R.L. Fisher- "The Prince of Whales"

I really enjoyed this one, very short and sweet, simple and easy to follow. In fact I finished it in one night. [TOR, 1985, 151 pages] It concerns talking and singing and even flying whales, and weird dream dimensions. 

Just looking at the cover made me buy this book. Whales have always fascinated me, very majestic animals, but especially due to their songs. This book focuses a lot on music, and as a musician it connected with me in that way too. A lot of music terminology is used well. Many aquatic puns and phrases keep it fun and provide a certain charm. There are black and white ink drawings throughout; however the simple, almost childish writing style makes me think that a more colorful illustration style may have fit very well. 

A young whale named Toby is the protagonist. At the beginning of the novel he is shunned by the rest of his pod for 'dreamsinging', where he sings in his sleep. He takes singing lessons from a whale, Maestro Ballini, who sends Toby on a quest to find his own voice. The Pod, travelling stealthily to avoid whalers, makes their migration south. Toby stays a short distance as he practices singing, so that it will not alert the hunters to the whole Pod's location. 

Toby ends up meeting Thes, a spirit who guides Toby through the dream dimension, eventually taking him across the world, to different environments, including a human city. From Thes he learns more about his 'dreamsinging'- and learns of Diomeda, the Dream Eater, the malicious spirit who wishes to take form again, and corrupts all life in order to do so. the Dream Singers who opposed him are mere legends to Toby's pod. 

After this visit to the dream dimension, Toby finds himself separated from his Pod. Eventually he is compelled to swim down to the ocean floor. Here he meets King Crab, or K.C. (basically a cameo where the book nods to the blues.) In the end he finds the Source- which is a glowing, enchanting surface beneath the ocean. Toby is threatened by a gang of orcas (seem like sleazy executives or something) to sing at Paradise Caverns for the Grand Supreme Emperor. This figure turns out to be another guise of Diomeda, who entrances his subjects with music, and runs a false 'paradise'. 

When it is Toby's time to perform, he refuses to sing what the orcas had made him rehearse, and instead sang his own song. The lyrics to the song are sweet. Eventually the beauty of his song causes all of nature to start singing in harmony; even land animals. In order to sway the humans, however, much more was required. Many feared to truly listen to the music with their hearts, and would not let it transform them. These humans launch an assault on Toby's choir with their "Iron Beasts" or steam boats. These are again revealed to be humans under the Dream Eater's spell. Mundo, leader of the orcas who recruited Toby, takes a harpoon in order to save Toby. The chorus breaks into a lament for the fallen whale. At long last, every human and animal has managed to join in on the mass, global music. This is what it takes to finally set free Diomeda's spirit.

A little long for a kids' book, but not long enough to be really a full fantasy novel. It's a strange book, simple and funny yet it has its deep moments. It focuses on global love, and togetherness with nature that can be joined in by all. I would definitely recommend this for a young reader or an adult looking for a quick, wholesome charmer.

Next one will be a little more ambitious. There's still an ocean of books out there...

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