Patricia A. McKillip at Westercon 64 in the Fairmont San Jose Hotel on Saturday 2 July 2011 (Stephen Gold/Wikimedia Commons)

LARK WRITES praises Patricia A. McKillip’s World Fantasy Award-winning novel THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD.  

5 reasons why I love this book:

• the romance between Sybel and Coren of Sirle
• McKillip’s lyrical prose
• Cyren the Boar’s wisdom and wry riddles
• all the other mythical, magical animals in Sybel’s home
• and did I mention how much I like Coren of Sirle?

Patricia A. McKillip is one of my favorite authors. I never get tired of reading (and rereading) her fantasies. For me, they are all magical reads! She really knows how to create characters that I end up loving. Sybel and Coren are no exception.

WORDNERDY finally gets around to reviewing the classic fantasy.

This is one of those classic fantasy novels people are always recommending to me, but it was never available in a digital format so I was kind of like eh. But now it is being reissued–with an intro by Gail Carriger!–and will finally be available digitally. It’s the story of a young wizard girl, from a line of wizards who care for fantastic creatures of legend, and what happens when a young warrior brings her an infant prince to care for. I will say that it is somewhat rapey (and the protagonist is threatened with even worse things, it is all very upsetting, should we blame it on a 1974 publication date or nah?) but it is beautifully written and well-plotted and moving and etc. Lessons are learned and hugs are given. Good times. A-/B+.

FANTASY CAFE is excited about the new edition.

This new edition of Patricia A. McKillip’s World Fantasy Award-winning novel THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD will be released September 19 (trade paperback, ebook). It contains an introduction by Gail Carriger and has a lovely new cover.

I have read this before (although I have not yet reviewed it!), and it is an excellent book. This and THE CHANGELING SEA are tied for my favorite McKillip books I’ve read so far.

For more info about THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Thomas Canty