Benjamin Tate undertakes the difficult task of loosely
setting high fantasy in a most familiar setting- the
American colonies. His version of the New World pleasantly
has only the barest associations to a world the reader might
recognize. WELL OF SORROWS is actually incredibly
unique, with scarcely more than a whisper of historical
associations. Settlers still strive for dominance in a
foreign land but are accompanied by a host of unique races,
metaphysical dangers and-- requisite to any fantasy
epic-- numerous and varied political machinations. Colin
Harten is a young boy who is part of a frontier family sent
west to claim more land for the humans but, in a series of
highly unexpected twists, he is to lose everything
that he once was and gain powers heretofore unknown to all
the races.
Despite the novel setting and Tate's eloquence with the
written word, I was at first reluctant to endorse WELL OF
SORROWS. During the first quarter of the novel, it's
difficult to say what the driving plotline might be and
after the many changes prompted by the twist in the middle
of the book, I felt alienated from the characters and their
struggles. Happily, I realized I had reached a turning
point with Tate's work when, while reading, I missed my stop
on the subway- any book that can block out the noise of 400
rambunctious Red Sox fans is worth picking up. WELL OF
SORROWS is a political and historical fantasy that creates a
complicated backstory for its characters and uses most of
its 500-odd pages to allow its hero, Colin, to evolve.
Indeed, it is more of an origin story than anything else.
One has the sense that subsequent novels will be more
plot-driven and I can only imagine that they will continue
to improve, as the author will have lost the need to shackle
his story to the intricate (and, never fear, enjoyable)
development of his hero. With room to explore the
complicated landscape he has built, I predict an
action-packed sequel on the horizon and based on the promise
of the final page's revelations, I can only say- Colin's
(and Tate's) work is not yet done.
Colin Harten and his parents fled across the ocean to escape
the Family wars in Andover. But trouble follows them and
their fellow refugees to this new land, forcing them to
abandon the settled areas for unexplored territory. It is
here that they face even more mysterious beings and dangers.
Now Colin must use the powers of the Well of Sorrows to
survive-and bring peace to this troubled land.
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