Fools Errant

Darleen R. Golke is a high-school teacher-librarian in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.

Filidor Vesh, indolent and pleasure-loving royal nephew and heir to
Dexendah Vesh, Archon of the regions of Old Earth still inhabited by
human beings in the world’s penultimate age, tries to avoid responding
to one of his uncle’s infrequent summonses. Nevertheless, he finds
himself embarking reluctantly on an unplanned journey, accompanied by
the dwarf Gaskarth, who has been assigned by the Archon as an escort and
companion. Hughes leads his “fools” through the departure,
initiation, and return elements of the fantasy genre in a series of
adventures and misadventures over a period of roughly two weeks.

The travelers encounter cultures “founded on one or another singular
principle ... extrapolated to its extremist limits ... a few steps short
of chaos and collapse,” including nature-mad Ektopians, narcissistic
Tarendis, and passionately political Tahmnyans. They face the threat of
the evil thaumaturge Jenbo Lal, giant flying insects, and a mechanical
device with the capacity to destroy their world. Through these
Gulliver-like episodes, Filidor unwittingly fulfils Gaskarth’s
explanation of the duty of the Archon to adjust the inner workings of
dysfunctional cultures through innovation and surprise to achieve “the
progress of esteeming the balance.”

Hughes includes “Discourses and Edifications of Liw Osfeo” for
Filidor’s reading pleasure throughout the journey. Filidor concludes
that he has unwillingly passed a test, gained something of value, and
become a man to be reckoned with. Readers get several surprises at the
climax of the plot.

Young fans of fantasy may find the vocabulary of Fools Errant daunting,
although they will enjoy the adventures. Teenaged readers might be
better equipped to appreciate Hughes’s lavish language and satire.
Recommended.