Patricia A. McKillip: The Riddle-Master of Hed (Riddle-Master #1) (1979, Sidgwick and Jackson)
228 pages
English language
Published Jan. 6, 1979 by Sidgwick and Jackson.
First in the Quest of the Riddle-Master trilogy. Long ago, the wizards had vanished from the world, and all knowledge was left hidden in riddles. Morgon, prince of the simple farmers of Hed, proved himself a master of such riddles when he staked his life to win a crown from the dead Lord of Aum. But now ancient, evil forces were threatening him. Shape changers began replacing friends until no man could be trusted. So Morgon was forced to flee to hostile kingdoms, seeking the High One who ruled from mysterious Erlenstar Mountain. Beside him went Deth, the High One's Harper. Ahead lay strange encounters and terrifying adventures. And with him always was the greatest of unsolved riddles; the nature of the three stars on his forehead that seemed to drive him toward his ultimate destiny.
I had a hard time getting into the Riddle Master of Hed. I think I was beyond the half way point before I began to appreciate it, and only at the end did I really understand why it receives so much praise.
A glorious and wondrous journey with a loud climax.
I got the same thrill from reading this book as the first time I read Earthsea. It's so rare to stumble across a fantasy novel that really seems to borrow nothing from the rest of the canon -- to be entirely unique, and wonderful.
I loved how it was written in riddles.
