July 8, 2016

The Harp of the Grey Rose by Charles de Lint

Title:  The Harp of the Grey Rose
Author:  Charles de Lint
Pages:  230
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher:  Avon, 1985
Series:  Stand Alone

Synopsis:  He is the Songweaver, but before he was a master of song he was merely Cerin of Wran Cheaping - a seventeen-year-old orphan raised by a wildland witch.  Then he encountered the Maid of the Grey Rose - the lone survivor of the war that devastated the Trembling Lands and the promised bride of Yarac Stone-Slayer, the feared and terrible Waster.  The mysterious beauty captured Cerin's heart, drawing him into a world both dark and deadly, until armed with only a tinkerblade and the magic of song, he would take on a man's challenge...and choose a treacherous path toward a magnificent destiny.

Review:  This is pure, high fantasy.  There are gods and goddesses, wizards and harpers, and too many other creatures to name.  It is magical and wonderful.  It has been reprinted but this original paperback is, from what I understand, fairly hard to come by.  I'm not sure where I found it, but I'm very glad I read it.

Cerin and his lady Grey Rose are great characters.  There are others they meet who help them along the way, including a dwarf named Calman.  Since I am particularly fond of dwarves, he quickly became one of my favorite characters.  Music plays an important role in the magic of this land and, since I happen to agree that music is magical, it was very easy for me to believe in this story.

Rating:  9 / 10

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