Madouc cover art

Madouc

Lyonesse, Book 3

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Madouc

By: Jack Vance
Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
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About this listen

The World Fantasy Award-winning third volume of the Lyonesse trilogy brings attention to the faerie changeling Madouc. Where princess Suldrun once meekly endured the proprieties of Castle Haidion, Madouc defends herself with rotten fruit. Vexed, King Casmir arranges a contest to marry her off, but Madouc has other ideas, and enlists the stableboy "Sir Pom-pom" on an impromptu quest to find her father. During their travels, they encounter swindlers, faeries, trolls, ogres, a knight in search of his youth, and a relatively pedestrian item known as the Holy Grail. As the sorcerers Shimrod and Murgen investigate portents of cataclysm in the world of magic, Casmir plans a murder that will bring all the lands under his iron rule; however, his ambitions will be complicated by one small but important oversight-he's failed to allow for Madouc!

©1991 Jack Vance (P)2010 Audible, Inc. Epic Fantasy

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Critic reviews

  • 1990 World Fantasy Award, Best Novel
"It's hard to imagine a better performer of a high-fantasy novel such as this than Kevin T. Collins. His voice carries a hint of high-born caste, of chivalry, of faintly stilted dialogue in which every sentence carries multiple subtle meanings." (AudioFile)
“Vance has the narrative force, the willingness to look very coldly at violence and cruelty, to not shy away…. He has an amazing ear and writes a beautiful sentence.” (Michael Chabon)
“(Vance) gives you glimpses of entire worlds with just perfectly turned language. If he’d been born south of the border, he’d be up for a Nobel Prize.” (Dan Simmons)
All stars
Most relevant
Great ending to an outstanding trilogy. Fantastic audio production, thanks to the gifted narrator.

Outstanding.

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very few people have ever written the way Jack Vance can write and this is yet another shining example of his imagination and his huge skill at writing dialogue. The narration was exquisite and brought each character to life

The masterpiece Madouc

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The story concludes the trilogy of books, which in my view can’t be read / listened to separately or out of sequence. It is a sweeping tale with magic, inter-play and warfare. The balance is brilliantly maintained throughout with nothing being rushed or overindulged. Great narration giving me a chuckle with a scene of 2 characters singing. Enjoy.

Great story

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I grew to love the narrator - his voices were wonderful and pleasing. The story is superb

Wonderful story with beautiful narration

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Having read this when it first came out and being of an age now to forget the plots of novels consumed a few decades ago this is a high fantasy delight .Echoes of Mallory and Spenser in the tale and performed with aplomb the odd peculiar ( to British ears ) American pronunciation apart .Madouc is a delightful character and Vance as ever is witty and amusing .A better known fantasy series owes a great debt to this one with its many kingdoms and devious machinations and at least it is a completed version . It's surprising that this hasn't been mined also for a visual media production.

Classic fantasy ,deserves a wider audience.

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