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Deryni Tales
 
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Deryni Tales [Paperback]

Katherine Kurtz
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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From Library Journal

Ranging from Laura Jefferson's tale of a young man's quest for truth and God ("A Midsummer's Questing") to Kurtz's exploration of a mysterious period in the history of the Deryni ("The Green Tower"), the nine stories in this collection (previously published only in periodicals) illuminate new aspects of the world and culture of the psionically gifted Deryni. Showcasing new authors including Laura Jefferson, Sharon Henderson, and Jay Barry Azneer, these stories by fans of Kurtz's alternate medieval history blend religion and magic in a vivid tapestry of adventure and intrigue. A good choice for libraries where the "Deryni" series has a following.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Deryni's creator has combed the fanzine Deryni Archives for publishable fiction by the saga's devotees. By exercising sound judgment and drawing, it seems, on good raw material to begin with, she assembles a rewarding collection. Laura Jefferson's "A Midsummer's Questing" goes back to the days when Rhys and Evaine were courting and Joram was wrestling with his vocation. Daniel Kohanski and Jay Barry Azneer's "Arilan the Talmud Student" addresses the position of the Jews in the Eleven Kingdoms. Sharon Henderson's "Deo Volente" also addresses the question of vocation, this time Duncan McLain's, and the stories that succeed these proceed to a fine coda by Kurtz herself. Although they can't boast prose as elegant as Kurtz's, most of the other contributors are obviously more medievalists, historians, and in possession of richer spiritual lives than the average fantasy writer or fan. None of that will surprise the Deryni saga's long-term devotees, who may appreciate the volume more than may relative newcomers to this fantasy realm now 30 years in the making. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
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4 star:
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3.9 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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3.0 out of 5 stars Good, not remarkable or great, Aug 14 2002
By 
Sophia (the Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Deryni Tales (Paperback)
This collection of fan fiction from the Deryni universe is enjoyable, but not especially gripping. The one exception to this is, as other writers have noticed, John Mohr's story, "Lover of Shadows." That is a beautifully-crafted interesting and marvelous story. I hope he writes some more. It is a pleasure to encounter familiar characters again, such as Joram, Evaine, Rhys, Richenda, Dhugal and so on, and get some more information about them.

This collection also cleared up something for me, in that Ms. Kurtz explains that she tries to write her female characters closer to the way medieval woman actually lived. Her choice, of course, but, I have to say, if I wanted to read about the way women lived, I would read history, not fantasy. I also notice, interestingly, that she does not follow our medieval history by producing great female abbesses or theologians. Surely, the Church of Gwynedd could produce a Hildegard of Bingen, a Hilda of Whitby or a Catherine of Siena? Again, her choice, but I have to say one of the reasons I only get the Deryni books from the library instead of buying them is that the only women who actually hold real power are either misguided or evil, and that her most sympathetic and interesting characters are invariably male.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fan Fiction at its Best!, July 4 2002
This review is from: Deryni Tales (Paperback)
In Deryni Tales, Katherine Kurtz has pulled together 8 of the best fan-written stories dealing with her Deryni universe. The stories are not only well worth reading, but showcaes the talent and devotion of these Deryni fans. There is also a story by Kurtz herself in the volume, reason alone for having the book, but all of the stories are more than worthwhile reads. If you have read the Deryni series and enjoyed it, you owe it to yourself to read these additional Tales.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Of Deryni, Jews, and Antagonists, July 2 2002
By 
R. Finegold (Yarmouth, ME United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Deryni Tales (Paperback)
Briefly: A welcome addition to the Deryni canon. These tales by new writers return the soul to the Deryni universe that I felt had paled in the later Deryni books--then again, the awe I have of the original trilogy is difficult to overcome, especially the original "Deryni Rising."

After 30 years, the issues of Jews in Gwynedd are addressed, albeit sparingly. Daniel Kohanski and Jay Barry Azner's tale "Arilan the Talmud Student" offers a delightful but brief glimpse into the people whose faith founded the Christianity that is so central in the Deryni universe and Ms. Kurtz' writings. We are left wanting more. If the Deryni, as Ms. Kurtz explains, "were the Jews of Gwynedd...taking the heat that would have been reserved for the Jews of our world"(p.26), the question begging to be answered is "What of the Jews who were also Deryni?"

Arguably the best story in the book is Lohr E. Miller's "Lady of Shadows": well-crafted, rich, and filled with love, loyalty, and fealty--but among the Haldane/Gwynedd antagonists! Charissa de Tolan, the villian sorceress of "Deryni Rising" and her border baron lover, the mercenary poet Christian-Richard de Falkenberg. This story alone is worth the price of the book.

We can only hope that these writers will continue in the craft, and that they and similar talent can continue to enrich the tapestry of The Eleven Kingdoms.

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