SYNOPSIS:
In the 1970s, Michael Moorcock, a writer of genre fiction, attempts to save his failing marriage by taking his wife and daughters to Paris. One night in a bar he is amazed to find himself drinking with heroes of story and history. The next day he awakens aboard a sailing ship, kidnapped into another reality by a French highwayman and the four Musketeers, who know Moorcock well from adventures in London's Alsacia...but that was another Moorcock, from another world.
Soon after they reach Africa, the company are rescued from ambush by Antara, a poet-adventurer who offers to lead them across the desert and through several realities to the estate of Lord and Lady Blackstone. The trip is full of wonders Moorcock has read, dreamed, or written: an underground civilization of nonhuman creatures; a magical oasis where the lion lies down with the lamb; a lush garden inhabited by miniature dinosaurs.
They are pursued by the notorious Jacob Nixer, who also remembers the Alsacia and is determined to destroy Moorcock and his companions.
The Woods of Arcady is punctuated by episodes from the story of the Blackstones and by spirited, freewheeling appearances by Captain Buggerly Otherly and his companions from the Second Ether. As readers move deeper into Moorcock's multiverse, it rises up on all sides, ready to astound and delight.
REVIEW:
Michael Moorcock is an author with not only a long history, but one whose imagination at times knows no bounds as he returns to the world of the White Friars, in this, the second book in the series.
As you'd expect with him, the pace if phenominal with great action sequences alongside quieter lulls as you get the chance to get your breath back and get to learn more about those who appear within the pages.
Its descriptive prose really works well engaging whilst not being overly flowery and when you throw into the mix the appearance of Moorcock himself all round makes this adventure one that is hard to put down. (Thank you for the very late night Michael.)
My only criticism of the book is that at times, it suffers from a lot of the same problems that many second books do in a series and whilst it is a solid read, it does at times feel a little like a filler as we wind up for the spectacular finale. That said, it is above quite a few other authors out there and for me, really does show why the man is not just a legend in fiction but also in our own world. Cracking
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