Marianne/Magus/Manti

"Marianne, the Magus, and the Manticore" is a fascinating and original fantasy. Sheri Tepper's imagery is terrific (the dinner made me hungry!), her prose is lucid and beautiful. A strong and vulnerable heroine, an equally strong and vulnerable hero, some pernicious villains and a great supporting cast. Not to mention one of the most inventive plots I have ever seen in a fantasy. I wish they'd reprint the entire trilogy!

All three of the Marianne books are full of wonder on every page. No one could fail to love Mariane, and delight in her incredably imaginative experiences, in the most original of alternate realities. As deeply enjoyable as the first two are, the third and final book, Marianne, the Matchbox and the Malachite Mouse is even better.

Marianne, Magus and the Manticore, is the first in the Marianne trilogy. I picked up a copy of this trilogy at Harrod's in London England when I was travelling in 1992. It's my favourite book, and irreplacable to me. I'm hoping that they will reprint this book at somepoint. I would love to purchase this for gifts. Her dream imagry is amazing. I work in a library and I particularly enjoyed the dream sequence where she is trapped working in the library. It's not unlike nightmares I've had! :-)

I enjoyed this book so much I've reread it 6 times so far. Ms. Tepper entertains with detail as much as with plot. Her worlds are complete with rules and roles to play and she's able to involve the reader in each new environment within a few paragraphs. The story is a bit dark, but a spark of hope and courage is always present to keep you reading.My only displeasure was when the book ended. I enjoyed her second installment "Marianne and the Momentary Gods," nearly as much as the first and only regret that she didn't continue beyond three books.

The story in this book might have just as well come from my dreams. It is absolutely magical and keeps me coming back looking for a sequel.