REVIEW: Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm

Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm
Paperback: 298 pages
Publisher: Voyager; (Reissue) edition (4 Oct 2010)
Originally published: 1986
ISBN-10: 0007112564
ISBN-13: 978-0007112562
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Bought online

From the back of the book:
Seattle: a place as magical as the Emerald city.

Subtle magic seeps through the cracks in the paving stones of the sprawling metropolis. But only inhabitants who posses special gifts are open to the city's consciousness; finding portents in the graffiti, reading messages in the rubbish or listening to warnings in the skipping-rope chants of the children.

Wizard is bound to Seattle and her magic. His gift is the Knowing - a powerful enchantment allowing him to know the truth of things; to hear the life-stories of ancient mummies locked behind glass cabinets, to receive true fortunes from the carnival machines, to reveal to ordinary people the answers to their troubles and to safeguard the city's equilibrium.

The magic has it's price; Wizard must never have more than a dollar in his pocket, must remain celibate, and he must feed and protect the pigeons.

But a threat to Seattle has begun to emerge in the portents. A malevolent force born of Wizard's forgotten past has returned to prey upon his power and taunt him with images of his obscure history and he is the only wizard in Seattle who can face the evil and save the city, his friends and himself.

I first read this book in the late 1980's, when it was originally published, but forgot all about it until I was browsing online and stumbled across a review of the re-released edition. I then remembered how much I enjoyed the book at the time and tracked down a copy. Re-reading it was an enjoyable experience, particularly in light of how popular urban fantasy has become in recent years. However, this is 'true' urban fantasy, in that the city plays a central role and is integral to the plot. Indeed, I would suggest that this book has been a significant influence on many current urban fantasy writers.

Wizard of the Pigeons has as it's main character a homeless war veteran who also happens to be a wizard of some considerable power. His power is dependent upon him observing several rules; listening to people even when what they have to say is hurtful, giving away more than he receives, remaining celibate, never having more than a dollar in his pocket, feeding and protecting the pigeons.

"He lived a simple life upon the streets of the city, passing among the folk like the wind passes among the flowers, unseen but not unfelt. He was known, to the few who knew him, simply as Wizard."

He is a gentle character, scarred from his mysterious past but someone who genuinely cares about people. As the story open Lindholm takes us through his daily routine and shows how he interacts with the residents of Seattle and with the city itself. But soon warnings begin to appear; something dark and evil is approaching, something that threatens Wizard personally. By tempting him to break his rules, the presence is also threatening Seattle by weakening Wizard's magic and creating an imbalance within the city.

The secondary characters are well drawn and support Wizard in his battle against the malevolence. Cassie embodies the female archetype and is a strong magical presence and a good friend to Wizard. She seems to be a shapeshifter of sorts, but this is not made clear and adds to her mystery. Of the other wizards who live in Seattle's streets, Rasputin and Euripedes have their own forms of magic and rules which they live by. The evil that is coming is focused on Wizard and it is he who must ultimately confront it however much his friends want to help.

And it is this that makes the book stand out among the current crop of urban fantasy books. There are layers of ambiguity within the narrative, mostly relating to Wizard's past, which is vague to say the least. Is he a Vietnam vet or has he experienced much earlier conflicts, such as Troy for example? How much of his personal experience is real or allegorical? Is the whole magical, good versus evil conflict a metaphor for post-traumatic stress disorder, or a descent into madness? For a short book, there are certainly plenty of thought-provoking ideas.

As the book progresses, Wizard becomes more unreliable as a narrator. His perceptions are misleading as he begins to come apart mentally. There is little action as such, no face-on battles with an evil entity, but rather an internal conflict reaching a point of no return. This is what makes Wizard of the Pigeons a fascinating read. It is not straightforward fantasy yet the magical elements are central to the plot. The strength of the book is the characterisation and the insight into Wizard's world.

Another aspect of Wizard of the Pigeons that stayed with me from my first reading over 20 years ago is the role of Seattle in the book. At the time, I knew little about Seattle, but the descriptions of the city made me want to visit, if only to experience the locations myself. Megan Lindholm's writing brought the city alive and gave it an endearing personality all of it's own.

"On the far western shore of a northern continent there was once a harbour called Seattle. It did not have much of a reputation for sunshine and beaches, but it did have plenty of rain, and the folk who lived there were wont to call it 'The Emerald City' for the greenness of its foliage. And the other thing it boasted was a great friendliness that fell upon strangers like its rain, but with more warmth." (opening paragraph)

With my recent re-reading, I gained the distinct impression that Wizard could not have existed in any other US city, but perhaps my perceptions have been influenced by the fact that most of my favourite bands come from Seattle and surrounding areas [Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees, Nirvana, Pearl Jam et al].

Overall, Wizard of the Pigeons is a book to savour. While definitely fantasy, it does not conform to the expected current urban fantasy standards, which is no bad thing!. The quality of the writing combined with the lead character's ambiguous nature make strong combination, resulting in an enjoyable and thought-provoking gem of a book.

Plot 8/10
Characters 8/10
Style 8/10

Overall 8/10


Note: Megan Lindholm is better known as Robin Hobb, author of The Farseer trilogy, The Liveship Traders trilogy and The Tawny Man trilogy, amongst others.