Summa Elvetica A Casuistry of the Elvish Controversy Arts of Dark and Light Book 0 eBook Vox Day
Download As PDF : Summa Elvetica A Casuistry of the Elvish Controversy Arts of Dark and Light Book 0 eBook Vox Day 
Do Elves Have Souls? In a fantasy world in which the realm of man is dominated by a rich and powerful Church, the Sanctified Father Charity IV has decided the time is ripe to make a conclusive inquiry into the matter. If, in his infallible wisdom, he determines that elves do have immortal souls, then the Church will be obliged to bring the Sacred Word of the Immaculate to them. But if he decides they do not, there will be holy war. Powerful factions line up on both sides of the debate. War-hungry magnates cast greedy eyes at the ancient wealth of the elven kingdoms and pray for a declaration that elves are little more than animals. And there are men who are willing to do more than merely pray. The delegation sent to the High King of the Elves is led by two great theologians, brilliant philosophers who champion opposite sides of the great debate. And in the Sanctiff’s own stead, he sends the young nobleman, Marcus Valerius. Marcus Valerius is a rising scholar in the Church, talented, fearless, and devout. But he is inexperienced in the ways of the world and nothing in his life has prepared him for the beauty of the elves—or the monumental betrayal into which he rides.
Also contains eight additional tales of Selenoth, including the Hugo-nominated Opera Vita Aeterna.
Summa Elvetica A Casuistry of the Elvish Controversy Arts of Dark and Light Book 0 eBook Vox Day
Very interesting book, better than most fantasy nowadays, thus the four stars. Unlike most fantasy set in pseudo-medieval times, it takes religion as seriously as did folk in the middle ages. Given the tremendous influence religion had on society then, the lack of such is glaring in most pseudo-medieval settings and renders many fantasy books inorganic and hollow. (Katherine Kurtz's Deryni novels are another example of a medieval setting that endeavors to portray the large role religion played in society.)The central question/plot objective in SE is to answer the question, "Do elves have souls?" A brilliant clerical trainee is sent among them, Jesuit-to-the-Hurons style(1), to gather data and report back to the head of the church. And these elves, though civilized, are as dangerous as the Indians were to the settlers of Canada. Get on their wrong side and you end up being tortured to death for fun & games.
Worth the time and money, especially if you want to see a more fully-formed medieval setting that has a richer cultural feel than most.
(1) Reminiscent of the film "Black Robe."
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Summa Elvetica A Casuistry of the Elvish Controversy Arts of Dark and Light Book 0 eBook Vox Day Reviews
Summa Elvetica only cover the first half of the book. But I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the other stories in there.
I read this book after "A Throne of Bones" which I think might be the best sequence. Already familiar with Selenoth these stories provide some very useful background material. I wonder how it would feel to read them the other way around though.
Btw If you like fantasy, you really should read the Selenoth series. The most refreshing read in fantasy since Tolkien.
I tend to shy away from collections of short stories. This book was on my list, however, based on the strength of the other books in the Arts of Dark and Light series (Throne of Bones and Sea of Skulls). Well worth the read, and all the stories relate directly to the Arts of Dark and Light canon.
The writing is beautiful, almost melodic. Plenty of world building, but artfully managed so that it isn't distracting. The stories are strong and well connected; this collection could almost be presented as a straight-up novel. Oh man, this was a good read...
And the cover art is absolutely perfect to go with the content.
A fuller discussion of Day's writing style will have to wait for the forthcoming review of 'Throne of Bones.'
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories and novellas which serve to lay the groundwork of a fantasy setting replete with the tropes plus a church based on the Roman Catholic.
Day makes frequent use of the 'stories-within-stories' meta-narrative to liven lengthy pieces. He builds tension with dialog and description.
Let it suffice that Day succeeds in reintroducing virtue and religion as positive forces in a fantasy setting.
Frankly, this book didn't sound all that great. I wasn't going to buy it, but I did enjoy the other books in this world and so when it was free, I grabbed a copy. I'm glad I did. Actually, it was so good I feel a little guilty for not paying for it. It's a collection of stories in a fantasy world of 6th century Romans, twelfth century French and Vikings, and lots of fae races. It's about politics, war, adventure, and religion, and none of it is boring.
There is a small amount of philosophy patterned after classical and scholastic writers, but it's not enough to slow the action down, just enough to give life to the world and the characters. I was surprised that it could be done so well.
An excellent series of stories that give a greater context to the Throne of Bones book. These stories take place, and were written, before Throne of Bones and are a great launching point for the main story. Vox Day is very improved in this book if you didn't care for his writing style in previous works.
Highly recommended for fantasy fans looking for something a little different (Roman vs standard Medieval setting) but still use enough of the classic tropes to make the world feel very familiar. The philosophical sections are also well written, as they do not drag on so long as to make the reader bored or strain the brain. They are introduced gradually and at relevant points to the main story.
This story is good in it's own right, and can stand completely alone. The additional material here is not as good as the extras in The Last of the Witchkings, but is not bad. Marcus's trip is a more complete tale than the other shorts from the series.
Overall, I enjoy Vox's short offerings much more than A Throne of Bones, and recommend this without hesitation, as it moves at a good clip and offers interesting world building.
I think the world-building here is the best thing, and the intelligent way most of the characters are written. There is a ton of exposition in this book, but that's not a bad thing. I actually found those to be some of the best parts. Lodi's recounting of the siege of Iron Mountain was fantastic. From the original idea, to the dialogue, the world building, and the excellent use of exposition, it's obvious that Vox Day is a skilled author, and here is a world that is worth digging into.
Further, this book tells the story well. It is a different kind of hero's quest, but one that was a lot of fun to read. I was not far into the book before I couldn't put it down. This story explores ideas and themes that are usually ignored, and that makes it interesting and surprising. Plus, I was surprised to learn that there are two short stories included after the novella. Both are good, and one was fantastic.
I do however agree with Dar's criticism of a plot hole. Refer to his review for discussion of that. I think he's right, but I also agree with him that it's not a major flaw for the enjoyment of the story.
Very interesting book, better than most fantasy nowadays, thus the four stars. Unlike most fantasy set in pseudo-medieval times, it takes religion as seriously as did folk in the middle ages. Given the tremendous influence religion had on society then, the lack of such is glaring in most pseudo-medieval settings and renders many fantasy books inorganic and hollow. (Katherine Kurtz's Deryni novels are another example of a medieval setting that endeavors to portray the large role religion played in society.)
The central question/plot objective in SE is to answer the question, "Do elves have souls?" A brilliant clerical trainee is sent among them, Jesuit-to-the-Hurons style(1), to gather data and report back to the head of the church. And these elves, though civilized, are as dangerous as the Indians were to the settlers of Canada. Get on their wrong side and you end up being tortured to death for fun & games.
Worth the time and money, especially if you want to see a more fully-formed medieval setting that has a richer cultural feel than most.
(1) Reminiscent of the film "Black Robe."
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