Lyonesse is one of the most important cycles of Jack Vance oœuvre and often recognized as a major milestone of fantasy literature (rightly). The Garden of Suldrun is the first volume of a trilogy published there almost thirty years. All he took wrinkles? The presentation of the Vance universe may seem confusing to some, a learned fantastic mixture and History. The action takes place in the Old Isles, an archipelago of islands located somewhere between southern England and Brittany. We find many links with history, including the myth of King Arthur (and Celts, etc.), however it is far from the historical novel with magicians hidden behind the figures of power and other extravaganzas. Suldrun, daughter of King Casmir, King of Lyonesse, seems to be the heroine of the story. She did not stay long. The entire novel is built on the contrast between Troicinet and Lyonesse, two of the most powerful kingdoms of Ancient Isles. Princes forgotten, vacant thrones, alliances, spies, military strategies: everything is there to intrigue in pagailles. And just imagine that the sauce is good. The substance loosens somewhat middle course where Vance simply follow the peregrinations us more or less interesting to some of the major protagonists. However this does not take away the qualities of the work, even if they are to find in the old pots (the shadow of Tolkien, among others).
