Dark Lord of Derkholm
by Diana Wynne Jones
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Book Summary Information
Author: Diana Wynne JonesEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-04-10
ISBN: 0064473368
Number of pages: 528
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Book Reviews of Dark Lord of Derkholm
Book Review: Even fantasy realms don't appreciate Ugly Americans
Summary: 4 Stars
DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM falls somewhere in between being a send-up of the heroic fantasy quest genre and being a bit of the actual thing itself. Either way, it's a good read. Even as I ticked off the satiric elements, I couldn't help but be drawn into the terrific story and its huge cast and, more specifically, to the central characters, this neat family of wizards and griffins. It's for sure convinced me to look up its sequel The Year of the Griffin (Gollancz S.F.).
Alarmingly, for this magical world, it's that time again, for the population to put on an act for Chesney's Pilgrim Parties. For four decades now, the icy off-worlder Roland Chesney (the impression given is that he's actually from our world) has held this realm in thrall, his will enforced by a powerful demon, forcing the wizards, dragons, elves, dwarves, and the other denizens to play a part in pre-planned "quests" which off-world tourists pay to participate in. Towns have to be sacked, castles have to be stormed, and there's always that inevitable epic bloody final battle. Never mind that these events are laying waste to the land and draining the world's natural resources. Farmlands trampled, kingdoms devastated, the Guilds (yup, even the Thieves' Guild) suffering from having to meet Chesney's expectations... Never mind that there are actual casualties, both natives and off-worlders. And never mind that the magic seems to be dying out.
Forty years of this, and it's finally reached the breaking point. The story begins with a hotly contested conference among some of the world's ruling muck-a-mucks, a consultation with the Oracles, and the appointing of the dreaded Dark Lord for this go-around (a position no wizard covets). Which brings us to Derk and his enchanted (and enchanting) family.
Derk is probably the most unlikely choice to play the evil Dark Lord. Guy is unassuming, unconventional and kind of fatty, eschewing more traditional wizarding for his genetic experiments. He's got his chagrin on as he faces the task of converting his bright friendly home into something more sinister and oppresive-looking. Too, Mr. Chesney finds Derk's appearance entirely unsuitable and directs him to put on the guise of a nine-foot-tall shadowy presence. As the tours call for it, he also must somehow conjure up a demon and a god. And, as the Dark Lord, he becomes de facto coordinator of the tours, 126 of them for this season. The planning and preparations are mind-boggling, especially since all Derk wants to do is hang out with his family and his odd menagerie and maybe finesse the details of splicing a dolphin with a human (for his next project, he's contemplating creating a mermaid daughter).
Derk's an okay dude, but remains bland even when harried and even when his marriage is falling apart. The characters I really got into were his contentious seven children - two humans and five fabulous griffins - each of whom boasts a different personality and each of whom quarrels with one another. Yet they come together when the shiznit hits the fan (then they celebrate with the griffin dance). When Derk becomes indisposed, the focus more or less switches to the kids as they attempt to pick up the slack. Because of their youth and inexperience and because certain forces scheme to sabotage the tours, things don't go well. Particularly worrying are the soldiers (who are actually off-world felons) recruited to roleplay the Dark Lord's army. Unsurprisingly, they don't take too well to taking orders from kids.
DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM reminds me a bit of L.Sprague de Camp's Krisna tales, which are somewhat similar in tone but with a more sci-fi bent, more "sword & planet" than "sword & sorcery." British fantasist Diana Wynne Jones blurs the line as she tip-toes between parody and straight up adventuring. She does invest enough in world-building and character development and establishes enough of a sense of jeopardy for her characters that you're able to enjoy the story for both the fantasy elements and the digs at them. I got into the minutiae of the preparations and the bustle and the headaches of putting a tour together, let alone 126 of them. I also appreciated the book's sense of humor, particularly the passages dealing with Derk's kids having to come up with winged monsters to assault the tourists and settling for geese, who by the way are dang impertinent. Jones imagines her world with colorful characters, from Derk's alcoholic magical assistant to the wizened madame president of the wizard's university, from Scales the no-nonsense dragon to Derk's collection of creatures (flying pigs, talking horses (who also fly), Friendly Cows, meat-eating sheep, etc.).
No clue at all why it's taken me this long to read Diana Wynne Jones. But, thanks to the film Howl's Moving Castle, I've only recently started reading her stuff; so far, it's all gravy. As I tore thru DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM, I couldn't help but think how terrific an animated flick this would make, especially if the awesome Hayao Miyazaki were to grab the reins. It's imaginative storytelling on a widescreen scale, and with grand doses of whimsy and geese peckings. And the resourceful griffins rock mightily (and I guess the human kids do, too). Read the book, I say.
Summary of Dark Lord of Derkholm
Mr. Chesney operates Pilgrim Parties, a tour group that takes paying participants into an outer realm where the inhabitants play frightening and foreboding roles. The time has come to end the staged madness . . . but can it really be stopped? Master storyteller Diana Wynne Jones serves up twists and turns, introduces Querida, Derk, Blade, and Shona and a remarkable cast of wizards, soldiers, kings, dragons, and griffins, and mixes in a lively dash of humor. With all the ingredients of high fantasy, this unforgettable novel will delight fans old and new.If, next door to our ordinary world, there existed a world full of magic, wouldn't you want to visit it? That's the situation that Diana Wynne Jones explores in Dark Lord of Derkholm, and she makes an effective and comical tale of it.
Groups of tourists, called Pilgrim Parties and organized by the cold-hearted profiteer Mr. Chesney, take a portal to the magical realm, where they are shepherded about the countryside by a wizard guide. Mr. Chesney sets the rules, such as that all wizard guides must have long white beards--even 14-year-old Blade--and every Party gets to "slay" the Dark Lord. No wizard wants to be chosen as the year's Dark Lord, because Mr. Chesney demands large battles that cause great devastation in the local villages and farms, and he doesn't pay very well, but he does have a captive demon to enforce his will. This year, things are going especially badly for the chosen Dark Lord, Derk. He can't seem to keep his evil forces on the right track, despite help from his son Blade, his daughter Shona the bard, and his griffin sons and daughters. His chief aide, Barnabas, is drinking heavily and muddling his spells. And the dwarfs are taking their baskets of gold as tribute to the one they say is the real Dark Lord--Mr. Chesney.
Jones spoofs many of the trappings of fantasy epics, while at the same time portraying a family, with its surface squabbles and underlying love, through a rollicking and somewhat unwieldy story. Her messages about exploitation and responsibility come through clearly. Although not as tightly focused as some of her earlier novels, the galloping pace makes Dark Lord of Derkholm a quick, fun read for her numerous fans. --Blaise Selby
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