Gabi's Reviews > Spiderlight
Spiderlight
by
by
Brilliant conversion of Sword and Sorcery tropes
Is there anything that Tchaikovsky can't write? It is his first Fantasy book I've read. I'm a big fan of his SF but tiptoed around his Fantasy, cause I don't like Sword and Sorcery that much. Well … I was positively and overwhelmingly surprised.
In the first part of the book I giggled myself through the pages as I followed the fellowship of crazy misfits on their journey to bring the Light to conquer the Dark: A priestess who starts wavering in her faith, a mage who wants to set everything on fire, secretly loves the priestess, but doesn't get the basics of social interaction, a knight of the church who is so full of himself that there is no room for common sense, an archer who is frustrated that nobody sees her as a buddy only as sex object, a little thief whose heart is in the right place (and who seems to have the most sense of the bunch) and a spider who is transmogrified into … well … something else.
This unlikely group is the hope of the righteous and stumbles more than strides towards the final battle against evil. Tchaikovsky writes the group members and their interactions with a lot of intelligent sillyness, loveable wit and glimpses of emotional depth. Within a few pages he creates lively, unforgettable characters.
And then, somewhere along the way, while I was grinning and giggling, the tone changes. Slightly at first, then with more impact. The giggling started to get intermingled with goosebumps and (I admit it) some misty eye moments. Effortlessly he turns from silly to profound, in a light-handed way. I can only remember Sir Terry Pratchett as another author who did this to me so far.
I was sure the book would run into a wonderful, lighthearted 4 stars comfort read, but in the last part it checked all the boxes for a 5 star read for me.
The emphasis is on the behaviour towards each other, on the question of who and what is worthy and what isn't. What is the benchmark against which one measures good or evil? I was truly impressed in which manner Tchaikovsky tackled those topics in his book. Never too preachy, always with the escape route for the reader to just read a fun story.
On the outside it feels like one of those Lord-of-the-Rings emulation stories, on the inside it is so much more.
This one goes onto my small pile of books that I will re-read again and again.
Is there anything that Tchaikovsky can't write? It is his first Fantasy book I've read. I'm a big fan of his SF but tiptoed around his Fantasy, cause I don't like Sword and Sorcery that much. Well … I was positively and overwhelmingly surprised.
In the first part of the book I giggled myself through the pages as I followed the fellowship of crazy misfits on their journey to bring the Light to conquer the Dark: A priestess who starts wavering in her faith, a mage who wants to set everything on fire, secretly loves the priestess, but doesn't get the basics of social interaction, a knight of the church who is so full of himself that there is no room for common sense, an archer who is frustrated that nobody sees her as a buddy only as sex object, a little thief whose heart is in the right place (and who seems to have the most sense of the bunch) and a spider who is transmogrified into … well … something else.
This unlikely group is the hope of the righteous and stumbles more than strides towards the final battle against evil. Tchaikovsky writes the group members and their interactions with a lot of intelligent sillyness, loveable wit and glimpses of emotional depth. Within a few pages he creates lively, unforgettable characters.
And then, somewhere along the way, while I was grinning and giggling, the tone changes. Slightly at first, then with more impact. The giggling started to get intermingled with goosebumps and (I admit it) some misty eye moments. Effortlessly he turns from silly to profound, in a light-handed way. I can only remember Sir Terry Pratchett as another author who did this to me so far.
I was sure the book would run into a wonderful, lighthearted 4 stars comfort read, but in the last part it checked all the boxes for a 5 star read for me.
The emphasis is on the behaviour towards each other, on the question of who and what is worthy and what isn't. What is the benchmark against which one measures good or evil? I was truly impressed in which manner Tchaikovsky tackled those topics in his book. Never too preachy, always with the escape route for the reader to just read a fun story.
On the outside it feels like one of those Lord-of-the-Rings emulation stories, on the inside it is so much more.
This one goes onto my small pile of books that I will re-read again and again.
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Reading Progress
November 15, 2018
– Shelved
November 15, 2018
– Shelved as:
to-read
December 11, 2019
–
Started Reading
December 11, 2019
–
0.0%
"Okay … absolutely not on my reading list for December, will play havoc with the group reads I have scheduled - BUT after trudging through "Ringworld" I need something Gabi-esque for a change.
'Spider' in the title and 'Adrian Tchaikovsky' as author will hopefully do the trick - allthough it is my first Fantasy novel by him, so it could go wrong ..."
'Spider' in the title and 'Adrian Tchaikovsky' as author will hopefully do the trick - allthough it is my first Fantasy novel by him, so it could go wrong ..."
December 11, 2019
–
9.0%
"'When Dion considered the world, her chief question was, Is this of Light or Dark? Penthos' main interest was usually, Is this flammable?'
This is such a crazy bunch of D&D adventurers - I'm already giggling my way through the pages."
This is such a crazy bunch of D&D adventurers - I'm already giggling my way through the pages."
December 11, 2019
–
13.0%
"'That they had made him into this form, and were now sufficiently chagrined over it that they wished to hide him introduced him to another new word. Hypocrite.'"
December 12, 2019
–
21.0%
"'However, he was uncomfortably aware that, without constantly drawing on his magic, his sense of direction was notoriously poor. The one time he had tried to lead the fellowship across country, [...], he had managed to guide them into the same nest of troll-men three times, to the exasperation of all concerned, not least the troll-men, who had grown increasingly jaded about being set on fire ...'"
December 12, 2019
–
25.0%
"'Nth understood that this meant more beer. To bis surprise, his mouth opened and words came out. "I like beer."
Lief's expression lit up. "Good for you."
"I like you, too. You make beer happen ..."'
^^' I fear I will be plastering my updates with quotes. This book is so ... cute? ... Can't say much about the plot, but the characters are great!"
Lief's expression lit up. "Good for you."
"I like you, too. You make beer happen ..."'
^^' I fear I will be plastering my updates with quotes. This book is so ... cute? ... Can't say much about the plot, but the characters are great!"
December 12, 2019
–
28.0%
"'He put a hand to her forehead in benediction and nearly poked her in the eye as she flinched.'
I can't! This story is hilarious. I think, there hasn't been a single serious scene so far.
I get the impression this is what I was expecting when I read "the blade itself"."
I can't! This story is hilarious. I think, there hasn't been a single serious scene so far.
I get the impression this is what I was expecting when I read "the blade itself"."
December 12, 2019
–
32.0%
"This must have been the best blessing ever XD. I keel over laughing.
(and now I try to keep reading instead of updating every other minute. Yup ... I'm liking it!)"
(and now I try to keep reading instead of updating every other minute. Yup ... I'm liking it!)"
December 12, 2019
–
58.0%
"'Harathes kicked over his chair as he bolted upright, which would have been a threatening moment had he not then fallen over it. "I am a knight of the church!" he insisted from the floor.'"
December 12, 2019
–
62.0%
"'His eyes and ears seemed to be receiving information from some close but separate reality where things were more to his liking ...'
Very nice phrasing."
Very nice phrasing."
December 12, 2019
–
76.0%
"'Don't say "children," Dion asked silently, because they weren't children. Humans had children, just as dogs had pups and horses had foals. Spiders had ... well as far as she was concerned, spiders just spawned more spiders. '
And even in all this sillyness he brings thoughtprovoking topics like empathy towards other living beings. I'm a bit reminded of Terry Pratchett."
And even in all this sillyness he brings thoughtprovoking topics like empathy towards other living beings. I'm a bit reminded of Terry Pratchett."
December 13, 2019
–
85.0%
"'The Doomslayer stared at them helplessly. "Well of course he's here. He's down on the bottom floor. That's where his throne room is. You must have gone right past the door to it. Who would live at the top of a tower? Have you seen how many fucking stairs there are?"'
He's turning all the sword and sorcery tropes on their heads and I LOVE it."
He's turning all the sword and sorcery tropes on their heads and I LOVE it."
December 13, 2019
–
100.0%
"Woot!Woot!
Brilliant! Witty! Intelligent! Deeply human!
(Rtc once I've calmed down ...)"
Brilliant! Witty! Intelligent! Deeply human!
(Rtc once I've calmed down ...)"
December 13, 2019
–
Finished Reading
February 20, 2020
– Shelved as:
outstanding_one_way_or_another
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Twila
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rated it 4 stars
Dec 13, 2019 06:44PM
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That's why I love him. I'm an arachnophilia and it's rare to see those most interesting of beings represented as something else but 'iieeeks', 'yuk', 'throw the shoe' or your token alien monster.
Very good! My childhood spiders all were named Challa, Springi or Charlie (depending on the kind)
:(
Whew, glad to hear, Alex. And always see the bright side: They get the mosquitos (well … some of them at least)