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2.5 

The Unfinished Land

By Greg Bear
The Unfinished Land by Greg Bear digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

A sixteenth-century English apprentice fisherman is swept away into a world of adventure, mystery, wonder, and monsters in this historical fantasy.

The year is 1588. Reynard Shotwood survived the destruction of the Spanish Armada’s failed invasion, but floats alone in the water off Suffolk, the sole survivor of an English fishing boat enlisted in the common defense. No longer a boy, but not yet a man, Reynard believes his life is already over.

When he is pulled from the North Sea to the dubious shelter of a crippled Spanish galleon, Reynard is tasked by the ship’s captain with guiding them to a safe harbor in these unfamiliar waters. Instead, the ship is swept north, to an island not found on any charts but only whispered of in half-forgotten legend.

There, eldritch creatures visit the crew, stealing precious time from their sleeping forms. Only two are spared: Raynard and Manuel, the ancient mariner who rescued him. Manuel is left miraculously younger, while Reynard is gifted—or cursed—with fragments of knowledge beyond his understanding.

These fragments spur Reynard and Manuel away from the crew and deeper into the island’s mysterious interior. It seems Reynard has a destiny here, one that draws new allies and enemies alike, some human, others found in no earthly bestiary. But his destiny is stubbornly veiled, even as the nature of the island becomes shockingly clear: it is a kingdom at war, an enchanted realm ruled by hierarchies of godlike beings to whom humans are pawns at best and the world itself is no more than an idle game.

But even a lowly pawn can become the most powerful piece on the board. All he has to do is survive . . .

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4 Reviews

2.5
“The Unfinished Land tells of the magic of words, of the joy of creating and learning. As packed with bits and bobs of diverse legend as it is, that is what comes together across it: words are powerful, and the exchange of those words is what makes greatness. It’s a book that will require a second, or even a third, reading to shake everything out of it. At its end, it coasts from explosive drama to simple lighthearted joy, as Reynard’s larger-than-life story becomes a part of the world we all know. (Received an A grade in Sci-Fi Magazine, Spring 2021 issue)”
“•I was provided with this free ARC to read in exchange for an honest review• I have no experience with this author, but I have heard great things, so I was very interested in this book. This book unfortunately wasn’t my cup of tea, but I’m sure it will hit home with a wide range of fantasy lovers! The cover is so beautiful, and the title very interesting and intriguing, which draws you in. It’s “old timey”, so the language is quite beautiful and flowery, with lots of “thy” and “thou”. There are too many characters, which makes things very confusing, as it’s not actually revealed what each character is there for really, and the scenes with Spanish scattered throughout are a little frustrating, as there is no translation, which is difficult to read if one doesn’t understand Spanish. It’s a very creative book, full of beautiful world building, mythology, and “magical creatures”, but there are not enough answers to questions created, making it quite a confusing read”
““The Unfinished Land” by Greg Bear follows the story of Reynard, a young British fisherman who finds himself stranded on a magical island. In a complex fantasy world, Reynard relies on those around him to guide and protect him, however he soon finds out that the island is in grave danger. This novel is a rich and magical tale, filled with a large variety of creatures, characters and settings. The island is vividly described, its forests, lakes, deserts and cities are a joy to read about. Unfortunately, many of the intricacies of this fantasy world were hard to follow. Lots of information was withheld surrounding Crafters and Travelers and first words, much of which I still don’t understand after reading the entire novel. It didn’t help that all of the dialogue was in Old English (I’m just not used to so many thees and thous). I feel like it can be likened to “The Hobbit” and the other Lord of the Rings novels due to its historical elements and writing style. Overall, I found the reading experience quite enjoyable, for me “The Unfinished Land” painted a creative picture of the world and its formation.”

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