Sunday 1 December 2013

All genre books should start like this.

'This is the reader's book. All proper names are therefore to be pronounced in any way he chooses, except in conversation with another reader, in which case the two must settle their differences as best they can, for there is no rule.'

From the 'Author's Note','The Well of the Unicorn' (Fletcher Pratt)

As someone who regularly mangles carefully constructed fantasy languages (Steven Erikson and GRRM in particular) this sentence made for welcome reading when I picked the book up for a quick skim through :o) I'm working my way through Moorcock's 'Daughter of Dreams', along with the second Fantasy Masterworks 'Conan' collection, but 'The Well of the Unicorn' just moved itself up the pile, almost without my realising it... Anyone here read it?

1 comment:

  1. I've not read the book in question, but I love the author's note. It takes me back to childhood 'debates' with friends.....

    ReplyDelete