Sat 25 Jan 2025
SF Diary Review: FRED SABERHAGEN – The Broken Lands.
Posted by Steve under Diary Reviews , Science Fiction & Fantasy[6] Comments
FRED SABERHAGEN – The Broken Lands. Ace G-740. Paperback original, 1st printing, 1968. Cover art: Richard Powers. Baen Books, paperback, 1987. Collected in The Empire of the East (Baen, paperback, 1990; Tor, trade paperback, 2003).
The are very few good examples of effective combinations of science fiction with swords-and-sorcery. This may be the best so far, better to my mind than anything by Andre Norton, for example. Since a sequel is definitely required, Saberhagen may have more in preparation, very good news indeed.
Some large indefinite time in the Earth’s future, magic and sorcery have replaced science and technology in the scheme of things. Magic works, while science is regarded with superstitious awe. But the old things do work, and a nuclear-powered tank found buried under a mountain comes to life to help fulfill a myth, as an evil satrap is overthrown by the outlaw Free Folk.
Try to imagine a Barbarian learning the operation of that tank, succeeding by trial and error. The fascination is so great that it truly comes as a disappointment when he is captured and the secret of tank’s existence is lost.
Humor is present, too, as when instructions for a magic stone allowing its holder to escape go unread because of the very active requirements of doing so, ’Tis a very deep stone, too, to be able to determine which side of a barrier leads to the “outside” or to the “inside” …
Not to be put down easily.
Rating: *****
January 25th, 2025 at 8:49 pm
This appears to have been Saberhagen’s first novel, but it was preceded by BERSERKER, a collection of his short stories, a year earlier.
The Empire of the East series —
The Broken Lands (Ace 1968)
The Black Mountains (Ace 1971)
Changeling Earth (DAW February 1973); revised as Ardneh’s World for 1979 printing, see below
Ardneh’s Sword (Tor May 2006)
Volumes 1, 2 & 3 were later republished in a heavily revised omnibus version called Empire of the East (Ace October 1979)
January 25th, 2025 at 10:35 pm
So, you weren’t too impressed with Jack Vance nor Leigh Brackett’s work in this wise in ’68? Nor Leiber’s, to some extent?
January 26th, 2025 at 12:57 am
Leigh Brackett, yes, but when I wrote up this one, I hadn’t had much the pleasure. I’ve never been able to read much of Jack Vance’s work, but don’t tell anyone that. Fritz Leiber’s SF, yes, definitely, his fantasy somewhat less. Tastes in reading material are complicated, no?
January 25th, 2025 at 10:57 pm
I was never a big Saberhagen fan, but there is no denying he was one of the more successful SF adventure writers of his time, and well worth reading still.
January 26th, 2025 at 1:00 am
Saberhagen’s fame was mostly based on his “Berserker” stories, or if not, his Dracula series. Neither appepaled to me. As time went on, he did fine, but I read him less and less.
January 26th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
I enjoyed his early Berserker series but was never able to get into any of his other work. It’s past time I gave him another shot.