SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY
Maimun is on the run from a demon named Asbeel. He doesn't know why he is special and would rather not be, as it has hurt everyone he has ever known. And it seems this pattern may repeat itself even as he tries to prevent it.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Maimun is a young man who has spent most of his life not asking questions about himself. He desires to see more of the world and to be treated as an equal by Perrault.
Asbeel is a demon who desires an item that Maimun has been given. He will do anything, including kill, in order to get it. Not much is known about him.
Drizzt is an elf we don't learn much about. For some reason, he doesn't expose Maimun when he breaks the law.
Perrault looks after Maimun as a child and takes care of him for years. He can do magic and is quite capable even to the point of bluffing, lying and other less savory tactics. He considers protecting Maimun to be of utmost importance, even if it means screwing other people over.
PACING
The pacing starts fast, as Maimun running for his life. It slows down when he flashes back to his infancy, where he meets Perrault. But things take off not long after. The story is definitely action orientated.
STRUCTURE
The way the story is told is kind of strange. I understand the reasoning, as flashing back to the past often helps the pacing of the story while revealing personal and important information. But it just didn't have the intended effect.
The storys' present is Maimun sitting in a bar being threatened by a pirate who wants to kill him. So Maimun demands he tell his story before he be killed. But honestly, he wasn't very convincing and I didn't get why he wasn't just killed. His story is not essential to the pirate at all.
After that, we go to the end of his relationship with Perrault. And then back to when he was born and first met Perrault. And then back to their relationship ending. So to keep track we are going to three different time periods.
I think the story actually should have started at chapter seven, where Maimun describes not knowing his parents and the mysterious and dangerous events that surrounded him since birth. I found that more interesting, even if the pacing was slower.
A DEATH
Near the beginning of the story, Maimun realizes he just got someone killed. Unfortunately the reader has no idea who Maimun is, let alone the character he got killed. So it means nothing. And when he flash back and slowly get to the know the character and witness his injury and eventual death, we are just waiting for it. It's not a shock, since we already knew it was coming.
Basically, I think the pattern of storytelling was a big mistake.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
Once or twice, the story goes back to the Maimun in the present. It serves no purpose, although perhaps it was trying to make it seem more realistic, like he was being threatened while telling the story. But it just felt unnecessary.
MYSTERIOUS ITEM-SPOILERS
Maimun learns that the item he has been given halfway through the story and told to guard over, has amazing powers (he actually learns this early on, but then we flash back to the beginning).
A SUDDEN CLOSENESS
Maimun feels an inexplicable closeness to Drizzt, a character that is barely in the story. He gets a few pages, then is gone permanently. And yet Maimun expresses such a strong affection for him that makes no sense.
To be fair, I think he points out that he doesn't really know him. But the description of his affection wasn't just illogical, it was cringe worthy.
Drizzt senses that he is an orphan and says he will get a new family. And yet, such sentiments seem unwarranted and feel forced. Nothing so deep was expressed about Perrault, a man who was actually close to Maimun.
SIX YEARS
Maimun reveals he spent six years with Perrault, traveling all over. But he doesn't reveal much about their relationship or himself during those times. So I guess nothing really happened. We are just meant to know that Perrault became his foster-father.
FATHER & SON-SPOILERS
There is some complexity between the relationship between Perrault and Maimun. When pirates attack a ship they are on Maimun learns that Perrault was the one who sent for him. Turns out if they take charge, they will take the ship to where he wants (as opposed to the captain). Maimun is furious when he realizes this but they don't discuss this for long as other events quickly unfold.
THE LECTURE
Perrault lectures Maimun about using his time well when he doesn't get around to reading a book. I actually thought this would come back later to be meaningful to the plot. But it never did.
MAIMUN'S FRIEND
Maimun meets a girl on the ship that he and Perrault hitch a ride on. But they are basically acquaintances, so when Maimun sees her later in pain because of Perrault, his anger doesn't have the affect on the reader as I wish it would. If he had gotten close to her and known her longer, then it would have had such a greater impact, and Maimun's fury would be better understood.
ABOUT MAIMUN-SPOILERS
Maimun doesn't feel that deep of a character. He spends years with Perrault, but just kind of ignores his own past. And it's not until the climax that he shows any fury at his fate (which he has no control over). And he quickly admits he has no choice in it so just accepts it.
And when he is targeted by a bounty hunter, he thinks that he doesn't want to put the other sailors at risk. But he barely knows them. I wish there was some time to form an actual friendship. Instead we just keep learning that Maimun is a victim and cannot make friends, because they would get hurt.
A PRIESTESS
Maimun goes for help for Perrault to a woman named Jaide. She ends up fighting Asbeel and risking her life, but again, it doesn't feel like a sacrifice because we don't know her. And she gives him some vague advice: “Run away. You'll be lucky.” Not much help.
CLIMAX-SPOILERS
Maimun fails at the one task he has been given and then Asbeel shows up. But instead of killing Maimun, he inquires to the item he came for, annoyed at his preys incompetence. The story ends with this cliff hanger.
CONCLUSION
The story was interesting but was hampered by the way it was told.
There is plenty of action regarding pirates, the Demon Asbeel and an amazing horse that runs over water. As well as suspense regarding the item that Maimun receives and it's strange abilities.
But I wish there had been more to the relationship between Perrault and Maimun or there had been a chance for Maimun to become friends with someone. His only relationship is with his foster-father and it doesn't feel important enough to carry the story.
I give “The Stowaway” two and half stars.
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