About book The Throme Of The Erril Of Sherill (1984)
The Throme of the Erril of Sherill is perhaps one of the oddest titles I've ever come across, and the cover for my edition features typically ugly eighties fantasy cover art. I'm sure I would never have picked it up if I weren't such a fan of the author, Patricia McKillip. But oh, I am so glad I did.Throme is one of her earliest books, and unlike most of her later works, it's not a novel, but more of a novella or a chapter book. Like the fantasies of George MacDonald (The Princess and the Goblin, The Princess and Curdie), C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), and J. R. R. Tolkien (The Hobbit, Smith of Wooten Major), it's a book best read aloud to children, something that both the young and the young in heart can enjoy. After making those comparisons, I should hasten to add that McKillip is certainly her own beast, a true original. Of the three authors I mentioned, her style of fantasy most nearly resembles George MacDonald's, although I think McKillip is by far the better writer of the two.The story of The Throme of the Erril of Sherill is every bit as whimsical as the title. (As are all of the names!) The brave Cnite Caerles seeks to marry Damsen, the beautiful daughter of Magnus Thrall, the King of Everywhere. But the King will not part from hear easily. He is a deeply discontented man and likes having her tears for company. So in return for Damsen's hand, Magnus asks for Caerles to bring him the Throme of the Erril of Sherill. It's never fully explained what a Throme is, but it seems to be a magical songbook of sorts. But Magnus Thrall is the King of Everywhere, so how can there be a Throme and a country outside of his borders? Caerles—and everyone else—insist that the Throme doesn't exist. Still, that is the price that Magnus Thrall demands, so Caerles sets out on his hopeless quest.The characters that Caerles encounters (especially the young Elfwyth) are quite funny. I am reading the story to my ten year old sister now, and it makes her laugh complacent little laughs—no loud guffaws. At the same time, there is something beautiful and bittersweet about the story too. The illustrations by Judith Mitchell are lovely; I adore the way she draws Damsen especially.This volume also includes a short story, "The Harrowing of the Dragon of Hoarsbreath," that I'd read before in an anthology. It's manifestly for older readers, and a little closer to the McKillip that most of us know, but I'm afraid I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Throme. The island of Hoarbreath itself is a wonderful creation, and the history of dragons provided is quite involved considering the length of the tale, but there's a serious breach of logic I can't excuse. If the island is surrounded by a dragon for all but Hoarsbreath's one month of summer, and the dragon harrower Ryd Yarrow arrives during winter, wouldn't he have to pass over the dragon's body in order to even get to the island? As much as I like the story in general, this just bugs me.Kept and treasured for the title story.
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Two short but beautiful fairy tales in one volume.The first is traditional in feel - a young man is in love with the princess, but before he will give his daughter in marriage, the jealous and possessive king sends him on a hopeless quest to find the Throme - a poem of legendary beauty that everyone knows is just that - only a legend.Simple, but heavy on metaphor (and moral), the tale is perfectly structured, and wonderful to read.Definitely comes out of the time's "peace and love" philosophy, though!The second story is very different in feel, set on an island of near-constant winter, where miners live a harsh and difficult life - but one that they seem to love, with its hard but honest labor - and plenty of heavy drinking! A young man returns from study on the mainland, having learned about dragons, and full of the realization that the unusual winter of his homeland is caused by a sleeping dragon... This seems an absurd story, but he recruits a young miner girl to be his guide as he sets out to harrow the dragon (and hopefully, get it to leave peacefully.) But does the girl actually want to possibly bring about the end of the only life she has known?
—Althea Ann
McKillip's books are often more like poetry than prose, this one more so than most. The story is more like a fable or fairy tale than a fantasy novel, but none the less enjoyable for that. A brave Cnite goes on a quest for a mythical object (the Throme), the price set by the King for his daughter's hand. En route the Cnite loses his traditional accoutrements (horse, sword, armor) but acquires magical replacements (a dog that breathes fire, a golden harp, a cloak of leaves) and, in a sort of high-fantasy wizard of oz, he reaches the end of the quest only to find himself home again. Although the ending wasn't entirely satisfying -- I would have preferred that the King learn his lesson as well -- I did enjoy the beauty of the story.The bonus tale of the Ice Dragon of Hoarsbreath was excellent, full of ice and dragons of course, but also fire and gold, and with a more satisfying (though less happy) ending.
—Michele
A relic of the past (1973) when fantasy books were sometimes short and did not always come in sets. More of a fairy tale than anything else, and sometimes verges on being a bit twee. But McKillip was already McKillip, and the imagery, mood, and humor carry it along. I was reminded of Lewis Carroll a bit, with the characters often being remorselessly logical and completely mad at the same time: "What better place to find a thing that does not exist" than "a place which is not there?" I would have liked some explicit reassurance at the end that Elfwyth did get her dagon back, though. "Bah!". Illustrations by Judith Mitchell are entirely fitting; it might be worth seeking out the original hardcover rather than this little Tempo (Ace) paperback.
—Rich Mcallister
