Red Slippers: More Tales of Mithgar: 7

Red Slippers is a collection of Mithgar tales as told by a group of travellers at the Red Slipper inn. The tales relate to events and characters in other Mithgar books, but the stories stand on their own. You don't have to have read the other Mithgar books to follow this one, but much of the charm comes from the beloved characters and exciting situations of the other books. The material and reading level (as with all of McKiernan's books) is appropriate for ages 12 or so to adult, with something for everyone. I have been in love with McKiernan's fantasy Mithgar world for nearly 20 years now. I am saddened that he is putting an end to the series, but Red Slippers ties it up into a nice bundle. McKiernan's other works are equally good; even his retellings of classics are fresh.

Red Slippers is the fifteenth volume in the Mithgar series. Although it is a collection of twelve tales, most contain more than one yarn shared among the crew and friends of the elvenship Eroean as they sit before the hearth in the common room of the Red Slipper. Little action other than drinking, laughing and fighting occur in these tales, but the yarns themselves tell of death, destruction and defeat as well as courage, determination and triumph. Seventeen millennia afore, the First Era began with the crowning of Awain as the High King of Mithgar, the realm formed by the merger of Pellar, Jugo, Hoven, Valon, both Riamonds, and Garia. Much has happened in the intervening years, some known to all, some known only to a few, and much known only to the gods. These tales reveal something of those little known occurrences, yet raise other questions which hopefully will be answered in future works. In this collection, the Eroean sails in Port Arbalin after a long and dangerous voyage to the long-dead Lost City of Jade. Since some of the crew were lost during the adventure, the remainder will have a long layover while replacements for the slain Drimma are recruited. Thus many of the crew are staying at the Red Slipper rather than onboard. After toasting absent friends, the crew start telling tales. First is the myth of Gelvin's Doom as told by Noddy, but Aravan can't help thinking of the real events as found in Gelvin's diary and the evidence of his corpse. Then Aravan tells of events which happened at a well in the desert, involving a giant black worm-like bloodsucking creature. Afterwards they talk about tokens of great power and a confrontation between Modru and the Elven smith Dwynfor. As these yarns are told, Pipper and Bington and Aylissa and Wooly and the others interrupt with questions and comments and sometimes the conversation goes off on a tangent with another story before returning to the original yarn. Vex the fox wanders out and comes back with a great fat brown wharf rat as a present for Fat Jim. Some crewmembers drink too much Vornholt ale, fall flat on their faces, are carried off to bed, and have a terrible hangover the next morning. After a while, four more friends -- Urus, Ritha, Bair, and Jaith -- sail into port on their way back to report on their mission to destroy the Black Throne of Hadron's Hall and they add a few yarns of their own. In case you didn't notice, this work is set in a bordello and has all the rowdy, lusty ambiance one would expect. However, do not expect tidy little packets of fiction with clear-cut beginnings and endings, for these stories actually intertwine among themselves as well as with all that has gone before. Imagine yourself before a fire in the company of boisterous friends and with a tankard in your hand, ready to discuss the entire history of the world with some of those who helped make it! Highly recommended for McKiernan fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales in the Tolkien tr

In Port Arbalin, known as the major trading town on the Avagon Sea, is a lesser recognized brothel the Red Slipper frequented by the eleven members of the ship Eroean when not at sea. Here the eleven, dwarves and other adventurers meet for R & R sharing daring do from their past.The twelve terrific tales that tie together as the Return to Mithgar share in common keen intricate philosophical undertones that lead the reader to ponder the meaning of civilization and a host of negative isms that detract from society. The tales employ different techniques to get the cerebral message across to the reader. Some use trauma and tragedy while others employ humor and satire. Though the heroic and the malevolent may seem stereotypical fantasy musings, Dennis L. McKiernan furbishes a powerful anthology that will leave a grateful audience wanting to share more pints with the crew of the Eroean.Harriet Klausner