Steven Oliverez, The Elder Staves

In the Elder Staves, Steven Oliverez presents us with a world where magic was once the norm, where the old power structure of near-invincible magic users is crumbling in the face of commoners armed with simple yet revolutionary weapons. Magic, it would seem, cannot stand against the natural forces of the world, chief among them being ingenuity and gunpowder.

The Elder Staves is thought-provoking, but to say that takes away from the exciting action that dominates the story. Above all else it is a highly enjoyable and entertaining read, with more excitement and quick page turns than I've seen in long time. It also stands in stark contrast to the thick, wordy, drawn-out tomes that dominate the fantasy genre. This work is concise and makes fantasy available to those of us who don't wish to plod through 600 pages of boring repetition.

Carn is the son of a noble and is poised to become the next Elder, one of a Romanesque triumvirate that rules the sky-city of Tyr. The main character of the story, however, seems to be Tyr herself. As we meet several of her finest (and not so fine) citizens, we see the underlying class struggles and distinctions that existed in a time when magic was unchallenged, and the changes brought about since the rise of technology. This may sound like a stuffy piece of literature until you actually pick it up and start reading - this is all just intelligent background to a city where buildings are being firebombed and magical guardians are being gunned-down by incomprehensible new inventions.

Will magic survive? Should it?

The Elder Staves also prompts this question for the avid daydreamer: If magic really did exist in our world, would we need it?

What I enjoyed most about this novel is the voice. At times it takes on a Hemmingway simplicity with poetic undertones. The description is not read so much as transferred directly to the reader's imagination. The action is expertly timed, starting out as a slow simmer while Oliverez sets up the events of the troubled city, then the dominoes begin to fall from all directions and you feel the tempo increase as tensions reach breaking point and conflicts multiply. In the escalating battles between the forces of magic and technology it is often hard to distinguish between the two, and we see this in the characters as well. Carn is torn between two extremely powerful forces, both of which far exceed his understanding.

So many similarities can be drawn to today's culture, and yet one can never be sure if this was intentional or if it simply reflects how real and immediate the world that Oliverez has created is. The similarities are not allegory, because they are not meant to prove a position or make a statement. All sides are presented and, as in real life, the reader is on his own to decide who is right and who is wrong, and no matter who you chose, you will probably argue up and down that the author agrees with you.

This is an incredible debut and it seems that both Tyr and Oliverez have many more stories to give us.

Steven Oliverez The Elder Staves: A longtime reader (and critic) of fantasy, I was delighted to find an author that took a new approach.

The book opens with the summary trial of Seward Granston, a man accused of sabotage and aiding a clandestine insurgence in the skycity of Tyr. The Elders (three nobles who comprise the head of Tyr's government) sentence him to exile, and he is banished to the 'world below the world' - a dead, frozen land miles below the floating city. It is in this wasteland that Seward meets an evil far greater than himself.

The city itself is slowly falling, which the Elders blame on the waning influence of magic and become more aggressive in their efforts to stamp out the threat posed by the rapid advance of technology.

Carn, the son of an influential noble and the main character in The Elder Staves, often takes a backseat to the power plays and overt conflict as myriad factions battle for the soul of Tyr. As he becomes more deeply entangled in the struggle, Carn must choose whether to support the Elders and the power they promise, or to align himself with the technologists and aid in their attempt to bring a new order to Tyr.

When full-scale war erupts, it is fought with swords, spells, firearms and massive machines of war. And far below the city, hidden among the ice, something evil eagerly watches Tyr's descent.

At times it seems as though Oliverez is setting all this up to lay a big political message on the reader - but fortunately, he never does - which is a testament to his ability to weave a story of political intrigue in a world that is very different from our own.

The result is truly fantastical.

The Elder Staves

Steven Oliverez

Aventine, May 2005, $14.95

ISBN: 1593302800

The majestic sky city of Tyr runs on the magic of the aristocratic elders, who use staves to keep the deadly tundra below at bay by controlling the environs. Still even in this seemingly utopian realm, the rebels revolt against the status quo especially the death sentence used to quell dissension. As the rebellion mounts, rumors abound that the staves are losing their power; this growing belief is fostered by the daily occurrence of a cold wind blowing across Tyr when until recently this had never happened before.

His family, especially his father has manipulated the political landscape so that Carn will be named elder. Carn has problems with becoming an elder because of some of their tyrannical practices like the execution of peaceful dissenters.

Meanwhile in the frozen wasteland below Tyr, the Fallen Exile wants vengeance against those who kicked him out of paradise. He may just succeed if he can remove his only worthy opponent Garret the inventor, which he cleverly does. However, the Exile failed to consider Carn.

The comparative analysis between the two societies and within Tyr makes for a deep fantasy in which readers observe a battle of ideas as much as a war mindful of the late 1960s and the deep split in America today. The storyline is action-packed with the key cast members symbolic of a segment of society. Whereas Carn represents the rebellion of youth, his father connotes tradition. Both believe their city is falling apart, but who will prevail or will the intrusion from below cause the end of days. This is a terrific saga that readers of all ages will cherish as much for its concepts as for the action-adventure.

Harriet Klausner

A longtime reader (and critic) of fantasy, I was delighted to find an author that took a new approach.

The book opens with the summary trial of Seward Granston, a man accused of sabotage and aiding a clandestine insurgence in the skycity of Tyr. The Elders (three nobles who comprise the head of Tyr's government) sentence him to exile, and he is banished to the 'world below the world' - a dead, frozen land miles below the floating city. It is in this wasteland that Seward meets an evil far greater than himself.

The city itself is slowly falling, which the Elders blame on the waning influence of magic and become more aggressive in their efforts to stamp out the threat posed by the rapid advance of technology.

Carn, the son of an influential noble and the main character in The Elder Staves, often takes a backseat to the power plays and overt conflict as myriad factions battle for the soul of Tyr. As he becomes more deeply entangled in the struggle, Carn must choose whether to support the Elders and the power they promise, or to align himself with the technologists and aid in their attempt to bring a new order to Tyr.

When full-scale war erupts, it is fought with swords, spells, firearms and massive machines of war. And far below the city, hidden among the ice, something evil eagerly watches Tyr's descent.

At times it seems as though Oliverez is setting all this up to lay a big political message on the reader - but fortunately, he never does - which is a testament to his ability to weave a story of political intrigue in a world that is very different from our own.

The result is truly fantastical.