The Innkeeper’s Song
Monday, November 14, 2005
The Innkeeper’s Song (1993) Peter S. Beagle
I read The Innkeeper’s Song several years ago–probably soon after it was published, and I picked it up solely on the strength of its cover. I’m a sucker for fantasy books with strong females, and the three women on the cover–especially Lal on the left–look strong. Well, I wasn’t sure about the woman in the middle, but she turned out okay.
The Innkeeper’s Song is written from the point of view of multiple characters–each chapter is written from the point of view of a different character.
The story centers on a song ostensibly written by the innkeeper of the inn in which the events took place, although in his first chapter the innkeeper denies having written the song–or any song, saying:
And if I could write even such a song as that nonsense about those three women which someone has put my name to, why then I would be a songwriter, a bard, since I would certainly be fit for nothing else
I like Lal and Rosseth best of all the characters in the story, and there are quite a few despite the relatively short length. Lal, because of the fact that she is a middle aged heroine (although on the cover she looks as if she couldn’t be much past being a teenager), and Rosseth because he’s a genuinely nice guy–especially for a teenager.
I also like the fox, although the chapters written in his point of view I find particularly hard to read. I suppose that if the entire book were written in that manner, or if there were more dialogue involving the fox, it would be easier to read, but there are only a couple of chapters from the point of view of the fox, and by the time I’ve gotten used to the writing, the chapter is over and we’ve moved onto another character.
But aside from that I like the Fox, despite the fact that he ate the Innkeeper’s pigeons. And I wanted to know more about the character of the fox, and why he was the way he was.
It’s an unusual and interesting story, and one that I enjoyed rereading.
Rating: 8/10
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HMMM… Sounds very good. Adding it to the gotta read list. If you looking for other fantasy novels with a strong female character, check out the Symphony of Ages series by Elizabeth Haydon (starting with the book “Rhapsody”). Those novels never leave my mind.
November 14, 2005 @ 8:32 PM
I really like Elizabeth Haydon’s writing and the Symphony of Ages series–I really liked Achmed and Gunthor.
She also has a story on “Legends II” which was pretty good.
November 15, 2005 @ 10:45 AM
Hi!
Some of your curiosity about the fox can be answered, and you can find out how the fox and Soukyan first came together, by reading Peter’s story “Quarry.” It was published in the May 2004 issue of FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION magazine, has been reprinted in a couple of the YEAR’S BEST FANTASY OF 2004 anthologies, and will also be reprinted next summer in Peter’s new story collection THE LINE BETWEEN.
November 17, 2005 @ 2:05 PM