Stephen Dedman is a rising Australian author who's published several good stories in Asimov's and F&SF over the past few years. In The Art of Arrow Cutting (whose title refers not to fletchery, but to the martial arts technique of turning aside arrows, knifes, and other deadly projectiles), Dedman has crafted an engaging and original martial arts fantasy.
The novel starts with freelance photographer Michelangelo Magistrale (nicknamed "Mage") lending money to a beautiful young runaway he meets at a bus station in Canada. Soon afterward he finds himself chased by Japanese hit men and an Asian monster whose head and hands are detachable weapons. Aided by Charlie, an aspiring "movie ninja" stuntman, Mage tries to find out what's really going on. His search leads him across North America to the underbellies of Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Along the way he learns to work magic and truly practice the art of arrow cutting.
This book's compelling prose and fast-paced storyline (the plot reads like a Hong Kong action movie translated to prose) suck the reader in from page 1. The protagonists are likable, easily evoking reader sympathy, and even the villains were interesting. Dedman has a knack for dialogue, and the characters all have distinctive speech patterns. They even sound American, which is quite a feat for a foreign author.
The only problem is that the material and basic plot are fairly derivative. The influence of Hong Kong films on this book is not just strong, but overwhelming. Also, Matt Wagner's comic book series Mage covered a lot of similar turf ten years ago. This is an excellent martial arts fantasy novel, but it doesn't transcend the genre. It's the kind of book that would have been published as a paperback original a few years ago.
That said, The Art of Arrow Cutting is a lot of fun. If a contemporary martial arts fantasy appeals to you, rush out and pick this up. Even if it doesn't, Dedman is such a skillful writer that his next book is well worth looking for.
Go to the main Nova Express Home Page
Go to Lawrence Person's Home Page
After almost drowning in a deluge of Korean Spam, I'm now munging my e-mail address, so please remove all the "H"s from the following to e-mail me: lawrencehh@hiho.com
Like every other web page in the universe, this one is Under Construction.