The Wizard Knight
Encyclopedia
The Wizard Knight is a series of epistolary novel
s written by fantasy
and science fiction
author Gene Wolfe
. It chronicles the journey of Able of the High Heart, an American
boy transported to a magical world and supernaturally aged to adulthood. Able (which is not his real name, but rather the name given to him) becomes a knight
, and because of his connection with the magical and spiritual elements of the world around him is soon also dubbed a wizard.
Like many of Wolfe's writings, The Wizard Knight is characterized by an unreliable narrator
-- in this case, someone who tells events in fragmentary ways, out of order, and with omissions and connections that must be puzzled out later.
The two volumes in the series are:
, as well as Christian mythology
and a smattering of European sources, such as Arthurian myth, and involves a seven-tiered world that is separate, but not completely detached from ours.
The kingdom that Able is taken to is called Celidon, and lies in the middle world, Mythgarthr. The world above it, Skai, is the domain of the Overcyns, who are roughly analogous to the Æsir
of Norse mythology
, and to whom the inhabitants of Mythgarthr properly owe fealty. Terrible giants called "The Giants of Winter and Old Night", also dwell there, and are their foes. Above Skai is Kleos, which, being far from Mythgarthr, is not much explained. Two of its inhabitants are introduced: Parka, a being much like one of the Norns
, & Michael, who is much like the archangel Michael. The Overcyns of Skai owe their obedience to those who dwell in Kleos. The highest world is Elysion, and only The Most High God lives there.
Below Mythgarthr is the world Aelfrice, which is primarily peopled by small elemental beings called the Aelf
. They belong to a number of clans such as the Fire Aelf and the Moss Aelf, and were themselves created by the collective creature
Kulili, who lives in Aelfrice still. The Aelf properly owe their worship to the people of Mythgarthr, who they call the "old gods", but often stray in their faithfulness, sometimes even tricking humans into worshiping them. Below Aelfrice is Muspel, a world of fire and dragons. Last and lowest is Niflheim, the world of The Most Low God.
Able's character is that of a young American boy from the modern era who is in love with the stories of the Arthurian knights and when given the opportunity to be a knight, he seizes it. His first and only love is Disiri, the Queen of the Moss Aelf. He says he would do anything to be worthy of her love but he believes that honor demands he act in ways that take him from her.
The first book finds Sir Able on a quest to find the sword which Disiri says would be used by a knight worthy of her, the first sword ever made, named Eterne. Sir Able meets with Sir Ravd, who teaches him something of what it means to be a knight, then is killed by bandits. Sir Able takes a sea voyage to meet with Sir Ravd's lord but the ship is waylaid by cannibal barbarians called Osterlings and Sir Able is wounded. Sea Aelf take Able to Aelfrice to meet with Garsecg who teaches him about the ocean and shows him how to heal himself.
Sir Able returns to Mythgarthr but has difficulty in convincing the knights of Duke Marder that he is also a knight. After a big brawl in which Sir Able is nearly killed, he accepts a knightly quest to hold a pass against all comers till the snow closes it. On his way to the pass he joins company with a talking cat named Mani and then a diplomatic expedition led by Baron Beel who is taking presents to Gilling, king of the Angrborn, the giants of Mythgarthr, in an attempt to bring an end to the constant warfare between the giants and the human kingdom of Celidon.
Sir Able enters the world of Aelfrice again and finds the sword Eterne, which he is able to wield. With the sword he slays the dragon Grengarm, dying in the process (although this is not made clear until well into the second book). He is brought by Alvit, a Valkyrie
to the Valfather's castle in the sky (a clear parallel to the Norse idea of Valhalla
). This is the end of the first book.
The second book, The Wizard, begins with Toug as the main character, helping Baron Beel's diplomatic expedition in the capital city of the giants. Soon Sir Able reappears, riding a horse that can fly (though it has no wings) and wielding Eterne. Sir Able has been 20 years with the Valfather fighting the giants but has now returned to Mythgarthr. Only a week or so has passed in the world of the other human characters. Sir Able is now a demigod
but he cannot use his full powers because he promised the Valfather that he would not. He is, nevertheless, more than a match for any human (or giant).
The diplomatic expedition to the land of giants ends badly as the king of giants is mortally wounded during a staged combat. Baron Beel's daughter, Idnn, marries the king of the giants shortly before he dies, and then claims rule over the giant kingdom. With Sir Able's help, Baron Beel's expedition retreats back to the realm of men, defeating a large army of giants along the way.
Another war is going on, fought between king Arnthor's army and the army of the cannibal Osterlings. Sir Able fights and wins a great combat with the undead champion of the king's sister Morcaine, and then is granted an audience with the king. He delivers a speech which angers the king, and is imprisoned for more than a year. He leaves Mythgarthr and travels with Lord Escan to Aelfrice and the worlds under it.
With the king dying and the Osterlings nearly victorious, Sir Able returns with Lord Escan to Mythgarthr and his force meets up with the king's army at Burning Mountain. Able asserts supreme command in the final battle. Sir Able commands that the Moss Aelf, the Fire Aelf, and the Earth Aelf come to his aid. The battle is won, and he leaves Mythgarthr to live with Disiri in the land of the Moss Aelf. The book then goes on to state in the last few pages that Michael (from Kleos) has a request from his master for Sir Able to be his champion, and also that Michael has found a way to transport the book (written as a letter to Ben (Sir able's brother)) back to America so that Ben can read it. This is the end of the second book.
Epistolary novel
An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used. Recently, electronic "documents" such as recordings and radio, blogs, and e-mails have also come into use...
s written by fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the...
. It chronicles the journey of Able of the High Heart, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boy transported to a magical world and supernaturally aged to adulthood. Able (which is not his real name, but rather the name given to him) becomes a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, and because of his connection with the magical and spiritual elements of the world around him is soon also dubbed a wizard.
Like many of Wolfe's writings, The Wizard Knight is characterized by an unreliable narrator
Unreliable narrator
An unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised. The term was coined in 1961 by Wayne C. Booth in The Rhetoric of Fiction. This narrative mode is one that can be developed by an author for a number of reasons, usually...
-- in this case, someone who tells events in fragmentary ways, out of order, and with omissions and connections that must be puzzled out later.
The two volumes in the series are:
- The Knight
- The Wizard
Cosmology
The setting of the novel features elements from NorseNorse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, as well as Christian mythology
Christian mythology
Christian mythology is the body of myths associated with Christianity. In the study of mythology, the term "myth" refers to a traditional story, often one which is regarded as sacred and which explains how the world and its inhabitants came to have their present form.Classicist G.S. Kirk defines a...
and a smattering of European sources, such as Arthurian myth, and involves a seven-tiered world that is separate, but not completely detached from ours.
The kingdom that Able is taken to is called Celidon, and lies in the middle world, Mythgarthr. The world above it, Skai, is the domain of the Overcyns, who are roughly analogous to the Æsir
Æsir
In Old Norse, áss is the term denoting a member of the principal pantheon in Norse paganism. This pantheon includes Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr. The second pantheon comprises the Vanir...
of Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, and to whom the inhabitants of Mythgarthr properly owe fealty. Terrible giants called "The Giants of Winter and Old Night", also dwell there, and are their foes. Above Skai is Kleos, which, being far from Mythgarthr, is not much explained. Two of its inhabitants are introduced: Parka, a being much like one of the Norns
Norns
The Norns in Norse mythology are female beings who rule the destiny of gods and men, a kind of dísir comparable to the Fates in classical mythology....
, & Michael, who is much like the archangel Michael. The Overcyns of Skai owe their obedience to those who dwell in Kleos. The highest world is Elysion, and only The Most High God lives there.
Below Mythgarthr is the world Aelfrice, which is primarily peopled by small elemental beings called the Aelf
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
. They belong to a number of clans such as the Fire Aelf and the Moss Aelf, and were themselves created by the collective creature
Group mind (science fiction)
A group mind, hive mind or group ego in science fiction is a single consciousness occupying many bodies. Its use in literature goes back at least as far as Olaf Stapledon's science fiction novel Last and First Men ....
Kulili, who lives in Aelfrice still. The Aelf properly owe their worship to the people of Mythgarthr, who they call the "old gods", but often stray in their faithfulness, sometimes even tricking humans into worshiping them. Below Aelfrice is Muspel, a world of fire and dragons. Last and lowest is Niflheim, the world of The Most Low God.
Characters
- The narrator, who calls himself Sir Able of the High Heart. From the beginning Sir Able wants two things: to be a knight and to win the love of Disiri the Mossmaiden. He says that he is an American and his book is written for his brother Ben.
- Gylf, a magical dog-like creature which is capable of transforming into a terrifying creature larger than a horse. Gylf speaks, occasionally, but rarely in front of anyone other than Sir Able; he is a hound that once belonged to the Valfather and has fallen from Skai.
- Toug, a boy that Sir Able meets with early in his travels who later becomes his squire, then a knight in his own right. Toug has a sister Ulfa who is a character in the second book.
- Garsecg, a strange character who also appears to be Setr, a dragon from the realm of Muspel. Garsecg gives Sir Able great power, or awakens his knowledge of "the power of the sea".
- Sir Ravd, the first knight who Sir Able meets. Sir Able tries to emulate Sir Ravd and believes him to be an ideal knight.
- Disiri, the Queen of the Moss Aelf. She calls herself the moss maiden. She has the power to change people and she uses this power early in the story to transform Sir Able from a boy to an enormously strong man.
- Pouk, a one-eyed seaman who becomes Sir Able's servant for a time. He is also a character in the second book.
- Uri and Baki, two fire aelf who appear as naked small girls with red skin and eyes of flame. They have a highly confused relationship to Sir Able. Occasionally they offer great help to him.
- Mani, a talking cat. The former familiar of a witch. Mani will talk to hardly anyone.
- Svon, the squire of Sir Ravd. He takes an instant dislike to Sir Able.
- Org, an ogre given to Sir Able.
Synopsis
Throughout The Wizard Knight, Sir Able meets with strange and powerful creatures who give him various gifts. Disiri gives him the gift of sudden manhood and great strength. Some of the Earth Aelf (Bodachan) give him the magical dog Gylf. Garsecg gives him the power to call upon the ocean's waves to increase his strength and stamina. Two Fire Aelf, Baki and Uri, serve Sir Able after swearing allegiance to him.Able's character is that of a young American boy from the modern era who is in love with the stories of the Arthurian knights and when given the opportunity to be a knight, he seizes it. His first and only love is Disiri, the Queen of the Moss Aelf. He says he would do anything to be worthy of her love but he believes that honor demands he act in ways that take him from her.
The first book finds Sir Able on a quest to find the sword which Disiri says would be used by a knight worthy of her, the first sword ever made, named Eterne. Sir Able meets with Sir Ravd, who teaches him something of what it means to be a knight, then is killed by bandits. Sir Able takes a sea voyage to meet with Sir Ravd's lord but the ship is waylaid by cannibal barbarians called Osterlings and Sir Able is wounded. Sea Aelf take Able to Aelfrice to meet with Garsecg who teaches him about the ocean and shows him how to heal himself.
Sir Able returns to Mythgarthr but has difficulty in convincing the knights of Duke Marder that he is also a knight. After a big brawl in which Sir Able is nearly killed, he accepts a knightly quest to hold a pass against all comers till the snow closes it. On his way to the pass he joins company with a talking cat named Mani and then a diplomatic expedition led by Baron Beel who is taking presents to Gilling, king of the Angrborn, the giants of Mythgarthr, in an attempt to bring an end to the constant warfare between the giants and the human kingdom of Celidon.
Sir Able enters the world of Aelfrice again and finds the sword Eterne, which he is able to wield. With the sword he slays the dragon Grengarm, dying in the process (although this is not made clear until well into the second book). He is brought by Alvit, a Valkyrie
Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who decides who dies in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle , the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin...
to the Valfather's castle in the sky (a clear parallel to the Norse idea of Valhalla
Valhalla
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
). This is the end of the first book.
The second book, The Wizard, begins with Toug as the main character, helping Baron Beel's diplomatic expedition in the capital city of the giants. Soon Sir Able reappears, riding a horse that can fly (though it has no wings) and wielding Eterne. Sir Able has been 20 years with the Valfather fighting the giants but has now returned to Mythgarthr. Only a week or so has passed in the world of the other human characters. Sir Able is now a demigod
Demigod
The term "demigod" , meaning "half-god", is commonly used to describe mythological figures whose one parent was a god and whose other parent was human; as such, demigods are human-god hybrids...
but he cannot use his full powers because he promised the Valfather that he would not. He is, nevertheless, more than a match for any human (or giant).
The diplomatic expedition to the land of giants ends badly as the king of giants is mortally wounded during a staged combat. Baron Beel's daughter, Idnn, marries the king of the giants shortly before he dies, and then claims rule over the giant kingdom. With Sir Able's help, Baron Beel's expedition retreats back to the realm of men, defeating a large army of giants along the way.
Another war is going on, fought between king Arnthor's army and the army of the cannibal Osterlings. Sir Able fights and wins a great combat with the undead champion of the king's sister Morcaine, and then is granted an audience with the king. He delivers a speech which angers the king, and is imprisoned for more than a year. He leaves Mythgarthr and travels with Lord Escan to Aelfrice and the worlds under it.
With the king dying and the Osterlings nearly victorious, Sir Able returns with Lord Escan to Mythgarthr and his force meets up with the king's army at Burning Mountain. Able asserts supreme command in the final battle. Sir Able commands that the Moss Aelf, the Fire Aelf, and the Earth Aelf come to his aid. The battle is won, and he leaves Mythgarthr to live with Disiri in the land of the Moss Aelf. The book then goes on to state in the last few pages that Michael (from Kleos) has a request from his master for Sir Able to be his champion, and also that Michael has found a way to transport the book (written as a letter to Ben (Sir able's brother)) back to America so that Ben can read it. This is the end of the second book.
Publication Information
| Name | Published | ISBN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Knight | Tor, 2004 | ISBN 0-7653-0989-0 | Volume 1; Nebula Award nominee, 2004 |
| The Wizard | Tor, 2004 | ISBN 0-7653-1201-8 | Volume 2; |
| The Wizard Knight | Gollancz, 2005 | Both stories in one volume; Locus Award nominee, 2005; World Fantasy Award nominee, 2005 |
|