Niel Hancock

Dragon Winter (2), Greyfax Grimwald, Faragon Fairingay, Calix Stay, Squaring the Circle, Across the Far Mountain, The Plains of the Sea, On the Boundaries of Darkness, The Road to the Middle Islands, The Fires of Windameir, The Sea of Silence, The Wanderer's Return, The Bridge of Dawn, by Neil Hancock

“Neil Hancock is an author toward whose books I have a peculiarly ambiguous attitude. He began publishing them and I reading them in the late Seventies, right before the huge tidal influx of Epic Fantasy began. At the time you kind of had to take what you could get, but that also meant there were fewer simply "genre" writers clogging the river. In other words, I think you could find more fantasy writers dedicated to their personal visions rather than simply writing in a lucrative genre. And Hancock certainly has a highly individual approach, so much so that you sometimes wonder exactly what he's getting at. That being said, I have to say I find Hancock (technically) a rather poor writer, but he has an enthusiasm of storytelling and a certain love for his characters that carries him through. But in all fairness I can only say this with personal certainty about his first "quadrology", The Circle of Light (comprising the first four books on this list); I read less of the second quadrology, and almost none of the third. Perhaps his skill has improved through the years; he seems to have been able to get his books published up into the Nineties. A projected new book, The Brandigore Gate, returning to the original characters from the Circle of Light series, has been announced but never saw the light of day. One of the things I always enjoyed about these books was the weird covers; they always gave off a rather Gervasio Gallardo-ish vibe, but I find them ascribed in a Wikipedia article to Hancock's wife. Beginning with the Questar release of The Fires of Windameir the covers were by the late Tim Hildebrandt, furnishing another reason for me to keep buying the volumes. Hancock was a Buddhist and a Vietnam War veteran, and these philosophies and experiences infuse his work. He is also a Texan, which puts him in the company of Robert E. Howard, (immigrant) Michael Moorcock, and (er-hem) yours truly. At the risk of any future repercussions I must admit that two of his characters in the Circle of Light books were a definite influence (however unconscious) on the two main characters in the one book I'd managed to finish writing [Elf and Bear]. And so Neil Hancock remains in my archive, a sentimental and nostalgic presence, a writer I can't quite whole-heartedly endorse for everyone, but whose books I can't just yet do without.” – Power of Babel. I have two copies of “Dragonwinter” with different covers; I used to have an alternate “Fires of Windameir” too, but I damaged the cover and sold it.

Ranking: Keepers, God help me.

File Code: Fantasy. Novels. Paperback.