Saraband of Lost Time

Saraband of Lost Time is a science fiction novel by Maine author Richard Grant (1952–present), published by Avon Books in 1985. It is his first of several novels, labeled as science fiction. Saraband placed eighth in the annual Locus Poll for best first novel, and received a special citation from the Philip K. Dick Award judges.[1]

Saraband of Lost Time
First edition cover
AuthorRichard Grant
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreScience fiction novel
PublisherAvon Books
Publication date
March 1985
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages327 (first edition, paperback)
ISBN0-380-89533-1 (first edition, paperback)
OCLC11921837

Plot summary

The story takes place in thirty-five chapters. The characters come from a variety of locations, and travel across the land in their adventures. Grant created his own place names, drinks, songs and more for this novel. Unlike many fantasy novels, he did not create a map of the world, which is supposedly a futuristic Earth after the occurrence of an apocalypse of some kind. It may or may not be the same world as used in Rumors of Spring and Through the Heart. The characters are still human and are not a great deal different from modern humans in most cases. In all three books, the humans are mostly dealing with major environmental changes and the resulting changes in humanity, but some people have stood out as different.

Reception

Algis Budrys found Saraband to be "one of the most engaging first novels in years," praising the novel as "a piece of cultured prose which by its nature confers importance on its cast of characters and on their activities," but faulting Grant's failure to provide an understandable "pattern [for] the rather fragmented events taking place at the story's close."[2]

Dave Langford reviewed Saraband of Lost Time compared to A Storm of Wings for White Dwarf #93, and stated that "Critics prefer Storm's literary echoes and clever bits; but for all its excessive length, more readers are likely to finish Saraband."[3]

References
  1. Locus index to SF Awards
  2. "Books", F&SF, July 1986, pp.32-34
  3. Langford, Dave (September 1987). "Critical Mass". White Dwarf. Games Workshop (Issue 93): 11.
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