Book Review - Hawkmistress

My mother has owned Marion Zimmer Bradley books for decades, and I previously read The Mists of Avalon during my English Lit undergraduate course in Arthurian Lit (I was thrilled to see a fantasy novel on the reading list!), but only got round to finally making my way through the Darkover series in 2005. I got through a fair few, but my PhD started that same year, which rather slowed the process down.

Still, I hope to get back to them at some point, because thus far, I've enjoyed the inventive plots and occasional feminist statements that I remember from The Mists of Avalon - both are present in Hawkmistress. The Sisterhood of the Sword provided a strong female presence, but unfortunately this was weakened by Bradley casting many of its members as somewhat petty and close-minded, rather than focusing on the female potency they could embody.

Romilly herself (the central protagonist) is a likeable female character in some respects, such as her strength of character, but she does occasionally become irritating in her responses to others - for example, the classbound arrogance of the early part of the novel.

All in all, after a slow start, I found this to be an entertaining read, and I look forward to moving on through the whole series at some point (my PhD reading has finally calmed down a little).

If you hope to follow the chronology of Darkover (though Bradley herself doesn’t recommend it), you might want to check out some of the more recent additions to the Darkover universe, as many of them – such as The Clingfire Trilogy – which takes place during the same period as Hawkmistress and shortly thereafter.

Book Review - Stormqueen!

To go from Darkover Landfall to Stormqueen! is a bit of a jump-cut, missing out a great deal of history – then again, I haven’t read the short story collections of either MZB or those she edited to fill in gaps, so perhaps this occurs later on.

Still, that’s only a niggle if you’re overly bothered about chronology – MZB certainly isn’t, as she repeatedly proves in her published comments on Darkover. I would definitely recommend the story of Stormqueen! itself, as it provides plenty of action, and a suitably intriguing plot, with sibling rivalry, enforced personal codes of celibacy, warfare and tragedy.

The main focus of the book is what MZB calls ‘laran’, which is basically psychic abilities, though the author has developed a whole mythology around it which makes laran much more than just ESP. This isn’t a happy story, and is all the better for it – the central character herself spends the entire book suffering to a greater and greater degree.

So, if you want a feel-good ending, look elsewhere, but if you want a decent read, you could do much worse than Stormqueen! And no, I don’t know why MZB insisted on sticking an exclamation mark at the end of her title either. ;)

Book Review - Darkover Landfall

Though written a decade after Marion Zimmer Bradley’s first Darkover novel, Darkover Landfall is – as the title suggests – the earliest in the chronology. This book lays out the basis for what is to come, and like Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series, it too mixes sci-fi with fantasy as a crashed space ship spawns a culture which does not remember them.

Names crop up that you’ll see again later in Darkover, such as MacAran, and the different factions within the crew somewhat obviously sow the seeds for later Darkovan traits, most notably the strong Celtic – or even more specifically, Scottish – influence. There are a few predictable bits of romance, but also unexpected (as long as you resist reading the blurb on the back or above this review! ;)) twists, which was the main source of my enjoyment from this book.

There isn’t much in the way of feminism, a lack which is always a shame in a MZB book, but the plot doesn’t suffer as much as some other books given that light-weight approach. Though MZB says not to read the book in order, at least in the case of this volume, I would recommend new readers pick it up first - its very short, but still a fine piece of hybrid sci-fi/fantasy.

DVD Review - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Animated)

I re-watched the animated film last night, which must be the first time in at least ten years. However, when re-reading the books over the last two weeks, it was the animated film that stuck in my mind whilst reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and in a variety of ways, the animated film is more in keeping with the book than either the series or the more recent Disney release (my review of that here). One instance where the animated film is the only one of the three to follow Lewis is found in Aslan's camp:

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, p129:"And so," continued the Witch, "that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property."

"Come and take it then," said the Bull with the man's head in a great bellowing voice.

In the BBC series, the same challenge is made, but this time by a faun. In the new film, it is Peter himself who says it. A very minor scene, but its interesting that each version went a different route. It may be that a bull with a man's head was a rather bizarre image, perhaps even difficult to recreate in a live-action setting (though this would only pose a problem for the BBC series, as no doubt the CGI of today’s version could easily produce such a creature).

That bull is not the only unusual creature in the animated film; amongst the statues in the Witch's castle are also a flying tiger, a tiger with a unicorn's horn, and a man with the head of an eagle. This trend of genuinely fantastical beings is continued into the battle sequence, which features perhaps the weirdest battle ever seen on the screen: at the opening of the battle sequence to the far left of the view, a giant yellow duck, gripping a weapon in its wing, fights with a grim-faced tree. Such license is one of the advantages in animation, particularly a children's cartoon.

The interpretation of Mr Tumnus is similarly in keeping with a cartoon. Red-skinned, green-haired, and literally prancing like the goats who provide his lower half, we see him scampering around Lucy, eventually alighting on top of the lamp post. His initially devious is emphasised to a greater degree than usual, with sidelong glances and a malicious smile as he prepares his deception of Lucy. Rather than sending her to sleep, he follows his first rousing tune with a melody that sends her into a trance (from which he has to snap his fingers to free her). The Tumnus of the series or the film does not, in my opinion, make a similarly large transition from cruel to kind; the Tumnus is the animated film is the only one who initially appears genuinely wicked.

Mr Beaver is quite different from the new film or the series, as he does not have a regional accent (West Country in the BBC series, cockney in the new film). Instead, he is voiced by Arthur Lowe (who sadly died three years later in 1982), best known as the upwardly mobile Captain Mainwaring from Dad's Army. Lowe plays the character in similarly clipped tones to Mainwaring, complete with pipe, while Mrs Beaver also speaks with an upper class voice. Religious comments like Aslan being 'the son of the Emperor-across-the-sea' are still there, though still no mention of Lilith (which from what I've read and seen of Narnia adaptations only occurs in the 1967 TV series).

On the approach to the beaver's house, Edmund has flashbacks of the White Witch offering him Turkish Delight. Significantly, it is not Edmund who first suggests Turkish Delight, but the Witch herself. His flashback causes him to salivate and lick his lips in anticipation. This is in keeping with the description of the Turkish Delight in the book, where it sounds rather like the Witch gets Edmund addicted to them, as if they were a Class A drug, in order to get him to do her bidding:

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, p38: At last the Turkish Delight was all finished and Edmund was looking very hard at the empty box and wishing that she would ask him whether he would like some more. Probably the Queen knew quite well what he was thinking; for she knew, though Edmund did not, that this was enchanted Turkish Delight and that anyone who had once tasted it would want more and more of it, and would even, if they were allowed , go on eating it till they killed themselves

The White Witch is also properly white, again following the description in the book; "Her face was white – not merely pale, but white like snow or paper or icing sugar, except for her very red mouth" (p33). The BBC series attempted to follow suit, Barbara Kellerman sporting the necessary make-up, but the new film chooses to simply make her pale (though I think this probably works better than a bright white Tilda Swinton would have done, so a wise decision). I found the vocal performance of Sheila Hancock to be slightly less pantomime than Barbara Kellerman, but as its a cartoon, there is a higher threshold on the ridiculous – therefore, not a fair comparison.

The escape from the Beaver's house is again distinct from the BBC and Disney. Suspense is the most important element, with the view switching rapidly between the White Witch on her sledge, the ravening wolves led by Fenris Ulf (interestingly not named Maugrim in this version) and the party of children and beavers. The White Witch is only ever a short distance behind, able to see the children as they join the doomed fox and squirrels at their meal, still in sight as Mr Beaver spots her at the meal shortly after he, his wife and the children have left. Mrs Beaver strangely retains her apron throughout, but presumably this is to distinguish her gender from Mr Beaver, in the same fashion as Daisy Duck's hair bow.

In another difference from the BBC and the new film, and indeed the book, there is no Father Christmas (though the jingling of his sleigh-bells are heard earlier in the beaver's hiding place). Another missing character – or at least scene – is Mrs Macready, who does not chase the children into the wardrobe. Instead, the film cuts from the discussion with Professor Kirke straight to the third entrance into Narnia.

The weapons gifted by Father Christmas are now instead given by Aslan himself, whose echoing voice is strongly reminiscent of a character who would hit the screens five years later – He-Man. The sexist lines are also passed on to Aslan, who tells Susan and Lucy that "I do not mean you to fight in the battle", following the book's dialogue exactly in all but the speaker. Peter defeats Fenris Ulf, and receives the title 'Fenris-Bane' rather than 'Wolf's Bane', presumably due to the name change from Maugrim (then again, I haven't read the US version of the book this name change is taken from, so perhaps 'Fenris-Bane' occurs there too?).

In rescuing Edmund, Aslan does not merely send a few troops as in the series or new film, but an army. They almost manage to capture the White Witch, actually grasping hold of her arm, but as in the series, she and her dwarf are able to magically disguise themselves. The Witch's later sacrifice of Aslan on the Stone Table and his ensuing return was, in my opinion, more affecting than in the BBC series. There is greater celebration, and the rush to the Witches castle is well-interpreted. The BBC had Aslan literally fly, which now looks very dated indeed, whereas the animation simply has him run. However, this running is so fluid and fast, interspersed with great leaps, that it is almost flying, and works far better on screen.

My favourite part of the animation comes next, when Aslan transmutes the stone statues back to flesh. His breath flows across them, leaving a glimmering turquoise layer, almost cubist in its form, which is a beautiful visual effect. Back at the battle, Edmund's breaking of the wand makes real strategic impact, in a way in which I feel it did not in either the BBC series or the Disney film. This is because in both the BBC and Disney, shortly after Edmund's action, Aslan arrives and tramples the Witch (knocking her off a cliff in the BBC version). In the animation, while Aslan also arrives not long after, as soon as Edmund breaks the wand, all the combatants who had been turned to stone are instantly restored to flesh, in another pleasant visual effect (a sort of bright flash followed by a pause). Aslan then pounces on the Witch as in other adaptations, causing her to dissipate with a suitably 'evil' sound effect in a cloud of black smoke.

The animation then gears up for the ending, with the coronation scene, featuring Mr Beaver dressed in a costume that looks as though it was lifted from Disney's 1951 Alice in Wonderland cartoon. This is followed by a plump, middle-aged Mr Tumnus telling the now fully grown monarch's of the White Stag. This section struck me as a little off, because while the children are now shown as adult, they retain their childish voices – Edmund's high-pitched squeal, "Let's go!", sounds especially incongruous.

Unlike my recent revisiting of the BBC series, the animation did not disappoint. In particular, the music throughout was excellent and varied. It was also put to good use in numerous sequences, such as the chase from the beaver's house and Aslan's rush to the witch's castle. It was largely accurate, with a couple of interesting omissions, and Aslan felt truly imposing, thanks to his heroic voice. The DVD is available to buy here.

DVD Review: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I grew up with the animated film and the BBC version, though when the latter was originally shown on terrestial television, I was only 7 years old. I loved Narnia as a child, and hadn't revisited it for a long time until my sister gave me a new complete set of the books for christmas a few years ago. Being an analytical person by nature, I made certain to watch the BBC series again (digging out my old tape) before seeing the film, in order to compare the two.

I have to admit, the film is far superior to the BBC version. While I continue to have a soft spot for the BBC series, all nostalgia aside, the acting was pretty painful. Barbara Kellerman, who played the White Witch, could also be accused of massively over-acting her part – she seemed to think she was in a pantomime. The puppet for Aslan was laughable, robotically jerking along, the mouth flapping open and shut in a bizarre attempt to approximate speech. The beavers were equally hilarious, in overlarge costumes restricting their movement meaning they had to shuffle along, arms held aloft like furry dinosaurs.

Having said all that, the effects weren't bad for 1988. As a child, I thought it was magnificent. But unsurprisingly, it doesn't hold up to the CGI wizardry of the new film at all (compare the beavers, or the cartoon griffin of the BBC to the fully realised depiction in the film). In addition, the acting in the new film is infinitely superior (although the 'Scottish' housekeeper was less than impressive), in particular Tilda Swinton, who at no point descends into ham acting, and the children are much improved. Lucy of the BBC series was all agape, treating the whole thing like a school play. Today's Lucy is actually capable of acting, along with the rest of the cast.

Before I looked again at the BBC series, I would have laboured under the misapprehension that it was a work of genius, untouched by time. Believe me, its not – anyone who grew up with it and hasn't had a look since then, do so before imagining it an equal to the new film. It irks me to think a Disney film which has been touted as a Christian parable (though I would argue it is considerably less religious than the book, much to my relief – the overweening religiosity which plagued Lewis' writing doesn't poison the film) is a superior adaptation than the cherished BBC effort, but unfortunately I find it to be undeniable.

I still enjoy the series, because it was a part of my childhood and I'm extremely sentimental about these things – I'll be getting myself a DVD copy, if only to watch the cast reunion.

To go into greater depth on the film, there were numerous and significant changes to the plot of the book, many of which were positive. Firstly, the opening sequence; unsurprisingly for a children's book, Lewis didn't go into any detail about the horrors of civilians in warfare. This also marks the first instance of a new backstory provided by the script – Peter's treatment of Edmund. In the book and the series, Peter is generally cast as a mature, slightly over-protective older brother while Edmund is (for most of the book) an entirely objectionable little brat. In the film, Edmund is softened considerably, and in turn, Peter is made far less 'noble', if thats the word.

This is followed by numerous minor changes, such as the first entry into Narnia is caused by a hide-and-seek game – in the series and the book, Lucy's initial entry is due to exploration, not her search for a hiding place. The cricket is invented (perhaps to emphasise the 'Englishness' of the book?), as is the cricket ball through the window and knocked-over armour. Instead of Susan, Peter suggests taking the fur coats, and both Lucy and Edmund (in the opening two visits) are bereft of fur coats in the film whereas they were not in the book or series. One other little mistake is the White Witch's pigmentation – she should, as her name suggests, be a very pale white, not merely pale-skinned.

In addition, there were some pleasant little nods to those looking out for book references, with the Professor's apple (pointing to The Magician's Nephew, which focuses on the apple that the White Witch eats and that Digory brings back to his dying mother, later to plant it, becoming the tree from which the wardrobe is made), and the drawing of glasses and moustache on the lion statue (though I'm not totally certain of that, but seem to remember it from the book).

The main change, aside from the softening of Edmund and staining of Peter, comes with the rush from the beaver's home. First, Edmund leaves with his coat – the suffering of his cold journey to the witch, without a coat, was dealt with at length in the book. The party follows Edmund all the way to the castle, rather than briefly searching then returning to the house. Mrs Beaver does not spend hours preparing for the journey, the wolves are right outside rather than coming to an empty house, and there is an escape tunnel. The pub is another new detail (though an entertaining one), as is the character of the fox (presumably based on the old fox at the christmas meal). Needless to say, the fox's role in tricking the wolves is a further fabrication. Finally, the flight down the river, a major sequence, is entirely made up, along with the wolf encounter.

A few religious details are missed out, such as Jadis' parentage (that she is the daughter of Lillith, 'first wife of Adam', doesn't crop up in the series either). More importantly, there is no mention of the 'Emperor-over-the-sea' of whom Aslan is meant to be the son, and who was the creator of the 'Deep Magic'. The stone table section is not hyped up into Christian iconography, but left relatively pagan.

Another important change is the children's reluctance to take up their quest – there is no such hesitation in the book or series. The little scene where the animals have a christmas meal, much to the witch's dismay, is missing, replaced by the cunning fox. Much to my pleasure, the sexist commentary by Father Christmas was modified – previously, he told the women that 'the battle is not for you', but this changes to a general lament about the horror of war. Susan and Lucy are shown to have skill with their weapons, and Susan even gets to kill a dwarf (the one notable sexist comment is Susan's epithet remains 'Gentle', compared to the rather more impressive titles of the men. However, I can see why the script writers chose to keep it, albeit I'd rather they'd been braver and changed it to something less patronising). The battle is much extended, but as there was little focus on this in the book, there is plenty of scope to add detail.

Probably a few I've forgotten there, but you get the idea. The film was far from faithful to the book, but as has been mentioned, it was a reasonable adaptation. Less religious, less sexist, and arguably more realistic in parts (dialogue of the children, for example). Available to buy here.

Out of interest, has anyone seen the 1967 Narnia series? I didn't even realise there was an earlier live action version until checking through some old newspapers recently. Apparently, it was first shown on ABC television Sunday, July 9th 1967 at 18:15 starring Elizabeth Crowther, Zuleika Robson, Edward McMurray and Paul Waller as the children, Jack Woolgar as the Professor, Elizabeth Wallace as the White Witch, Bernard Kay as Aslan, George Claydon as the Dwarf, Angus Lennie as Mr Tumnus and Robert Booth as Maugrim. Ring any bells?