I first read this novel as a teenager, and my only recollection of it was that I enjoyed it a great deal. I’d only vaguely remembered some plot details—it’s set in an indeterminate medieval-ish time period somewhere in a forest featuring the titular fort-like structure, and it involves a conflict between men and dogs—but I was yearning to read it again. My second read reveals why some tales appeal to us more when we’re younger.

First, the positives. “The Haven” is a rollicking good adventure novel—a straightforward tale of war between men and anthropomorphic dogs (yes, all the animals in this novel—dogs, wolves, birds—can talk). Very subtle dashes of the Trojan War and “Planet of the Apes” season an otherwise standard story featuring light romance and heavily brutal battle scenes. With no abstract philosophical ideas or ponderous themes to consider, the characters are concerned only with survival, dominance, and power. Mourning the loss of fellow soldiers is about as profound as the emotion gets in this novel. Diamond’s tone is appropriately serious but not melodramatically so—he knows he’s telling a rather ordinary story (albeit with some extraordinary fantastical touches), and he chooses his words accordingly.

As for the drawbacks…well, there’s really very little beyond the surface of this tale. At a few points along the way, Diamond creates opportunities for himself to use one of his hero’s (Nigel) quest for the “New Lands” as a metaphor for the value of history; Nigel and his fellow explorers/soldiers discover ancient texts, and I was anticipating some thematic resonance between the past and the future, some “bigger meaning” for one of the major plot strands. But it turned out to be simply one more way for the humans to gain a tactical advantage in their war with the dogs—which, I suppose, could fall under the category of using-knowledge-from-the-past-to-make-the-future-better.

So, if it’s profound literature with complex themes that you seek, search elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you’re simply seeking a fun adventure—the literary equivalent of a popcorn movie—you’ll find it in the pages of “The Haven.” ( )

RISING SHADOW review of Graham Diamond's The Haven

Details
Published on Sunday, 10 November 2013 13:21
Written by Seregil of Rhiminee

Graham Diamond's debut novel, The Haven, was republished by Lion Books in October 2013 (it was originally published by Playboy Press in 1977 and by Magnum in 1979).

A REVIEW OF GRAHAM DIAMOND'S THE HAVEN

Graham Diamond's The Haven is an exceptionally good and unique fantasy novel. It's a story about how men, wolves and birds fight against cunning dogs and dangerous vampire bats. It's a story about dreams, hopes, courage, war and learning things from those who have lived before.

It's great that The Haven has finally been republished, because it has been out-of-print for years. It's a charmingly dark adventure story that will keep readers turning pages until they've reached the last page.
It's been a long time since I've read anything like it (to be honest, I've never actually read anything quite like it, but I've read a few novels, which remind me of it). I was impressed by the author's writing style and ability to move the story forward, because the story flowed effortlessly and beautifully from start to finish.

Here's a bit of the plot:
- Soldiers of the Haven find a farmhouse and notice that the family has been brutally massacred. They bring news about the massacre to the Haven, which is the greatest city of the Empire (it has massive walls and tall towers, and the forests surrounding it are endless).

- A young noble, Nigel, a botanist, wants to explore these vast and endless Forest, but the Council of the Haven doesn't allow it. Nigel wants to find out what lies beyond.

- The vicious dogs that live in the Forest are about to attack the Haven with full force; they have found themselves a Master. Under the leadership of Toland, a Great Pack is formed and the dogs are planning of wiping out the mankind entirely.
The Council decides that Nigel, Lawrence, and Desmond and a small group of soldiers shall enter the Forest.to find a path through...

Graham Diamond has created an extraordinary story. He has plenty of imagination and he knows how to use it to his advantage by creating a memorable tale, and avoiding clichés.

Considering that The Haven is Graham Diamond's first novel, the characterization is amazingly fluent and the author has managed to create intriguing and realistic characters. I like the way Graham Diamond writes, gradually revealing details about them as the story progresses.

Main characters include Nigel, Desmond, but there are also several others. Nigel is a lord of the Haven, a member of the Council. He's in love with Gwenn. Desmond is a soldier and Nigel's friend. The author writes beautifully about both and their difficult choices.

The animal characters are also interesting; the author has created them perfectly and writes fluently about their feelings about the happenings.
One of the best things about the characterization is that the author pays attention to duty and honour. The characters have duties and they act honourably, but they're also capable of doing less than honourable things.

There are several memorable and interesting scenes in this novel. These scenes incluce the meeting with the wolves, the adventures in the forest and the desperate war against the dogs. The flashbacks are also interesting, because they reveal details about the characters.

Graham Diamond's descriptions of the forest areas are lush and vivid. It was thrilling to read about the adventures in the Forest, where Nigel and his men face all kinds of dangers.
The author has a fantastic way of writing about the frenzy and brutality of the war against the dogs. The battle scenes are bloody, ruthless and full of action. The author shows that everybody has something to lose in the war and one must be prepared to accept the losses, because the fighting is done for greater good.

Graham Diamond writes entertaining and fluent prose. His desciptions about the happenings are genuinely interesting and exciting (it's easy for a reader to imagine how much terror the characters feel when they have to fight for their lives). I'm sure that every reader, who begins to read this novel, wants to find out what happens to mankind and the Dwellers at the end of the story.

The author reveals fascinating glimpses of the world's ancient history to his readers. I won't say more about the history of the world, because I might reveal too many things, but I'll mention that the author has interesting surprises in store for his readers. I'll also briefly mention that an old and legendary tale is used in an intriguing way.

I think it's nice that the author uses animal fantasy in this novel, because there aren't many authors who write animal fantasy. Although there are elements of animal fantasy in this novel, it isn't your usual kind of animal fantasy. Most readers probably think of Richard Adams' Watership Down or Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows when animal fantasy is mentioned, but this novel has nothing in common with them. In my opinion this novel is slighly reminiscent of William Horwood's The Wolves of Time duology, but only slightly, because there are several differences between this duology and The Haven.

The Haven is considered to be a cult novel. I understand why. It's an exciting novel that differs quite a lot from other fantasy novels. There aren't many fantasy novels which can be compared to this one in terms of style and storytelling, because the author has successfully combined several elements. Graham Diamond has written a novel that stands out and dares to be different.

Although The Haven is a debut novel, it doesn't feel like a debut novel. It's a fully fleshed fantasy novel with plenty of action and adventure. I give this novel full five stars for its story and entertainment values.

I can highly recommend Graham Diamond's The Haven to all readers who enjoy reading fantasy, dark fantasy and animal fantasy. The Haven is unique, because it's something different. It's a refreshingly dark and entertaining fantasy adventure that will appeal to readers.

Excellent entertainment!

Rising Shadow ( )