description: That The Pastel City has been considered a classic by so many for so long may be its greatest failing. The one thing apparent in the negative reviews is disappointment: they didn't get the be-all &amp; end-all of fantasy they anticipated. But here's the rub; a book can be a classic for more than one reason.  The Pastel City is, from a plot standpoint, a typical epic fantasy. If you've read Moorcock, Leiber etc., you've a basic idea of what's going to go on here. Love, death, betrayal, lots of nonhuman baddies, lots of human baddies, a brooding hero-type &amp; his overly sanguine friend, a crazy dwarf or two, &amp; lots of stuff blowing up. This is nothing out of the ordinary in epic fantasy. Those who read it looking for a classic of plot will be most disappointed.  What elevates it from its peers is its style. This is a fantasy as written by a true lexiphile, Elric through the lens of John Dryden, or Fafhrd &amp; the Grey Mouser as written by Chaucer. As with most true prose stylists (Cormac McCarthy comes to mind), Harrison's subtle blend of archaic &amp; contemporary British phrasing, &amp; little stylistic tricks that pull the whole in an entirely new direction, take a little getting used to. But once you've got the rhythm of it, you can get pulled along for the ride with consummate ease.  So let's be clear: The Pastel City is a good book, a fine book, one worth reading. The typical fantasy fan should probably not expect too much. The fantasy fan who is more attuned to the details of writing will get the most out of it. Word lovers, fantasy fans or not, are going to get a kick out of this.--Robert P. Beveridge (edited)
language: English
title: The Pastel City
titlecomplete: The Pastel City
genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Adventure, Speculative Fiction, Dying Earth, Science Fiction Fantasy, Novels, Sword and Sorcery, Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic
ratings_count: 1481
series: Viriconium
publisher: Sphere Books (London)