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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
This World Fantasy Award winner is a spellbinding tale of chilling sorcery, human complexities, and dynastic war. "Like the Ring trilogy or the Earthsea books . . . this magical moonlit fantasy has dignity and romance, heart-stopping suspense, adventure, richness of concept and language."--"Publishers Weekly"
About the Author
Patricia McKillip won the very first World Fantasy Award for THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD, and has gone on to win many more awards in the field, including the Mythopoeic Award. She lives in Oregon, USA
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this book many years ago, and then managed to lose my copy of it. I rebought it recently, and I was afraid that perhaps being older and more critical it might not be as good as I remembered. I had no need to fear; for sheer beauty of writing, evoking all that is best in fairy stories in a truly original way, I honestly don't think I've ever read anything better. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to read fantasy with a sense of wonder again, with both the magic and the powerful emotions of the characters, light and dark, coming through strongly.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This well written evocation of a vaguely Celtic fantasy world is an excellent addition to the usually reliable "Masterwork" series, and is a memorable, thought provoking work.
Its story is not so much predictable as inevitable, the reader can probably predict how the various characters will end up, but this is not a criticism, rather the opposite : their motivations and personalities are established clearly and strongly.
The magic here works in a similar way to that in Ursula le Guin's fantastic "Earthsea" books: naming things gives wizards power over them. It is not as clearly defined as in the le Guin books, making it easier for McKillip to use sorcery as a plot device, since what it can and cannot do is never really spelt out. This has the detrimental effect, however of the magic system never being as believable as in the "Wizard of Earthsea."
This novel is sharp and fast moving, very pacifistic in outlook, very feminine almost, if such a description is not too politically incorrect. My only real problem was with Sybel's behaviour after her duel with the powerful rival wizard. Keeping her motivation secret from Coren, but not from his brothers seems pointless in plot terms and somewhat out of character.
Lord Dunsany is another influence, obvious in some of the elaborate vowel heavy names of places and people...surely the wizard named "Myk" is a mistake though, it looks good on the page but try reading aloud : the mighty mage Mike just doesn't sound right somehow.
Its story is not so much predictable as inevitable, the reader can probably predict how the various characters will end up, but this is not a criticism, rather the opposite : their motivations and personalities are established clearly and strongly.
The magic here works in a similar way to that in Ursula le Guin's fantastic "Earthsea" books: naming things gives wizards power over them. It is not as clearly defined as in the le Guin books, making it easier for McKillip to use sorcery as a plot device, since what it can and cannot do is never really spelt out. This has the detrimental effect, however of the magic system never being as believable as in the "Wizard of Earthsea."
This novel is sharp and fast moving, very pacifistic in outlook, very feminine almost, if such a description is not too politically incorrect. My only real problem was with Sybel's behaviour after her duel with the powerful rival wizard. Keeping her motivation secret from Coren, but not from his brothers seems pointless in plot terms and somewhat out of character.
Lord Dunsany is another influence, obvious in some of the elaborate vowel heavy names of places and people...surely the wizard named "Myk" is a mistake though, it looks good on the page but try reading aloud : the mighty mage Mike just doesn't sound right somehow.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a neglected classic of the fantasy genre. McKillip tells the story of Sybil and Coren in a setting which is beautifully realized without detracting from the developing relationships between the characters, which is what the novel is really all about. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is refreshingy different in that the fate of the imagined world is not what is really at stake, but rather the personal realtionships of a sorceress, a nobleman and a lost prince. The Boar, Cyrin, is also one of the most memorable characters I have encountered in twenty years of reading fantasy fiction.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beauty and the Beasts!
I only can say if Chapter 6 of this book is not the best piece of literature you have read in a long time then something is missing from your life. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Jenny Lee Bates
A good read
A very ggod fantasy book which proves again the not all the best fantasy writers are male. complements other books written by this author. very well wriiten
Published on 19 April 2009 by Mr. I. R. Rawnsley
Not one of McKillip's better
While enjoyable, this book does not meet the same standards that I've come to expect from Patricia McKillip. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2005 by bookaholic
A wonderful thing to get cozy on the couch with
this book is wonderfull and I couldn't put it down.. it was reccomended by a friend who read it 2 or 3 times. Its Great!
Published on 3 Sep 1999
Delicious! I can still taste it!
I read THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD this past summer, and whenever I recall it, the general essence of the book, it's feel, comes back. Read more
Published on 27 Dec 1998
A human conflict in a fantasy world...
...with the power to chill you to the bone. Sybel is a complex protagonist that you do not always love but with whom you can usually empathize. Read more
Published on 25 Oct 1998
One of the BEST!!!!
One of my very favorites! I've read this many times over the past few years, I find the story finely crafted and I share it with everyone I can. Two thumbs up!
Published on 25 April 1998
Peace & hope to the child in each of you.
This book arrived just before X'mas & was possibly the best X'mas present I could have given myself. I actually sent an email to all my friends to tell them to read this. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 1998
Magnificent work of fantasy, with real characters
One of the finest works of fantasy ever written--it's no wonder it's still in print after over a dozen years. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 1997
A well-spun tale of love, treachery and magic.
This book is one of the very best I have ever read (And I have read A LOT). McKillip really brings out the emotions of Sybel, the story's heroine. Read more
Published on 24 Nov 1997
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