Jamie's Reviews > Spiderlight

This hit the spot! The plot is simple enough. A band of Dungeons & Dragons/LOTR inspired heroes (cleric, sorcerer, archer, warrior and thief) set out on a holy quest to destroy an evil wizard. Yet it quickly becomes apparent the focus is as much on the dynamics of the group, their deeply held (and naive) beliefs and their many foibles as it is on the quest itself. In some ways the story becomes more of a subtle deconstruction, if not mockery, of some classic and overdone epic fantasy tropes.

As their quest begins there's a clear sense among the heroes of good and evil, Light and Dark, and an inherent smug righteousness. Yet with each step the picture becomes more murky as they are forced to employ some less than holy means to achieve their ends, challenging their unshakable moral certainty. How far they are willing to sully themselves and how accepting they are of these hard truths becomes a constant source of friction both among themselves and with others they meet on their journey. The writing is often humorous, but also heartbreaking in turns as the costs and consequences of their actions begin to weigh, manifesting most directly in the torments of a creature they transform and coerce into aiding them.

As one would expect from Tchaikovsky there is an epic twist, as well as some off-the-wall, skin crawling surprises along the way that only he could have dreamed up. These combined with a brisk pace, heartfelt tension and witty dialogue throughout make for a thoroughly amusing read that packs a punch.