Knight: first impressions

From galleys, I've now read the first six chapters of KNIGHT, the full advance excerpt in CONJUNCTIONS 39 (the piece on the website is only Chapter One). It really is superb stuff--the language is straightforward, but the implied complexities build rapidly, and the inquisitorial progress of Sir Ravd and the meeting with Disiri are brilliantly handled. Fortunately, the style is nothing like that of, say, Hoof in RETURN TO THE WHORL; the narrator, Able, is educated, eloquent, and wise, for all his adolescence. This may be YA writing, but if so, it's in the very top range. Alice, take note. --Nick Gevers.