta que al llegar el final con la historia ya acabada llega la dosis de realidad. La autora accede al mundo de las ideas y del realismo y pone por escrito las implicaciones de lo que acaba de contar. Algo que ya se dejaba atisbar a lo largo del texto y pensaba que así iba a quedar pero pone el foco en ese aspecto y lo mira a los ojos y lo saca de lo más profundo de las entrañas y es que a nadie le gusta que le impongan nada. Aunque sea “bueno” en teoría. Ese final bien valdría las cinco estrellas.
Tres estrellas porque es lo que vale. Las irregulares “explosiones” de violencia en medio de contextos “moñas” a lo lardo del libro no son gran cosa pero vas viendo los pequeños cambios en los personajes hasta que al llegar el final con la historia ya acabada llega la dosis de realidad. La autora accede al mundo de las ideas y del realismo y pone por escrito las implicaciones de lo que acaba de contar. Algo que ya se dejaba atisbar a lo largo del texto y pensaba que así iba a quedar pero pone el foco en ese aspecto y lo mira a los ojos y lo saca de lo más profundo de las entrañas y es que a nadie le gusta que le impongan nada. Aunque sea “bueno” en teoría. Ese final bien valdría las cinco estrellas.
December 14, 2023
The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly is the first book in the "Sun Wolf and Starhawk' trilogy. The book was written in 1984 and all I can say is how have I never read this before now? This book is Epic/Dark Fantasy and it is one of the best I have ever read from the 80s time period. This book will stand up against anything written from our present period too. I have read some of Barbara Hambly's James Asher books several years ago when I was going through my vampire phase. I enjoyed them very much but I had somehow never read any of her Epic/Dark Fantasy. I will definitely read the rest of this trilogy and further explore her other books.
July 27, 2022
Vaya forma de cuestionar los patrones clásicos de las novelas de fantasía sin perder en ningún momento la intensidad del relato. Y de trasfondo, mucha inspiración para aventuras de rol con personajes, encuentros y misiones que valen tanto como la campaña o historia general.
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