The Enchanter Completed - Revisiting my old friend Harold Shea

brecklundin · 09-14-2010, 09:29 PM

Funny, I have a few dozen new books I want to read but yesterday I decided to forgo them in favor of visiting an old friend in Harold Shea who I met for the first time back in the 70s in L. Sprague de Camp's "The Compleat Enchanter". It was either my first or second exposure to the Fantasy sub-genre of SF, the other being a title called The Dragon and the George. It was just a fun exposure for me...and so far the new version "The Enchanter Completed" edited by Harry Turtledove with a wonderful intro as well.

I dunno why I posted this but just because it reminds me that sometimes it's just fun to go "back in time"....as my pal Harold Shea shows us in the book.

Maybe I just wanted to thank Turtledove for taking the time to make this new edition a few years ago. I asked about it over on the Baen forums and then it happened, kinda cool to know I wasn't the only person to really enjoy de Camp's writing. Even better to read the intro in the new edition with the insight to him from Turtledove's friendship with him.

I really recommend this collection as a nice intro to the fantasy type of SF but also for hardcore fans of the fantasy genre as well because as Turtledove points out the stories in this volume have been in continuous publication for around 60-years now. To me it means the writing still stands up on it's own.

BTW, these stories are a variation of the "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" type of story...and just as fun as Twain's original story.

JeremyR · 09-16-2010, 03:03 AM

Yeah, they really are nice stories. I remember getting "The Complete Compleat Enchanter" in paperback while I was in high school. Very nice.

de Camp's "Reluctant King" trilogy is also great fun.

pdurrant · 09-16-2010, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Yeah, they really are nice stories. I remember getting "The Complete Compleat Enchanter" in paperback while I was in high school. Very nice.

The Enchanter Completed is available in ebook form at Webscription.net. Unfortunately, The Complete Compleat Enchanter is not yet available as an ebook, and neither are The Enchanter Reborn nor The Exotic Enchanter.

BenG · 09-16-2010, 12:17 PM

The newer books are ok but not quite the same as the Pratt/deCamp collaborations.

09-14-2010, 09:29 PM	#1
brecklundin Banned Posts: 1,906 Karma: 15348 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: mine	The Enchanter Completed - Revisiting my old friend Harold Shea Funny, I have a few dozen new books I want to read but yesterday I decided to forgo them in favor of visiting an old friend in Harold Shea who I met for the first time back in the 70s in L. Sprague de Camp's "The Compleat Enchanter". It was either my first or second exposure to the Fantasy sub-genre of SF, the other being a title called The Dragon and the George. It was just a fun exposure for me...and so far the new version "The Enchanter Completed" edited by Harry Turtledove with a wonderful intro as well. I dunno why I posted this but just because it reminds me that sometimes it's just fun to go "back in time"....as my pal Harold Shea shows us in the book. Maybe I just wanted to thank Turtledove for taking the time to make this new edition a few years ago. I asked about it over on the Baen forums and then it happened, kinda cool to know I wasn't the only person to really enjoy de Camp's writing. Even better to read the intro in the new edition with the insight to him from Turtledove's friendship with him. I really recommend this collection as a nice intro to the fantasy type of SF but also for hardcore fans of the fantasy genre as well because as Turtledove points out the stories in this volume have been in continuous publication for around 60-years now. To me it means the writing still stands up on it's own. BTW, these stories are a variation of the "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" type of story...and just as fun as Twain's original story.

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09-16-2010, 03:03 AM	#2
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	Yeah, they really are nice stories. I remember getting "The Complete Compleat Enchanter" in paperback while I was in high school. Very nice. de Camp's "Reluctant King" trilogy is also great fun.

09-16-2010, 12:17 PM	#4
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	The newer books are ok but not quite the same as the Pratt/deCamp collaborations.

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