BOOKS
The Deptford Trilogy:
Fifth Business
The Manticore
World Of Wonders
By Robertson Davies
Reviewed September 30th, 1996
Robertson Davies was one of Canada’s greatest writers and this trilogy is some of his best work. The first book, Fifth Business, revolves around Dunstan Ramsay, an instructor at an all boys school. He tells his life story and the story of his life long friend Millionaire Boyd Staunton and how their lives intertwine with a magician named Eisingrim. The story spans from the early 1900’s through both world wars and into the late sixties. As a writer I am in awe of this novel and Davies’ ability to turn the ordinary into something quite extra-ordinary.
The Manticore didn’t ring as true with me. It was still brilliantly written, but many of the revelations were already given away in Fifth Business. Plus the narrator of the story just wasn’t as interesting to me. It does offer a fine study of Jungian psychology and is still quite engaging, but it lacked the Ooomph that would take it to that next stage.
World of Wonders lacks none of the ooomph of its predecessor. It relates the life story of Magnus Eisingrim, master magician, actor, and circus performer. And I was caught from page one (which is how it should be). The intelligence of this story resonates from the very beginning to end. I wish I could be half as smart as these characters. This was a fine end to a trilogy I recommend to everyone.
COMICS
That Yellow Bastard
Frank Miller
Reviewed Oct. 1st, 1996
Frank Miller cemented his place in comic book history by his work with Daredevil and by creating Batman: the Dark Knight Returns. That Yellow Bastard (love the title) is the latest installation in his Sin City series. Unforgiving, raw, wonderful to look at, I am always hypnotized by these books. Yeah, there’s violence and lots of it, but he tells a good story. That Yellow Bastard is on a par with any of his other Sin City books. My only complaint is...I feel like I’ve been here before...a few times in fact. And though I enjoyed this story...will I enjoy the next one? Or will it have the same premise: dame in trouble, big ugly guy goes in and kicks butt, dame gets out of trouble? Hmmmm... I hope there’s something new in Sin City.
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