Here Be Monsters

... even after all this time.This book is the continuing saga of the Gallowglass family and their continued defense of the land of Gramarye, a land of witches and warlocks ( also known as espers).This time the threat is not so clear cut as the warring factions from the future, but a truly otherworldly menace that seems to have no ulterior motive, just the destruction and subjection of Gramarye. More time is spent on the individual encounters of each new creature, as well as an increase of the puns and double entendres in the dialogue... something he has been doing since the very beginning. Who can forget the "...bounds of Haskerville..." from Warlock Wandering. Stasheff seems fond of 'shaggy dog' tales. While not anywhere near the volume of Piers Anthony's Xanth Series for puns, they do come at quite a pace. This book seems more like the first step in a larger story, one I look forward to reading...For those who are expecting a wedding at the end of this tale, they would appear to be right. Just not in this book. It seems as if Stasheff is going to draw out the reunion of Magnus(the Rogue Wizard) with his family, and the weddings of the three couples established in the previous Warlock's Heirs novels. Will the next book be a new start, or the conclusion of the Warlock/Wizard series? I hope for the former. The tale is obviously NOT done, and I will continue to pay for my next installment. Thanks for keeping it coming Chris!

Once again Christopher Stasheff brings his faithful readers back to his magical world of Gramarye. The kingdom is imperiled by a monster-producing mysterious mist and the Gallowglass siblings must save the world. This time, however, the trio has their beloved fiancés to help. "Here be Monsters" is another excellent adventure, revealing that each sibling (and their lovers) can hold their own, but also work together towards a common aim. The book reads wonderfully, but I am disappointed in the continued absence of Magnus (the eldest son of the Gallowglass family), especially after the many hints that Stasheff has dropped throughout his latest Rogue Wizard adventure of his impending return.

Gregory Gallowglass and his finance Alouette are meditating in their own private chambers. She sees a thick mist near a river that is the gateway for men and monsters to enter and kill Gramarye's population. Gregory, a telepath as strong as Alouette, peeks into the mist and comes to the conclusion that she had a foreseeing. They make arrangements to find out what is going on and put a stop to it. Gregory's brother Geoffrey and Prince Alain, the heir to the throne, follow them. Behind the latter duo are the fiancees of Geoffrey and Alain, Quicksilver and Cordelia Gallowglass. When Alouette gets separated from the group, she finds and teams up with Quicksilver and Cordelia who are following the men in case they need help. Both groups are beset every step of the way by supernatural creatures who try to harm them or scare them to death. Everyone agrees there are too many monsters in one small concentrated area. They believe somebody is creating them and that someone must be stopped if they can ever find him. While the quest is a very serious undertaking, the characters other speak in puns, which constantly catches the reader off guard and leaves the audience off balance even when the approach is fully recognized. The tone of HERE BE MONSTER is akin to the Xanth books by Piers Anthony, making it a delightfully amusing fantasy romp.Harriet Klausner