The books also deliver an exciting and thoughtful story, with flavours of Celtic mythology, in which classic fantasy tropes, such as the Chosen One narrative, missing ancient civilisations, wizards and shape-changers are played with and revealed in a different light. McKillip explores the idea of the hero as riddle-master, a person who resolves conflict and realises their destiny through the accumulation and interpretation of knowledge, the ultimate source of power. In the three books that make up The Riddle-Master’s Game trilogy, Patricia A. The heroes in a fantasy novel frequently have to interpret obscure clues left behind in ancient prophecies in order to figure out who to trust, which magical objects they will need, and how they must fulfil their destiny. Significantly, riddles, and the ability to decode them, are frequently tied to prophecy. “Who is the Star-Bearer and what will he loose that is bound? What will one star call out of silence, one star out of darkness, and one star out of death? Who will come in the time’s ending and what will he bring? Who will sound the earth’s harp, silent since the Beginning? Who will bear stars of fire and ice to the Ending of the Age?”įrom Bilbo and Gollum trading riddles in the dark, riddles have a long and rich history in fantasy fiction.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |