I had very fond memories of having picked up Nifft the Lean in a used book store, and quickly reading the whole work, swept away by the complex langua..Show More »ge, dark stories, and sense of place. Reality doesn't quite live up to memory, here. This book feels very much a product of its time, with the complex language (but not the elegance) of Gene Wolfe, the bizarre stories (but not the sense-of-wonder) of Jack Vance, and the anti-heroes (but not the characterization) of Fritz Leiber.

Still, there is lots to like. Though the book is 30 years old, it never feels dated. Also, the work follows the early 1980s trend of picaresque wandering through many unusual settings, some of which are really imaginative, and some of which are just plain disgusting. The main character is appealing, the language interesting, and the stories full of swash and buckling. So much fun to be had.

However, it never quite reaches the heights I was expecting, but is a (well-read) and solid listen if you are into Wolfe and Vance. If you haven't heard either of these others, they are probably better choices. In the meantime, I may try my battered paperback copy again.

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