Wizard tries to liberate woman from her crystal palace.

[jcarmbruster]

Years ago, I read an excellent novel which may have a title like "The Crystal Castle" or "The Crystal Palace." The two characters are a woman and a man. The woman has created a palace, or castle, of supernatural energies. But she has forgotten about the outside world, and is lost in it.

The man, himself a magician/wizard, discovers the palace (which I believe was suspended in outer space), and slowly finds his way into it, eventually finding her, and becomes entrapped in the palace. She eventually comes to realize he is not a threat, and . . . well, you can guess it ends happily for both of them, can't you?

I was impressed by the author's ability to build up the linking logic of the magical spells. He (She?) really made all the suppositions fit together without contradiction. I also liked the fact that the woman was essentially in charge of the setting throughout--just misguided about what her bests interests were, and what her role in the larger universe might be.

It still ranks in my mind as one of the best pieces of writing I've encountered--just a step below Lord of the Rings, and equal to the best of Heinlein or LeGuin.

Any idea what this book is called, and who the author is? I welcome all hits or misses.

J.C. (John Clifford) Armbruster
Olympia, Washington State, U.S.A.
360-250-2619 (text)

[Lilmizflashythang]

I don't know the name of the book, but I think the series was The Crystal Singer series by Anne McCaffery

[monkeypooper]

Don't know this book but Iv'e read Crystal singer and that's not it

[Lilmizflashythang]

That's why I said series, I know there are about 3-4 books in the series. I just haven't read them.

[ashewyntr]

The Crystal Singer Series is science fiction, about Killishandra Ree, who is a crystal miner of Ballybrann, where the act of harmonizing the crystals degrades memory. No wizards. Some Brain Ships though.

[jcarmbruster]

I know for sure it's not an Anne McCaffrey novel--my wife has practically all the Crystal Singer novels. No, this author is much, much more obscure.

Keep digging, guys and gals. And thanks for the comments.

[Yog-Sothoth]

LOL, I enter 'Crystal palace novel' in google and got this as the first result:



Plot summary

Sorcerer Cray Ormoru and his friend, the seer Feldar Sepwin, craft an enchanted mirror that allows whoever gazes upon it to see their heart's desire. For Cray himself, the mirror remains blank for many years, until one day he sees in it the image of a young girl. With no idea of who she is, he watches the girl transform into a lovely woman over the years, and Cray realizes that he is destined to find her. When he does, he learns that this is Aliza, a sorceress who lives in a crystal palace which is partly within the demon realm and who is dedicated solely to the study of her craft.

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Palace_(novel)