The Wizard Knight

"The Wizard Knight" is a series of epistolary novels written by fantasy and science fiction author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey of Able of the High Heart, an American boy transported to a magical world and supernaturally aged to adulthood. Able (which is not his real name, but rather the name given to him) becomes a knight, and because of his connection with the magical and spiritual elements of the world around him is soon also dubbed a wizard.

Like many of Wolfe's writings, "The Wizard Knight" is characterized by an unreliable narrator -- in this case, someone who tells events in fragmentary ways, out of order, and with omissions and connections that must be puzzled out later.

The two volumes in the series are:

*"The Knight"
*"The Wizard"

Cosmology

The setting of the novel features elements from Norse, as well as Christian mythology and a smattering of European sources, such as Arthurian myth, and involves a seven-tiered world that is separate, but not completely detached from ours.

The kingdom that Able is taken to is called Celidon, and lies in the middle world, "Mythgarthr". The world above it, "Skai", is the domain of the Overcyns, who are roughly analogous to the Æsir of Norse mythology, and to whom the inhabitants of Mythgarthr properly owe fealty. Terrible giants called "The Giants of Winter and Old Night", also dwell there, and are their foes. Above Skai is "Kleos", which, being far from Mythgarthr, is not much explained. Two of its inhabitants are introduced: Parka, a being much like one of the Norns, & Michael, who is much like the archangel Michael. The Overcyns of Skai owe their obedience to those who dwell in Kleos. The highest world is "Elysion", and only The Most High God lives there.

Below Mythgarthr is the world "Aelfrice", which is primarily peopled by small elemental beings called the Aelf. They belong to a number of clans such as the Fire Aelf and the Moss Aelf, and were themselves created by the collective creature Kulili, who lives in Aelfrice still. The Aelf properly owe their worship to the people of Mythgarthr, who they call the "old gods", but often stray in their faithfulness, sometimes even tricking humans into worshiping them. Below Aelfrice is "Muspel", a world of fire and dragons. Last and lowest is "Niflheim", the world of The Most Low God.

Characters

* The narrator, who calls himself Sir Able of the High Heart. From the beginning Sir Able wants two things: to be a knight and to win the love of Disiri the Mossmaiden. He says that he is an American and his book is written for his brother Ben.

* Gylf, a magical dog-like creature which is capable of transforming into a terrifying creature larger than a horse. Gylf speaks, occasionally, but rarely in front of anyone other than Sir Able; he is a hound that once belonged to the Valfather and has fallen from Skai.

* Toug, a boy that Sir Able meets with early in his travels who later becomes his squire, then a knight in his own right. Toug has a sister Ulfa who is a character in the second book.

* Garsecg, a strange character who also appears to be Setr, a dragon from the realm of Muspel. Garsecg gives Sir Able great power, or awakens his knowledge of "the power of the sea".

* Sir Ravd, the first knight who Sir Able meets. Sir Able tries to emulate Sir Ravd and believes him to be an ideal knight.

* Disiri, the Queen of the Moss Aelf. She calls herself the moss maiden. She has the power to change people and she uses this power early in the story to transform Sir Able from a boy to an enormously strong man.

* Pouk, a one-eyed seaman who becomes Sir Able's servant for a time. He is also a character in the second book.

* Uri and Baki, two fire aelf who appear as naked small girls with red skin and eyes of flame. They have a highly confused relationship to Sir Able. Occasionally they offer great help to him.

* Mani, a talking cat. The former familiar of a witch. Mani will talk to hardly anyone.

* Svon, the squire of Sir Ravd. He takes an instant dislike to Sir Able.

* Org, an ogre given to Sir Able.

Synopsis

Throughout "The Wizard Knight", Sir Able meets with strange and powerful creatures who give him various gifts. Disiri gives him the gift of sudden manhood and great strength. Garsecg gives him the power to call upon the ocean's waves to increase his strength and stamina. Some of the Earth Aelf (Bodachan) give him the magical dog Gylf. Two Fire Aelf, Baki and Uri, serve Sir Able after swearing allegiance to him.

Able's character is that of a young American boy from the modern era who is in love with the stories of the Arthurian knights and when given the opportunity to be a knight, he seizes it. His first and only love is Disiri, the Queen of the Moss Aelf. He says he would do anything to be worthy of her love but he believes that honor demands he act in ways that take him from her.

The first book finds Sir Able on a quest to find the sword which Disiri says would be used by a knight worthy of her, the first sword ever made, named Eterne. Sir Able meets with Sir Ravd, who teaches him something of what it means to be a knight, then is killed by bandits. Sir Able takes a sea voyage to meet with Sir Ravd's lord but the ship is waylaid by cannibal barbarians called Osterlings and Sir Able is wounded. Sea Aelf take Able to Aelfrice to meet with Garsecg who teaches him about the ocean and shows him how to heal himself.

Sir Able returns to Mythgarthr but has difficulty in convincing the knights of Duke Marder that he is also a knight. After a big brawl in which Sir Able is nearly killed, he accepts a knightly quest to hold a pass against all comers till the snow closes it. On his way to the pass he joins company with a talking cat named Mani and then a diplomatic expedition lead by Baron Beel who is taking presents to Gilling, king of the Angrborn, the giants of Mythgarthr, in an attempt to bring an end to the constant warfare between the giants and the human kingdom of Celidon.

Sir Able enters the world of Aelfrice again and finds the sword Eterne, which he is able to wield. With the sword he slays the dragon Grengarm, dying in the process (although this is not made clear until well into the second book). He is brought by Alvit, a Valkyrie to the Valfather's castle in the sky (a clear parallel to the Norse idea of Valhalla). This is the end of the first book.

The second book, "The Wizard", begins with Toug as the main character, helping Baron Beel's diplomatic expedition in the capital city of the giants. Soon Sir Able reappears, riding a horse that can fly (though it has no wings) and wielding Eterne. Sir Able has been 20 years with the Valfather fighting the giants but has now returned back to Mythgarthr. Only a week or so has passed in the world of the other human characters. Sir Able is now a demigod but he cannot use his full powers because he promised the Valfather that he would not. He is, nevertheless, more than a match for any human (or giant).

The diplomatic expedition to the land of giants ends badly as the king of giants is mortally wounded during a staged combat. Baron Beel's daughter, Idnn, marries the king of the giants shortly before he dies, and then claims rule over the giant kingdom. With Sir Able's help, Baron Beel's expedition retreats back to the realm of men, defeating a large army of giants along the way.

Another war is going on, fought between king Arnthor's army and the army of the cannibal Osterlings. Sir Able fights and wins a great combat with the undead champion of the king's sister Morcaine, and then is granted an audience with the king. He delivers a speech which angers the king, and is imprisoned for more than a year.

With the king dying and the Osterlings nearly victorious, Sir Able is called to the king's army and given supreme command in the final battle. Sir Able commands that the Moss Aelf, the Fire Aelf, and the Earth Aelf come to his aid. The battle is won, and he leaves Mythgarthr to live with Disiri in the land of the Moss Aelf. This is the end of the second book.

References

*ISBN 0-7653-0989-0 — Volume 1, "The Knight"
*ISBN 0-7653-1201-8 — Volume 2, "The Wizard"