Recently read: "Fool's Errant" by Matthew Hughes

[viktor_haag]

A friend of mine (james_nicoll) characterized Matthew Hughes as (if my memory is accurate), "Like reading Vance but without the sociopathic characters." There is something to that, but I wouldn't be so harsh on Vance, or so complementary to Hughes after just reading this book. It is, I believe, his first novel. It is a bildungsroman about a young wastrel who happens to be the nephew of the 'Archonate' (for all intents and purposes the supreme ruler of a distant future, balkanized Earth). Although he doesn't know it, the wastrel has a destiny to fulfill and gets taken in hand by an irascible, but wise, dwarf who traipses him across a variety of nations on the planet to prepare him for his eventual doom.

As one might expect, the book is highly episodic and reads a bit like a travelogue. Hughes does a fairly decent job with the characterization; slowly, the youth's mentor comes to appreciate the progress the youth is making, and slowly the youth does make progress.

The ending might seem abrupt, but I would rather characterize it as not out-lasting it's welcome. There is a bit of false crisis thrown into the ending as a few last minute plot devices appear to act as tense, but otherwise pointless, barriers to the protagonists' eventual goal.

There is enough promise in this first book of Hughes' to prompt me to read the second "Fool Me Twice". And from having read some short stories by Hughes from later on in his career, I can tell that either (a) he's better at writing short stories, or (b) he just develops as a writer in general. I'm hoping the latter, because I already have three other novels by him, plus the book of short stories, bought on james_nicoll's recommendation (when he pointed out that Nightshade press was publishing Hughes).

If you like tales of adventure in the mode of Dumas or Vance (especially the latter), then Matthew Hughes is, if not a worthy successor, at least an enjoyable one and a welcome change from the raft of imitators of other styles of great fantasy.

Sadly, both "Fool's Errant" and "Fool Me Twice" are out of print; however, I was able to find them collected in an SFBC omnibus version for very little money, and that also made the purchase even more worthwhile.

Comments

[jkahane.livejournal.com]

Fool's Errand and Fool Me Twice are both enjoyable novels by Matthew Hughes, and I found his next couple of novels in the Archonate series to be interesting, but oddly enough, I prefer Vance. While the characterization that Hughes brings to his work is far superior to that of Vance (at least in a Dying Earth context), Vance's descriptive prose is just sooo much better than what Hughes does.

Like several other people I know, I actually prefer Hughes' short fiction to his novels, but that is just a matter of taste, methinks. :)

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

I have not read overly much of the "Dying Earth" books. My love for Vance started with the "Lyonesse" series, and moved through the "Demon Princes" and "Alasator" series. As such, I take issue with the comment that Hughes' characterization is "far superior". To my mind the characters in Vance's "Lyonesse" books are every bit as memorable, in fact more so, than Hughes'. But I do agree that in the "Dying Earth" stuff I have read (about a third of the Tor ominbus collection), the characters are rather beside the point. But Cugel is, at least, a memorable character is he not? And charming! 8)

[jkahane.livejournal.com]

No offense intended, Viktor. The reference about superior characterization was directed more about The Dying Earth books than about any of Vance's other stuff. I am a huge fan of most of the Vance I've read, and love tings like the Lyonesse series, the Alastor books, and the Demon Princes works.

That said, Cugel the Clever in an exception in the Dying Earth books, given that he's a rapscallion at heart and very memorable. One of the few characters in that series of four novels where Vance gave him a bit more than just a superficial characterization. Love him or hate him, Cugel is memorable for sure. :)

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

'm puzzling over who writes like Vance these days.

And I can't think of anyone. For his fantasy material, the closest I can think of would be such OOP writers as Barry Hughart, or even C.A. Smith. And Michael Shea's authorized Cugel pastiche sequel (Quest for Simbilus) was quite enjoyable, and more memorable than even Vances own sequel.

For the SF books, hmm...I can't think of anyone, other than some of Sturgeon's or Kuttner's earlier stuff.

::B::

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

Matthew Hughes is pretty darn close. Scott Lynch also has reminiscent notes.