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Three Hearts and Three Lions (Fantasy Masterworks)

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Timeless Classic
The Defender of Christendie and Mankind
Shockingly Interesting for it's time! An undeniable classic.
Quick, readable fantasy
A nice, quick escape...

Three Hearts and Three Lions (Fantasy Masterworks)
Poul Anderson
Manufacturer: Gollancz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0575074981

Book Description

The gathering forces of the Dark Powers threaten the world of man. The legions of Faery, aided by trolls, demons and the Wild Hunt itself, are poised to overthrow the Realms of Light. Holger Carlsen, a bemused and puzzled twentieth-century man mysteriously snatched out of time, finds himself the key figure in the conflict. Arrayed against him are the dragons, giants and elven warriors of the armies of Chaos, and the beautiful sorceress Morgan le Fay. On his side is a vague prophecy, a quarrelsome dwarf and a beautiful woman who can turn herself into a swan, not to mention Papillon, the magnificent battle-horse, and a full set of perfectly fitting armour, both of which were waiting for him when he entered the magical realm. The shield bears three hearts and three lions - the only clue to Holger Carlsen's true identity. Could Carlsen really be a legendary hero, the only man who can save the world?

Customer Reviews:

Timeless Classic.......2007-06-28

This here's a true timeless classic of fantasy. I've never read anything by the author before, and have had this one on my shelf for a while. Nearly 60 years after being printed, this novel still seems fresh. There's something for nearly everyone here, pulp adventure, humor, lightness and depth. Should be assigned reading for any wanna be fantasy writer. Quite Christian in nature, but not enough to disturb my inner pagan. Easily recommended.

The Defender of Christendie and Mankind.......2007-02-13

I first read this book over thirty years ago. I remember how much it meant to me even though at that time I didn't understand all the references. I was a little afraid that rereading it again after all these years might prove disappointing to me. It wasn't- if anything I love this book more than ever. I am also amazed that it was written in 1953, for its talk of parallel universes and the principles of quantum physics long predates the popularization of those topics.

Briefly, this is the story of an Americanized agnostic engineer of Danish descent who finds himself battling the Nazis on a beach during WW2. A head wound sends his consciousness across to the other world that he simultaneously inhabits. It is a parallel universe in modern terms, or a "higher plane" in esoteric terminology, but, as he tells himself, this is just substituting words for the same reality. But both worlds are connected, and the agnostic engineer concludes that the connection between the two is...God. He finds that in both the same battle of Law versus Chaos rages. In our world the Nazis threaten to engulf the planet, and in the realer, purer realm of which ours is but a pale reflection, the Middle World threatens to blot out Light forever. But Chaos had failed to account for the fact that in its time of need the universe will call forth a champion on all planes. The only problem is that the champion may not immediately recall who and what he truly is...

Before Zelazny and Amber, before Moorcock and Melnibone, before Thomas Covenant and the Land, or Simon Tregarth and Witch World, there was Holger Carlsen in the Middle World on the marches of the Empire. You can read this as a pure adventure romance (witches, warlocks, elves, faeries dragons, giants, trolls, etc.) or you can get a little more out of it, but it is definitely worth your time.

Shockingly Interesting for it's time! An undeniable classic........2006-02-08

After reading this book there is no doubt in my mind that many many fantasy writer's have mirrored Poul Anderson. I am shocked that this was written as long ago as it was! Poul Anderson was doubtless ahead of his time. Although, this book was awesome I have to admit that since so many books were inspired by this work it makes it fall heavy on the predictable side. Despite this, I am glad that I read it because it is such a classic and Poul Anderson is a genius. The only regret I have is that Poul Anderson has passed on and I've only just discoved him!

Quick, readable fantasy.......2004-07-07

"Three Hearts and Three Lions" is a good book, but it's not great. It was groundbreaking in its time (the 1950s) but now appears dated and rushed, mostly because this book was originally written as a serial for magazines.

Knowing that, it's easier to comprehend the less-than-fully-fleshed-out characterizations. Holger Carlson, our man out of time (he's from the 20th century and is adrift in a new, fantastic world filled with "swan-mays" and witches and elves), is a cipher at the beginning, and is almost as much of one at the end. He wants to do good, and does it -- but is hampered by lack of faith, and is sometimes helped by greater knowledge of engineering, chemistry and especially physics.

All of this is realistic, interesting, and well worth your time to read.

Where this book falls flat, in my opinion, is in the realm of characterization. Granted, this was the 1950s, so Alianora the swan-may's fluffy characterization was about the best most authors would manage. However, Mr. Anderson had already written about a strong woman in "Brainwave" if I recall correctly; he knew how to get strong women across in the marketplace, and moreover, he knew how to write romance.

This is not romance by any stretch of the imagination, although there's a fair amount of sex (along with a goodly amount of violence). Unlike much literature of the 1950s, Mr. Anderson makes Holger question his morality and judgement; this, in my opinion, is the one really good bit of characterization Holger has, and is the only reason he is likable.

The good points about "Three Hearts and Three Lions:" It's quick. It's interesting. It is realistic. And there are spots of humor.

The bad points? There isn't much characterization or romance. Alianora the swan-may is rather trite and boring, and most of the other minor characters are no better. And there isn't much explanation of why everyone recognizes Holger, but why Holger doesn't recognize them.

Still. It's readable, interesting, and has its good points. And it was groundbreaking in the genre.

Better reads by Mr. Anderson include the massive "King of Ys" saga, the Dominic Flandry series, the "Last Viking" trilogy about Harold Hardrede, and "Brainwave."

Compared to those others, this is a three star novel, and that's how I'm rating it.

Barb Caffrey

A nice, quick escape..........2004-03-18

"Three Hearts & Three Lions," published in the early 1950s, certainly proved to be an influential work in the fantasy genre. It is a clear inspiration to writers such as R.A Salvatore (see his Spearwielder series), and many other authors with close ties to TSR. (The Dungeons & Dragons concept of a troll is taken almost verbatim from the sinister creature that appears here.) Poul Anderson writes with a generally favorable prose while relating the tale of Holger Carlson, a Dane who, amidst the chaos of World War II, is transported to a strange, alternate reality where magic is commonplace and he is destined to become the realm's champion in an epic struggle against the forces of Chaos. Some interesting characters crop up (but dialogue is not Anderson's strong point), and a few of the brief, dislocated adventures that somehow manage to appear in so short a read are worthwhile affairs, but there's no overriding sense of purpose in "Three Hearts & Three Lions." The battle between the forces of Law and Chaos is vague at best, and never comes to a head. Female characters are sexual objects with generally irritating personalities (it was the `50s, after all!), and relationships are scarcely solid enough to involve the reader in any significant way. (One character's death is unearned and out of place in the otherwise light-hearted yarn, and is immediately followed by merrymaking that further compounds the problem.) Also, despite several attempts to compare the fantasy royale battle in the novel to the struggles of the second World War, I found few actual parallels that made any sense or even hinted at the same urgency (How could they, after all?). Despite these faults, "Three Hearts & Three Lions" is a nice look back at the genre before it was stolen by blatant commerciality, and it's one of the first in the subgenre of "modern guy (or gal) transported to a magical netherworld to ultimately save the day." The late Anderson offers a nice, quick escape that's very worthwhile to this day.

Average customer rating:

Three Hearts and Three Lions.
Poul. ANDERSON
Manufacturer: Garden City, NY: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JFHWI4

Average customer rating:

The Defender of Christendie and Mankind
My old favorite

Three Hearts and Three Lions

Manufacturer: Fantasy House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739435256

Customer Reviews:

The Defender of Christendie and Mankind.......2007-01-29

I first read this book over thirty years ago. I remember how much it meant to me even though at that time I didn't understand all the references. I was a little afraid that rereading it again after all these years might prove disappointing to me. It wasn't- if anything I love this book more than ever. I am also amazed that it was written in 1953, for its talk of parallel universes and the principles of quantum physics long predates the popularization of those topics.

Briefly, this is the story of an Americanized agnostic engineer of Danish descent who finds himself battling the Nazis on a beach during WW2. A head wound sends his consciousness across to the other world that he simultaneously inhabits. It is a parallel universe in modern terms, or a "higher plane" in esoteric terminology, but, as he tells himself, this is just substituting words for the same reality. But both worlds are connected, and the agnostic engineer concludes that the connection between the two is...God. He finds that in both the same battle of Law versus Chaos rages. In our world the Nazis threaten to engulf the planet, and in the realer, purer realm of which ours is but a pale reflection, the Middle World threatens to blot out Light forever. But Chaos had failed to account for the fact that in its time of need the universe will call forth a champion on all planes. The only problem is that the champion may not immediately recall who and what he truly is...

As the dust jacket reminds us, before Zelazny and Amber, before Moorcock and Melnibone, before Thomas Covenant and the Land, or Simon Tregarth and Witch World, there was Holger Carlsen in the Middle World on the marches of the Empire. You can read this as a pure adventure romance (witches, warlocks, elves, faeries dragons, giants, trolls, etc.) or you can get a little more out of it, but it is definitely worth your time.

This particular Science Fiction Book Club 50th anniversary edition makes a nice addition to your permanent library. It is the one that I chose for mine.

My old favorite.......2006-05-14

When an adolescent,40 some odd years ago,this book stood out as a beacon of meaning within the imaginative world of science fiction.I read all the well known sci-fi writers of the time,& learned from some of them,much of what I later realized was the nature of bitterness,cynicism,absurdism,,nihilistic pain,and the hollowness of having what the Native Americans called losing my center.The story of how my center found me is not the point.I kept going back to this book because it closed with a focus on belief in the victory over corruption,old and evil,and an attempt to go back to a world where truth & justice and glory meant something,& where right was fresh and clean,& wrong was really wrong.I later found the writers who gave Anderson his own literary inspiration,and who gave them theirs.I am still grateful for this book,and I include my thanks for its ability to bring back wonder to daily life,and make me realize that life HERE is glorious,and will be better.
Oh,and it's just great entertainment,and fun,too.

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Three Hearts and Three Lions
Poul Anderson
Manufacturer: Easton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000IFIEMI

THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS -- BARGAIN BOOK

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THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS -- BARGAIN BOOK
POUL ANDERSON
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GPZUNQ

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Three Hearts and Three Lions
Poul Anderson
Manufacturer: Sphere Books Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HESP1A

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Three Hearts and 3 Lions
Poul Anderson
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0441808220

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Three Hearts and Three Lions
Poul Anderson
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NVURKO

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THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS
Poul Anderson
Manufacturer: Doubleday & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IOQCQE

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Three Hearts and Three Lions
Poul Anderson
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000K06ZKY

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