Enchanted Pilgrimage by Clifford D. Simak

The best of Simak’s D&D-ish fantasy novels

Clifford D. Simak is one of my favorite science fiction writers. I set myself the task of reading his complete works and have almost completed that task. In addition to science fiction, Simak also wrote a few novels in the fantasy genre, along the lines of Dungeons & Dragons or The Lord of the Rings. The most obvious examples are The Fellowship of the Talisman and Where the Evil Dwells, but to a lesser extent The Goblin Reservation, Destiny Doll, and a few other Simak novels also contain elements from this fantasy genre. For the most part, Simak’s sword-and-sorcery novels are not my cup of tea. I think he is much better at science fiction, and other writers handle this brand of fantasy better than he. However, of his fantasy works, Enchanted Pilgrimage, published in 1975, is clearly his best foray into the genre.

The story is set in medieval times. Mark Cornwall is a scholar at Wyalusing University. While studying in the university library, he discovers a mysterious page of manuscript parchment hidden in a book. Although he isn’t clear on exactly what the written message means, he is convinced of its importance. Other parties must be convinced as well, because they are willing to kill to get their hands on the parchment. To decipher the meaning of the manuscript, Cornwall ventures on a journey away from civilization, through the perilous Wastelands, to seek out the legendary Old Ones, who may be able to help him understand this mysterious message. Through various circumstances, he assembles a party of traveling companions that includes a goblin, a gnome, an intelligent raccoon, and a hobbit or two (though Simak never uses the word “hobbit,” that’s pretty much what he describes). Together, these brave adventurers face a host of monsters and perils in the Wasteland, while fleeing the murderous pursuers who aim to get their hands on the valuable piece of parchment.

For the most part, this book is a Dungeons & Dragons-style quest narrative, but it does incorporate some science fiction elements towards the end. That’s really what makes this book a cut above The Fellowship of the Talisman and Where the Evil Dwells. The fact that Simak is able to incorporate some of his visionary science fiction concepts into the narrative elevates it above a typical romp through the D&D Monster Manual. The oddest thing about Enchanted Pilgrimage is that the much-coveted sheet of parchment that everyone’s fighting over ends up being rather irrelevant in the end. It merely serves as an impetus to start the adventurers on their journey. What’s most important is the quest, and what they find at the end. The events that punctuate the travelers’ trek are sufficiently exciting and suspenseful to keep the reader keenly interested throughout, and despite the presence of fantastical and mythical beings, what occurs rarely steps outside the boundaries of a reasonable logic that Simak has established for this fantasy world.

Readers familiar with Simak’s body of work will recognize some of the themes and concepts employed here from other books in the author’s oeuvre. Nevertheless, this is a significantly original story that uses those ideas in new ways. Enchanted Pilgrimage is by no means a masterpiece, but it is a good, solid entry in the fantasy genre. Though not among his best works, Simak fans and fantasy enthusiasts alike should find this a fun and entertaining read.
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