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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780812579871
ISBN number: 0812579879
Label: Tor Fantasy
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 336
Printing Date: August 02, 2005
Publishing house: Tor Fantasy
Release Date: August 02, 2005
Sale Popularity Level: 210219
Studio: Tor Fantasy
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The rave reviews for John Wright's science fiction trilogy, The Golden Age, hail his debut as the most important of the new century. Now, in The Last Guardian of Everness, this exciting and innovative writer proves that his talents extend beyond SF, as he offers us a powerful novel of high fantasy set in the modern age.
Young Galen Waylock is the last watchman of the dream-gate beyond which ancient evils wait, hungry for the human world. For a thousand years, Galen's family stood guard, scorned by a world which dismissed the danger as myth. Now, the minions of Darkness stir in the deep, and the long, long watch is over. Galen's patient loyalty seems vindicated.
That loyalty is misplaced. The so-called Power of Light is hostile to modern ideas of human dignity and liberty. No matter who wins the final war between darkness and light, mankind is doomed either to a benevolent dictatorship or a malevolent one. And so Galen makes a third choice: the sleeping Champions of Light are left to sleep. Galen and his companions take the forbidden fairy-weapons themselves. Treason, murder, and disaster follow. The mortals must face the rising Darkness alone.
An ambitious and beautifully written story, The Last Guardian of Everness is an heroic adventure that establishes John Wright as a significant new fantasist. It is just the start of a story that will conclude in the companion volume, Mists of Everness.
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Rated by buyers 
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I found this book a bit hard to follow at first; there is a lot to learn before you really understand what is happening. But I stuck with it, and very, very soon I realized what an amazing story this is.
This is not the very first fantasy work I've seen where the author includes everything (and I mean everything) within the continuum of fantasy. It is, however, the very first one that works. The myths and legends of Merlin, the Knights Templar, the Greco-Roman gods and monsters, fairies, pulp heroes, and Judeo-Christian beliefs are all found inside, but it holds together in a way I've never seen before.
Don't think, oh, it must be a silly story. It's not, even when it is sometimes funny.
I mistook it for a "boy-coming-of-age" story; the boy, Gavin Waylock, living with his grandfather, believes that he must act to stop the coming doom. His grandfather doesn't believe in him, so he goes off on his own to battle evil.
But he doesn't win... in fact, he ends up in about the worst possible condition. Wright is not afraid to play rough with his characters, and this is the very first sign of that. Characters who seem at very first bit players become central to the story, and even then additional bit players appear who have important parts to play.
I don't think I can adequately convey my opinion of this work. Five stars doesn't seem enough. Still, I have to admit it's probably not for everyone... but it was certainly good for me.
Rated by buyers 
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At the heart, there is a great story here. The characters and plot are both intriguing and well-thought out. Unfortunately, Wright spends too much time describing unnecessary scenes.
It's difficult to write a GOOD dream sequence; there's always the danger that the reader will be overwhelmed while trying to figure out symbolic connections and allusions. This book is full of dream and memory sequences, some of which aren't necessary to either plot or character development; they punctuate the story and are slightly painful to read (boring actually). I had a very hard time actually getting to the end of this novel because of all the irrelevant prose I had to plough through.
Essentially, the bones of this novel seem strong, but they are buried under a mountain of dross.
Rated by buyers -
As K. Butler said in another review, and this bears reiterating, Wright's excellent Golden Age science fiction series should not be used as a benchmark for Everness.
Everness, while mildly entertaining, is by no means a masterpiece. In fact, it is not even that great of a novel series. Throw a few different brands of mythology in a big blender, chuck in some hollywood stereotypes for characters (including the Bitter Old Vietnam Veteran), and stir until no longer lumpy. Try not to fall asleep while eating.
Go for Golden Age. It is incredible. Pass by this pile.
Rated by buyers -
I am amazed no one has stated the co-incidences of the plot with James Stoddards "The High House" which was called evenmere, while this High House is called "Eveness". It even has that same high fantasy feel to it.
Rated by buyers -
This book is an amazing, epic fantasy, but with an intimate cast of characters. Following three central characters, the plot follows our heroes trying to thwart the endeavor of evil beings in the dreaming to break through ancient protections in order to conquer our normal world and bring about a reign of darkness. When you put it that way, it seems cliche. However, this book (the very first of a duology) is full of inventiveness and originality.
John C. Wright does not coddle his readers. You have to be paying attention in order to follow all the plot threads in this novel. You should definitely be up on your European mythology and symbolism. If you read and understood a good part of Neil Gaiman's Sandman graphic novels, you'll have most of the background you need. Everness addresses some of the more hoary fantasy clichés, and then subverts them, bringing them within some realm of plausibility. This is not a good book to start with if you are completely new to fantasy, since then you wouldn't appreciate some of his perfectly aimed pokes at tradition.
All in all the book is enjoyable, serious but not taking itself too seriously. The main characters are not normal people, but they are making their way in our world quite realistically. They don't know the rules of the game, and are discovering them as they go. The odds are decidedly against them, and there is great pleasure to be had in turning the page to see how they can keep going. The end of the book doesn't pull any punches; it's a cliff-hanger, and a seemingly very dark place for our heroes. For the very first time in quite awhile, I found myself thinking while reading a fantasy book: "Wow, I'm really, really glad I'm not them."
One other note: if you've read and enjoyed the Golden Age science fiction trilogy by the same author, there is a good chance that this will also appeal to you. Similar balancing of light and dark, plot and philosophy and engaging, if not realistic, characters. If you haven't read that trilogy, you really should.
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