(Probably Found) Book including an adversity to iron.

[Cinderfall]

Hi all!
I've tried to find this book for many years but I have so little information that Google is useless. I'd appreciate any leads, no matter how tenuous.

It was a book I read in school in the early 90's so I'd assume publication in the 80's.

The genre was fantasy.

My main impression was of a grim setting and an aura of hopelessness.

I'm pinning my hopes on a singular episode: the main characters were in a tunnel/ chasm setting, and swung across a void by means of an iron spike driven into the cave wall. The explanation given was that the adversaries abhorred iron and would be unable to follow.

I've looked for this book for twenty years now on and off, it's a long shot but any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hitmouse]

There is quite a lot of iron aversion stuff in The Saga of the Exiles books by Julian May.

 

[Cinderfall]

Cheers hitmouse, I'll have a read and see! Memory is so tenuous I think I'll have to read a bunch of "possibles" to be sure but that seems an excellent place to start.

 

[williamjm]

Magical creatures having an aversion to iron comes from mythology and appears in a lot of fantasy - for example, the Saga of the Exiles bases the Tanu and Firvulag on the mythical Sidhe. I can't remember that particular scene being in the series, but it has been a long time since I read it.

 

[Ponyboy]

Cant picture that scene but made me think of Three Hearts and Three Lions Poul Anderson

 

[PaulMmn]

Magical creatures having an aversion to iron comes from mythology and appears in a lot of fantasy - for example, the Saga of the Exiles bases the Tanu and Firvulag on the mythical Sidhe. I can't remember that particular scene being in the series, but it has been a long time since I read it.

Ditto Mercedes Lackey's novels about the Sidhe and other mythical creatures who can't tolerate iron unless it's insulated in silk (?).

 

[BAYLOR]

Cheers hitmouse, I'll have a read and see! Memory is so tenuous I think I'll have to read a bunch of "possibles" to be sure but that seems an excellent place to start.

There is also Robert E Howards sheet story The Devil in Iron Though that's not what you're looking for. Its a classic Conan the Barbarian sword and soccer story . ive seen it in a number of different anthologies over the years . The being in that book was demon name Kosatral Khel who emerged from earth and took on the form of gigantic human whose body is made of Iron. He all but invulnerable. One type of weapon he has an aversion to which can harm him is any weapons made from the Iron a meteor.

 

[Vince W]

There is also Robert E Howards sheet story The Devil in Iron Though that's not what you're looking for. Its a classic Conan the Barbarian sword and soccer story .

I remember that one. Conan plays centre forward, get called offside, goes berserk and runs the ref through. He gets sent off with a red card as a result.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

BAYLOR, I think you must be the victim of auto-correct there... and I'll add, Vince W, your response might be my favorite post of the year here at the site.