The Iron Chain

by Steve Cockayne

When Leonardo Pegasus, Court Magician, created the Multiple Empathy Engine - a device that enabled the viewer to see the entire world - his reward was to lose his job, his home and nearly his life.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1841492159
• ISBN13: 9781841492155
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Beautifully written, if a little bit chilly.

I had quite a few conflicting feelings after I read the first book in the Legends of the Land: Wanderers and Islanders. I admired it, and I wanted to read more, but I felt as though it was missing something of a heart. I have similar feelings about The Iron Chain, although I think that I admire it even more than I admired the first book. It hangs together just a little bit better, and somehow feels more complete in terms of the characters. I would be hard pressed to find fault with the structure or the execution. Cockayne is really an impressive craftsman. This said, I still find the book a little bit cerebral. This reaction is as likely to be about me as it is to reflect the quality of the book. I have a similar reaction to the work of Jeffrey Ford-- something about being more interested in the world that they are creating than they are in the readers of the book. My issues should not dissuade you from reading in the series. Cockayne is a fine writer, and it is a shame that he does not seem to be better known in the US. Particularly if you enjoy writers from the Fantastic tradition, Cockayne is definitely a novelist that you should check out.