The Warlock in Spite of Himself (Rod Gallowglass, volume 2) by Christopher Stasheff

In which a determined aristocrat from an interstellar democracy
infiltrates a backward world only to find himself face to face with
witches, warlocks, and outside agitators.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/on-to-victory
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On Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 9:34:09 AM UTC-5, James Nicoll wrote:
> The Warlock in Spite of Himself (Rod Gallowglass, volume 2) by Christopher Stasheff
>
> In which a determined aristocrat from an interstellar democracy
> infiltrates a backward world only to find himself face to face with
> witches, warlocks, and outside agitators.

I read this in a dreary time and quite liked it. A few years later I attempted a sequel
and couldn't get ten pages in. As I understand it this was considered to be the worst
sequel but still ...

At one of my few SF cons I attended a reading by Stasheff. I can't comment on the
reading, which was flowery and not to my taste, but I did notice that in the front row
a young woman was utterly riveted by it. I have never seen such adoration in a face,
and if Stasheff had wanted to get married, he could have done it that day.

William Hyde

On Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 7:21:03 PM UTC-5, William Hyde wrote:
> On Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 9:34:09 AM UTC-5, James Nicoll wrote:
> > The Warlock in Spite of Himself (Rod Gallowglass, volume 2) by Christopher Stasheff
> >
> > In which a determined aristocrat from an interstellar democracy
> > infiltrates a backward world only to find himself face to face with
> > witches, warlocks, and outside agitators.
> I read this in a dreary time and quite liked it.

Lester del Rey reviewed _The Warlock in Spite of Himself_ when it
came out in 1969:

"The mixture should not work at all -- but somehow everything comes
together into a good and satisfying adventure. The story is not a
major one or particularly significant but it's more fun to read than
anything I've seen by a new writer in much too long a time."
[_If_, December 1969, pp.92-93]

My reaction was broadly similar: technically wobbly and probably
ridiculous if you think too hard about it, but a lot more fun than it
had any right to be. I reread it in 1989 and it was still fun even
though the flaws were even more noticeable the second time
around. And if it reads like the work of a pun-loving grad student
who should have been finishing his PhD instead of writing a novel,
well, that's because it is exactly that.

> A few years later I attempted a sequel and couldn't get ten pages
> in. As I understand it this was considered to be the worst
> sequel but still ...

_King Kobold_ (1971) was revised as _King Kobold Revived_ (1984)
after the success of _The Warlock Unlocked_ (1982), the third book
in the series. _Escape Velocity_ (1983) was a prequel. I found it to
be particularly flat.

Among other early Stasheff novels, _ A Wizard in Bedlam_ (1979),
which was later used to spawn another series, was pedestrian.

_Her Majesty's Wizard_ (1986) seemingly tried to recreate the
silly and fun atmosphere of _The Warlock in Spite of Himself_.
It was mostly successful and spawned yet another series,
although books 2+ spent more time on theology (what should a
good Catholic think of a fantasy world?) and less time on what
I liked about _Her Majesty's Wizard_.

> At one of my few SF cons I attended a reading by Stasheff.
> I can't comment on the reading, which was flowery and not to
> my taste,

Stasheff was an actor and had a PhD in Theater. It presumably
explains his _Starship Troupers_ series.

> but I did notice that in the front row a young woman
> was utterly riveted by it. I have never seen such adoration in a
> face, and if Stasheff had wanted to get married, he could
> have done it that day.

It was probably too later. Stasheff was married and had 4
children -- see
http://christopher.stasheff.com/bio/bio_default.htm

On Monday, January 23, 2023 at 12:42:50 AM UTC-5, Ahasuerus wrote:

[snip-snip]

> Stasheff was married and had 4 children -- see
> http://christopher.stasheff.com/bio/bio_default.htm

I forgot to mention that 2 of his children, Edward
(https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?2159930) and Eleanore
(https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?17488), have committed SF.

On 1/22/2023 9:45 PM, Ahasuerus wrote:
> On Monday, January 23, 2023 at 12:42:50 AM UTC-5, Ahasuerus wrote:
>
> [snip-snip]
>
>> Stasheff was married and had 4 children -- see
>> http://christopher.stasheff.com/bio/bio_default.htm
>
> I forgot to mention that 2 of his children, Edward
> (https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?2159930) and Eleanore
> (https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?17488), have committed SF.

"Committed SF"? *snicker*

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