Tomes of Spellcasting--Year of the Griffin, by Diana Wynne Jones

Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Year of the Griffin
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 2000

With the Pilgrim Parties finally stopped, the world has a chance to rebuild itself and reestablish its economies. But, since for forty years the entire world has labored for Mr. Chesney, nearly two entire generations have gone by that did nothing, and produced nothing, and learned nothing that did not directly involve fulfilling the contract. So, when Elda, Wizard Derk's youngest griffin daughter, enrolls at the University to learn how to use magic, it's a disheartening and disillusioning experience, as all the spells are simply practical and functional, with next to nothing in the way of theory and no support for investigating and researching new ideas. But, really, that's only a minor problem when compared to all the other mundane problems that her best friends and classmates offer up: assassins, political schemes, pirates, even! Will Elda ever learn anything worth learning, or is she doomed to spend her three years at the University doing nothing but running from hit squads, rogue griffins, and jinxed attempts at going to the moon?

Year of the Griffin is a sequel to Dark Lord of Derkholm, but like all good novels, it is fully capable of standing alone if it had to. Certainly, knowing the events of the first book is helpful, but while it is a follow-up to the first novel, the events in the second are almost completely distanced and separate from those in the first. It's more in the way of seeing people working to overcome the problems left by the events from the first novel, like the lack of new ideas the University is exploring because of its "tradition" of turning out wizards to guide the Pilgrim Parties.

What makes this book so interesting and enjoyable is the way Elda and her friends--a mismatched bunch that includes a crown prince, an emperor's sister, and a rogue dwarf--are able to overlook all their differences and form strong relationships, wholly prepared to help one another through their troubles. Then again, maybe it is because of those differences, and the resultant grouping of them all together, that encourages those relationships to form and sustain themselves, even when dealing with problems arising on several different fronts. And, of course, in the middle of it all is Elda. Well, what did you expect when this is a book titled "Year of the Griffin"?

If you want to know more about Derk's world, or if you just want to have a good time, then Year of the Griffin is a book you should definitely look into. It doesn't have quite the same vastness of scope as Dark Lord of Derkholm had, but that doesn't mean this book doesn't travel. You'll still get a chance to explore more of Derk's world, but you'll also get to see more of specific places like the University. But you'll have to decide for yourself which you like better: travelling all over the continent, or staying in one place!

Rating: Thumbs up! Who knew that changing the world for the better would leave so many problems behind?

Buy this book in paperback or hardcover or visit the Cosmic Tomes Bazaar for other titles.

Looking for something that's no longer here? Check in the Archive to search for it.

Comments? Suggestions? Just click here to send me e-mail. Also, if this review prompted you to read the book, then let me know. I appreciate knowing I made a difference in somebody's life.

This page posted January 1, 2002.

Back Home Back to Starfire Reviews

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page