Thomas the Rhymer

Thomas the Rhymer came highly recommended to me by the lady who hosted our role-playing group. Its of a genre that Id never read before. This is a fantastical tale told in the points of view of the Rhymers hosts, his human wife, and himself. Of a Ren-Faire setting, its descriptions are fluid and visible to the reader. Its a story of many kinds of love -- the love of the Rhymers childless hosts of the Rhymer and of the girl up the hill, and of the Rhymer of them, of the girl, and of the Elfin Queen who cannot love him back in a way that he understands. Its a tale of human growth, of restraint, of sadness, and of joy. I will be looking for more books by Ellen Kushner, and I highly recommend Thomas the Rhymer to you.

If you are interested in reading a story which takes the traditional Scottish Ballad of Thomas the Rhymer and fleshing it out into a full length novel, then this book is worth a look. I am very pleased to report that this is NOT some revisionist novel with a bizarre social agenda that changes key elements of the original story in order to evangelize some sort of political or policy ideology. To transform the original Scottish ballad into a full length novel much needs to be added and fleshed out but this is done carefully and in such a way to support and enrich the original story, rather than change or nullify the original. The Queen of the Fey is not made into an angel or a demon, she is a traditional Fey meaning that her concept of morality is alien to humankind. Its a difficult task to properly portray such a character and Ms. Kushner does a competent job. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Kushner and she clearly is a skilled writer and someone who has made a solid scholarly effort to be true to the original source material. While the ballad is very short, there is a substantial body of work describing the Fey as they were known during the period that ballad was created. While I am not a scholar in this area, and a true expert in the field may be able to level some criticism, as a novice who has read a reasonable amount of material on the subject, it is my opinion that this novelized version of Thomas the Rhymer is consistent and true the wider source material which Ms. Kushner draws upon to flesh out the story.

Ellen Kushner takes a traditional Scottish ballad and weaves it into something magical and beguiling in this lovely, haunting tale. The ballad sings of a minstrel lad abducted to Elfland for seven years to serve as the Elf Queens lover, then returned to the mortal world with the gift of always speaking the truth. Kushner deepens the focus of the story and humanizes the characters. Thomas is a footloose and carefree young minstrel and gifted seducer of willing ladies, eager to win fame for his singing and harping. His sojourn in Elfland is conveyed in dazzling prose, rich with the heady, heedless abandon of youth as Thomas gives himself up to the quicksilver Elf Queen and the succulent delights of her bower. Yet, he is tormented, too, by her small, careless cruelties, by the elves constant game-playing, and by his lonely isolation as a mortal in a magical realm. He is scarcely any less isolated when he finally returns to mortal Middle-Earth, a more sober and compassionate man, hailed as both rhymer and prophet, but who never again quite feels in step with his fellow beings. While Thomas Orpheus-like descent into the eerie glamor of the Elvish underworld is the centerpiece of the story, Kushner provides humanistic grace notes in the characters of a down-to-earth farm couple who love Thomas like a son and help to tell his story. They are joined by another narrator, the wild-spirited but careworn country lass who wins young Thomas heart and witnesses the bittersweet epiphany of the storys conclusion. Both fairy tale and love story, full of lusty balladeering, poetry and heartbreak, this novel is truly enchanting. I felt bereft when it was over, as if the portals of Elfland had been shut behind me forever.

Thomas the Rhymer is a bewitching tale that speaks to our longing for other more perfect worlds. Im going to read the book again because the storys message has to do with the truths of being human and how Thomas came round to being a real person. This book is filled with rich imagery that can easily throw off the impressionable reader. I love the book.

Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner I must admit that Ellen Kushner, award winning writer, radio personality and lecturer was unknown to this reader prior to Thomas the Rhymer. Going forward that will not be the case. I was very impressed by this book on many levels. First and foremost Ms. Kushner is a storyteller in the most positive connotation of that term. I have always believed that speculative fiction novels - be they fantasy or science fiction - must at a minimum present an engaging story that the reader dearly desires to explore and even inhabit. The characters must be a combination of the sympathetic, feared, mysterious and courageous types and the prose must weave a spell with words. Ms. Kushner has met and exceeded all my criteria and I echo the praises of professional reviewers for her brilliant novel. The account of Thomas and his love affair with the Fairy Queen, the hard bargain he made to be with her and the girl he left behind kept this reader engaged from cover to cover. The ultimate tribute I can pay to any author is to say that as a result of this book I will seek out other title they have written - so be it.

Retelling of a fairy tale told from three points of view. I loved all the voices and was drawn into their minds because they were such interesting and big-hearted people. If you like fantasy I highly recommend it. Any of this authors novels.

I am a lover of all things Faerie. I have put alot of time and research into the world of Faerie because I am a Faerie artist. This book is the best description of the Faerie realm that I have ever read. It is fantastical and imaginative and wonderful. For those who are deeply interested in the world of Faerie, it is highly recommended. For those with no love of fantasy, dont bother. The story is what it is. A legend, taken from an old poem; and yes it may be anticlimactic. But if you read it, read it for the creative imagination that went into it. Read it for a true glimpse of the Faerie world. I treasure this book and have read it many times over.

Nice classic story. Very interesting read and a fun tale. If you like Irish history, its a good read. And if you dont, you should read more :)