Prescott viewed the book as reminiscent of Austin Tappan Wright's Islandia and E. R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros and Mistress of Mistresses, though not "in a class with them." He felt the author "quite wonderful [in] creating a world of his own and competent enough [in] telling a story of heroic action" but "no hand at characterization," with his characters "only picturesque shadows." He also thought the novel's "allegorical significance" weak, with the result that it "starts out superbly, trumpets blaring and banners flying," but "peters out sadly." In regard to style, he was pleased by "some of its archaisms" and found "some of its stiff rhythms ... flavorsome," but thought "the over-all effect ... pedantic and a bit wearisome."Prescott, Orville. "Books of the Times." in The New York Times, January 9, 1948, page 19.
