Surrender None: The Legacy of Gird

This book is a prequel to Moon's DEED OF PAKSENARRION. It is every bit as good and, in some respects, even better. That is no small accomplishment. The DEED trilogy tells the story of the paladin, Paksennarion. It is a wonderful story but it is based upon a created mythos of the land in which the character lives. Central to much of it is the yeomen, marshals and paladins of Gird. We learn only a little of Gird in that series but it is enough to whet the appetite. With SURRENDER NONE, the appetite is sated. Gird is a peasant treated cruelly and unjustly by his feudal overlords. Finally, he is forced into outlawry but chooses not to follow the path of the brigand. He instead tries to make things better. He works for the betterment not only of his own people but even their oppressors as well and leads a peasant revolt. Unlike that of Spartacus, his succeeds. This is a work of fantasy but, as in Moon's other works, the fantastic elements are understated. There are gnomes and mentions of dwarves and elves but they are accessories. Magic does play a role and is even one of the reasons for the struggle portrayed within the book but the story is not of the magical; it is of the people. That in itself is magical. It is a wonderful read all the way around.

Reading this book, you get to experience of what it really is like in Real Life, just by the way that Elizabeth Moon writes. From her own experience, it seems to help with the story about Gird to be so real. Back then, that is probably what they really did, if you think about it. To me, I am living in another person's world for the every day life that he had being a Marshal-General. It is also a comfort that even in the book itself, there are struggles that have to be made, just like the real world of today.

It would seem to me to be almost impossible to make a better book or set of books than the "Deeds of Paksnarion". "Surrender None" by far surmounted the previous novels in this case. It reminded me strongly of Pearl S. Bucks "The Good Earth" or "The Grapes of Wrath". If you like or think you would like this book I encourage you to read it.

This book certainly lived up to the standard Moon achieved in her previous book. I thouroughly enjoyed it for it's action and the obvious research done into historical fact. The feudal farming system was well researched and well described. While Gird as a hero was believable and able to be sympathized with, Luap was very difficult to identify with. I suspect that this was Ms Moon's intent. The problem was that I was left not caring what happened to him. Nevertheless I read the book in one trans-atlantic flight and one extra day, unable to put it down. I am not sure I agree that The Deed must be read first, although I did read the books in that order. Both books are excellent and anyone who enjoys good writing and an exciting fantasy should give them a try.

Ms. Moon is filling in the history of her wonderful world in this book. It plods on at certain moments unlike the Deed but that is to be expected given that it is largely a history and basis for all her other works concerning this world. And what would you call her world? Aarenis and Aare are parts of it, but the whole doesnt have a convenient label like Middle-Earth! Maybe that is why I love it so much; you can't quite put your finger on this author's creation but in many respects it is more tangible and graphic than Tolkien. And at certain moments it is as powerful (and from a die hard Middle-Earth-in -the-process-of-rereading-Tolkien-for-the-umpteenth-time fan, she is the absolute best fantasy writer today) Unfortunately I read this book over a year ago and can't comment on the striking details that distinguished it, but I remember putting it down with satisfaction because it filled in gaps left from the Deed and answered most of the remaining questions I had. More disturbing (for I first discovered Moon early summer 96) I realised she could turn out to be another Tolkien: an author that captivates me in my favorite genre of idealistic fantasy but only writes a handful of works! I dont want to be stranded again! What I would give for Tolkien to have written a couple more trilogies or about the 4th age.. So please Ms. Moon, I beg you, write! You are so rare and precious and are probably as appreciated by the Tolkien fans that have read you as I am, but you have only written 5 books (3 part of a trilogy!) about Paks' world! Remember, it took over a decade before Tolkien achieved mass appeal, so he didnt have that immediate feedback (I might have read somthing about fantasy not being as popular during the 40s, but I am not sure). Your vision and grasp of basic ideals and hopes is so strong though that I cannot see your work not being as enduring and potent as Tolkien's a century from now. Maybe less time devoted to your futuristic novels would free up more time for "The Real Work"?... 8-D ok, so it's none of my business and I admit being biased against futuristic works (hated them ever since Aliens scared me as a kid) but I have been on Paladin withdrawl for sometime now and am getting desperate! What I respect about the works of Ms. Moon is the consistent level throughout the stories unlike authors such as Raymond Feist (as pointed out by fellow readers in his review pages as well), who took an initially exquisite and simple mythical land with solid characters and confounded it with needless complexity when it turned into a money-making machine/monster! Ie: compare earlier works like "Magician" and the siege of Armengar ("Darkness at Sethanon"?) with later hurried efforts like "Rage of a Demon King," and seen progressively through the SerpentWar Sagas. This is what separates the Masters, the immortal works from run-of-the-mill slap-schticks! Janny Wurts (I would recommend her unusual and literally unearthly trilogy, "Circle of F