The Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt-Evans

In Spell it was that our hero had to make his way in a dangerous and difficult world as a sorcerer who had only been taught one spell.

In Sword it was the limitation to the times our hero could draw his powerful magical sword before it killed him. It is the contraints that LWE puts on his characters that make the stories work so well. I didn't enjoy this as much as The Misenchanted Sword but it did follow the same formula, an individual, somewhat ordinary in nature, who through luck or misjudgement, finds himself in an extraordinary position and has to overcome extraordinary odds to make their way in the world. I admit to having very high expectations and for the most part it delivered. It took me a little while to track down one with a matching edition to my copy of The Misenchanted Sword becauase i'm anal that way. I found out only recently that not only has Lawrence Watt-Evans written lots of novels but that he has written many more set in the same world (Ethshar). I enjoyed it so much i have read it many time since. That is probably becuase at the time i was reading lots of epic fantasy series which were Tolkein inspired so this was a real palete cleanser. I read it fairly close to the time it was published and I didn't realise that there was to be a whole series of stories set in the same world.Īs the time 'The Misenchanted Sword' was one of the most original, funny (without being a parody) and interesting fantasy novels i had read. I discovered Lawrence Watt-Evans when i picked up the The Misenchanted Sword. In any event, a very good read for anyone tired of the dark fantasy, which dominates the shelves these days. But isn't that how all good fairy tales work? In the eighties, when this was published, that is exactly how good fantasy books ended, which is why I liked. Of course, everything works out in the end. He is now trapped with only one fire spell to help him return home. The fun doesn't sop there, for our accident prone protagonist then stumbles into a magical world where he finds all that he has hoped for. However, the quest doesn't go exactly as intended, and more misadventures occur until finally our young wizard and a fellow adventure find their fortunes.

Along the way, he stumbles from one misadventure to another until finally being drawn into a quest to slay a dragon, so he can marry a princess and become wealthy beyond his dreams. Young, apprentice wizard is forced to leave his home to discover his destiny, not to mention some more spells since one fire spell won't a career make.

Classic fantasy is the best label for this book.

The Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt-Evans