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The Knight (The Wizard Knight, Book 1)

The Knight (The Wizard Knight, Book 1)

by
Gene Wolfe

Synopsis of The Knight (The Wizard Knight, Book 1)

A young man in his teens is transported from our world to a magical realm that contains seven levels of reality. Very quickly transformed by magic into a grown man of heroic proportions, he takes the name Abel and sets out on a quest to find the sword that has been promised to him, a sword he will get from a dragon, the one very special blade that will help him fulfill his life ambition to become a knight and a true hero. Inside, however, Abel remains a boy, and he must grow in every sense to survive the dangers and delights that lie ahead in encounters with giants, elves, wizards, and dragons. His adventure will conclude next year in the second volume of The Wizard Knight, The Wizard.

Reviews of The Knight (The Wizard Knight, Book 1)

63%

The Knight is a roadmap to the future of fantasy, if that genre truly wishes to recover from its current doldrums. -- Paul Di Filippo, Scifi.com

This is a rich, complex, absorbing Wolfian fantasy... -- Elisabeth Carey, The New England Science Fiction Association, Inc.

...for those of us who enjoy fantasy, and who despair of how badly much of what is published as such today is written, The Knight is a breath of fresh air. -- Cheryl Morgan, Emerald City

In comparison with much of the fantasy published today, Wolfe's approach is refreshing. -- Katie Dean, The Agony Column Book Reviews and Commentary

It is more accessible than some of Wolfe's other works. But it is not uncomplicated, and will ultimately demand a great deal of attention from the reader. -- Thrasymachus, Thrasymachus Online

This one is not to be missed. -- Howard Price, The Trades

Even though this Book does come to a somewhat satisfying conclusion, we of course know there is a great deal left to tell of Able's story. I am anxious to continue it, as I feel confident will be the case with most anyone else who experiences it. -- Galen Strickland, The Templeton Gate

Told in the first person, through Abel's likable and often perplexed voice, the tale is rich with believable detail and strong world-building and peopled with fantastic characters. -- Jen Talley Exum, The Romantic Times Book Club

The dialogue sparkles and the battles are wonderful -- Bruce Wallace, SF Revu

By borrowing much from Norse mythology, other myths and the traditions of the Arthurian legend and incorporating them into his story, Wolfe has created a believable alternate world and a tale that will encourage fantasy lovers to look forward to the publication of The Wizard. -- Mark Graham, The Rocky Mountain News

There is little attempt to develop other characters other than the narrator so that the tale seems superficial and the episodes of the plot cut sharply, often lacking in expected detail in the same way that a dream cuts unexpectedly between scenes. -- Paulinge Morgan, SFCrowsnest