Book Discussion--Silverlock

[hyphenate]

Anyone else read the book, Silverlock, by John Myers Myers? Anyone ever HEARD of it?

I haven't read it in about 20 years, so I picked it up again and I'm having fun trying to figure out who is who. I do have the Silverlock Companion, so I have it a lot easier than most people.

If you've never heard of it, it's a fantasy novel written in, I think, the 1940s. It's about a guy who ends up shipwrecked at sea and is rescued by a fellow named Golias, who is also shipwrecked. The two of them end up on the "Commonwealth" which is part of the "Commonwealth of Letters" where rich and vibrant characters of a wide variety of other literary tomes come to life as enemies or companions of Silverlock and Golias. Shandon "Silverlock" is from Chicago, and must rely on Golias to help him navigate this strange place known as the Commonwealth. Along the trail, they meet everyone from Beowulf, to the Green Knight, to the Man of LaMancha, to Robin Hood, and many, many more.

If you've read it, please tell me your thoughts. I haven't finished this reading, and I've forgotten so much, but it's definitely fun to read again.

[Khephra]

1. I read it about twenty years back myelf. I can't say that I remember

much about it, other than I know that I'd have died to have had the Silverlock Companion back then.

I'm actually gearing up to re-read "The Urth Series" by Gene Wolfe, which is another major undertaking.

[OC_dem]

2. Yes

I read it back in college along with several friends, we used to go to a small bar and try to figure out where the characters were from.

I didn't feel very well the next day after those get togethers.

[starroute]

3. I've read it several times, though not recently

The game of trying to spot the references was fun, but I didn't think it was all that great as a story -- partly because the central character was so dense. Also, I like my fantasies more "magical" and Silverlock was on the rational/wise-cracking end of things.

Still, it's not a bad book. I still have my copy around somewhere -- with all my marginal annotations.