Two-Bit Heroes

Both this book and Gate of Ivory are among my favorite novels ever, and Guilt-edged Ivory is pretty good. Egan is witty, her characters are vivid and have all sorts of intriguing problems, and these are among the best novels ever written on folklore and anthropological fieldwork. These books are in some ways better, or at least more fun, than classics such as leGuin's Left Hand, Gentle's Golden Witchbreed, etc. What's really fun about this series is that it takes on the fantasy cliche in which there's a place for everyone, if she only finds it. Our heroine (named Theodora, or lover of God, and hailing from a highly athiestic and practical world) here is eminently adaptable--too much so, according to her husband--and the big question is thus what happens when one is willing to adapt to anything, communicate effectively across culture and time, and really like people, however odd they may be. Like, say, bandits who have kidnapped you (and your husband) and are trying to come up with an effective terrorist strategy to encourage the government to buy them off.... Egan's exploration of all this is amazingly fun to read. Hope she writes more. More. MORE.

This series (Gate of Ivory, Two-Bit Heroes, & Guilt-Edged Ivory) has a wonderful, almost stream of conciousness tone. The heroine's world-view comes through crystal clear. Doris Egan builds an incredibly rich world. Really, REALLY good!!

One of my favorite series so far, and for some strange and mysterious reason we haven't seen anything from Doris Egan since! I don't understand, these books are wonderful! If you can find this series, you won't be disappointed. Doris - if you're out there, I'm waiting!

This series is just wonderful. While traveling incognito, our heroes are mistaken for the most wanted outlaws on the planet. They're kidnapped by said outlaws. The outlaws want the narrator's fiance/husband to use his majic. If he's caught, as head of the Cormallon family, all Cormallons will be put to death.And the REALLY big problem is: how does one complete a complicated marriage ritual while pretending a strictly business relationship?The humor and insight of this well-crafted book calls me back once every two years. Ms. Egan, are you using another name now? Where are you? Can I send you money?

The author has created a unique, charming, character driven world. I am utterly hooked on Ivory and would love to see many more books by Doris Egan!