- Paperback
- Publisher: Ace Books (December 1993)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0441520995
- ISBN-13: 978-0441520992
- Product Dimensions: 15.7 x 12.2 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 113 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Ingram
When the peaceful kingdom of Reth is overrun by Geofrrey ae'Magi, the evil master of illusion, Aralorn, weaponsmistress of the shapechanging race, and her companion, Wolf, attempt to overthrow him.
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Most helpful customer reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Behind the masques,
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (HALL OF FAME) (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Masques (Mass Market Paperback)
Every great author has to begin somewhere -- and with Patricia Briggs, it started with "Masques." Briggs' first novel is pretty obviously a first novel, since she hadn't yet gotten a solid grip on her pacing and her characterization, but there are flickers of brilliance in her shapeshifting heroine and vivid writing.
Aralorn is a shapeshifting spy who gets sent on some various dangerous missions with her friend Wolf, even to spy on the lethal Geoffrey ae'Magi (who uses magic to make people adore him... kind of like a politician). When the crown prince Myr is accused of murdering one of his guards, she knows that the ae'Magi has somehow framed Myr -- and she and Wolf quickly join a small, ragtag rebellion that Myr is forming. But Aralorn soon discovers that Wolf has some horrendous secrets in his past, some of which involve the ae'Magi and his bloody magic. With zombielike Uriah and a dragon waiting outside Myr's caves -- and the ae'Magi intent on capturing some of their party -- Aralorn and Wolf must find a way to defeat the magician before he gains control of the whole country. When reading "Masques," it's pretty obvious that this was a very early Briggs work -- the narrative is rather choppy, the worldbuilding is fuzzy (what are these countries again?), and everything bounces from crisis to crisis at a breakneck pace. It's definitely not a bad novel, but it has all the earmarks of an early work, written before the author's rough edges had been rubbed off. But there are hints of Briggs' future brilliance in the story -- her prose is vivid and colorful ("led by a small, grey fox with ageless, sea-green eyes"), and it has moments of dry humor ("Nothing's going to get us but ghosts and vampires and other nice things that feed on stupid people who ride in the woods after dark"). And she evokes some feelings of pure horror, such as when Aralorn sees an old buddy turned into one of the Uriah. And the storyline slows down and becomes smoother in the book's second half, as Briggs works out various storylines (the ae'Magi's master plan) and weaves together the various subplots. There's also a nice romantic subplot for Aralorn and Wolf, both of whom are oddities -- she's a young shapeshifting spy with a lot of guts and kindness, and he's a cynical, scarred magician with some nasty ties to the ae'Magi. There are also some nice supporting characters such as the magic-immune Myr, the dignified dragon, and a spattering of others. "Masques" is a pretty immature piece of work, compared to Patricia Briggs' later fantasy books. But it's still an entertaining, action-packed little novel with a likable heroine.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More Classic Briggs,
By
This review is from: Masques (Paperback)
Patricia Briggs is a Jew of the fantasy world. Look at all her out of print Ace books... They all sell for a fortune on the online auction sites. Why? Because she is fantastic! This was her first fantasy book i believe and at times the writing stlye show it...but this does not detract from the amazing plotlines that only Briggs can contrive... Shapeshifter, Sworsdmistress, and Spy it says on the cover... and it delivers... The best friend who happens to be a wolf is another attribute that makes this heroine interesting...You wont find this book in any store...its out of print and far too valuable... pay the money and buy a used copy...trust me its coin well spent...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars (76 customer reviews) 109 of 110 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not the Masques you remember,
By Litocracy "reviewer" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Masques (Mass Market Paperback)
Okay, so, yes, I realize the original edition of "Masques" was flawed. The the writing was uneven, the transitions choppy, the larger events that drive the story were barely touched on, and there were some truly corney elements (not the least of which is the title--I guess they can't fix everything). Also, the cover was embarrassingly reminiscent of an 80s hairband album.
But I loved it. It was funny, it was romantic, it was melodramatic, it poked fun at itself. The single-minded focus on the relationship between the two main characters was perhaps both the greatest weakness and the greatest charm of what I'll now refer to as MasquesBeta. Almost twice as long, the new Masques raises the stakes, fills in the gaps, eases the transitions, evens out the language, and clarifies the motivations of the side characters. What was stated as fact is now illustrated and described. What as implied is now made explicit. The result is a stronger book--but one that lacks the particular tumbling enthusiasm and unselfconscious obsessiveness of the original. What hasn't changed are the characters. Aralorn has always stood out in my mind as the most memorable of Brigg's trademark tough-but-vulnerable female leads. Aralorn is a storyteller, a humorist, and a lover of information. She is independent, happy-go-lucky and self contained--although the traumatic events of the novel threaten to change that. The male lead, Wolf, meanwhile, remains the king of pathos, with a wry sarcastic bent. It's easy to see in these two characters and in the story itself, the influences of generic popular fantasy on a young author, but the germs of the characteristics, fantasies and themes that populate all Brigg's later work are equally apparent. Too conclude, it good, it's different, it's worth checking out, and I'm excited (like way excited) for the sequel. But I still love the real Masques best. 50 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More!,
By Elizabeth Slater - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Masques (Paperback)
Aralorn is a shapeshifter - and a spy. However, she would be in deep trouble if it weren't for her friend Wolf. Having rescued Wolf years earlier, she only knew him as a wolf, until she happens upon a subversive plot on an assignment and finds him to be a powerful sorcerer and shapeshifter. Drawn into a plan to save the royalty of her country as well as the people from a powerful sorcerer, Aralorn and Wolf have to work together and trust each other - something that doesn't come easily to either one. This is a Great Story! I love Briggs' books.
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Behind the Masques,
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Masques (Paperback)
Every great author has to begin somewhere -- and with Patricia Briggs, it started with "Masques." Briggs' first novel is pretty obviously a first novel, since she hadn't yet gotten a solid grip on her pacing and her characterization, but there are flickers of brilliance in her shapeshifting heroine and vivid writing.
Aralorn is a shapeshifting spy who gets sent on some various dangerous missions with her friend Wolf, even to spy on the lethal Geoffrey ae'Magi (who uses magic to make people adore him... kind of like a politician). When the crown prince Myr is accused of murdering one of his guards, she knows that the ae'Magi has somehow framed Myr -- and she and Wolf quickly join a small, ragtag rebellion that Myr is forming. But Aralorn soon discovers that Wolf has some horrendous secrets in his past, some of which involve the ae'Magi and his bloody magic. With zombielike Uriah and a dragon waiting outside Myr's caves -- and the ae'Magi intent on capturing some of their party -- Aralorn and Wolf must find a way to defeat the magician before he gains control of the whole country. When reading "Masques," it's pretty obvious that this was a very early Briggs work -- the narrative is rather choppy, the worldbuilding is fuzzy (what are these countries again?), and everything bounces from crisis to crisis at a breakneck pace. It's definitely not a bad novel, but it has all the earmarks of an early work, written before the author's rough edges had been rubbed off. But there are hints of Briggs' future brilliance in the story -- her prose is vivid and colorful ("led by a small, grey fox with ageless, sea-green eyes"), and it has moments of dry humor ("Nothing's going to get us but ghosts and vampires and other nice things that feed on stupid people who ride in the woods after dark"). And she evokes some feelings of pure horror, such as when Aralorn sees an old buddy turned into one of the Uriah. And the storyline slows down and becomes smoother in the book's second half, as Briggs works out various storylines (the ae'Magi's master plan) and weaves together the various subplots. There's also a nice romantic subplot for Aralorn and Wolf, both of whom are oddities -- she's a young shapeshifting spy with a lot of guts and kindness, and he's a cynical, scarred magician with some nasty ties to the ae'Magi. There are also some nice supporting characters such as the magic-immune Myr, the dignified dragon, and a spattering of others. "Masques" is a pretty immature piece of work, compared to Patricia Briggs' later fantasy books. But it's still an entertaining, action-packed little novel with a likable heroine. |
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