phantásienreisen Archives - Tachyon Publications

phantásienreisen

November 1, 2017

Peter S. Beagle’s IN CALABRIA is one of the best books of 2017

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized best of 2017, elizabeth story, in calabria, peter s beagle, phantásienreisen, Publishers Weekly, review

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY declares Peter S. Beagle’s IN CALABRIA as one of the top 7 SF/Fantasy/Horror titles of 2017.

In this brief, magnificent story, in which a unicorn gives birth in a hollow on the scraggly farm of a misanthropic Calabrian poet, legendary fantasy author Beagle displays his unmatched facility with the nuances of language and the juxtaposition of the timeless and fantastical with the modern and mundane. Each word is precisely chosen and placed for vivid effect, the story soaked with unabashed emotion and strewn with Technicolor set pieces.

Photo: Rina Weisman

The German language site PHANTÁSIENREISEN praises the novel.

All that would be enough material for a wonderful novel. But Peter S. Beagle does not stop there. By the way, he also tells us a story of loss and family, of remembering and letting go. On top of that, he packs a love story, which, though becoming obvious, but never intrusive, and a threat from the mafia. Granted, that sounds crazy and somehow too much. In fact, all this works together but surprisingly well, because Peter S. Beagle has managed to naturally interweave and tell these very different topics together.

Throughout the novel, Peter S. Beagle also succeeds in expressing itself in a few words. Information, adjectives and explanations are handled sparingly in the book, which is only 174 pages long. Only what is necessary at this moment for action is pronounced. Emotions, fears, longings, interpersonal relationships – all the things that are usually hard to describe in words, Peter S. Beagle tells us between the lines. What we need to know to understand the characters, we learn through looks, touch, hesitation, the unspoken and small steps. For a long time now, I have not read a book that narrates its story in such a subtle, unplacative way, which picks up its readers and allows them to freely explore their world instead of giving them a rigid frame without imaginary, showcase interpretational freedom. A very soothing read.

Conclusion:

With IN CALABRIA, Peter S. Beagle has not simply presented yet another story about unicorns, but a resonant story about being human, about our society, about loving and failing, about responsibility and respect for ourselves and the world around us.

Translation from German courtesy of Google

For more info about IN CALABRIA, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

September 29, 2017

Tachyon tidbits featuring Peter S. Beagle

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized elizabeth story, geekify, german, in calabria, kickstarter, peter s beagle, phantásienreisen, sally quinn, tarot deck, the last unicorn, the new york times book reviews

The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web.

Photo: Rina Weisman

GEEKIFY has launched a Kickstarter for THE LAST UNICORN –
Tarot & Oracle Deck.

Nearly 35 years ago, the timeless book THE LAST UNICORN by Peter S. Beagle was turned into an animated movie. With music by America, voices by Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Christopher Lee, Angela Lansbury, Alan Arkin, and Tammy Grimes, and the immense talent of the animators and creatives who would later form Studio Ghibli, THE LAST UNICORN was an incredible film that gripped the minds and hearts of all who grew up with it. Though the movie was released decades ago, the music and iconic scenes and lines still echo through our minds. Sadly, there were only a small handful of things ever made for THE LAST UNICORN many of them incredibly rare and hard to come by nowadays.

That’s where we come in! At GEEKIFY, our mission is to capture the feelings and essence of those experiences that shape us and that we hold dear, and to create pieces of the fictional worlds we fall in love with. We recently acquired the licensing rights to create merchandise for THE LAST UNICORN as a personal passion of ours, and one which we want to share with the world. We’ve spent months drawing up plans, creating new artwork, building and designing samples and prototypes, and dreaming up the things we wanted to create.

One of the ideas we’ve been turning around the longest has been a Tarot deck based on THE LAST UNICORN – the themes, the journey, the visuals, and the story all lend itself flawlessly to the nature and structure of a Tarot deck. Each character of the story is multi-faceted, facing their own challenges and having their own motivations, weaving a beautiful tapestry perfectly suited to the reflective and foretelling nature of the Tarot decks.

THE LAST UNICORN Tarot Deck will be a full 78 card deck
(no pip decks here!), laced with the lore and mythology of THE LAST UNICORN story as it pertains to the cycle and interpretations of the Tarot.

There’s been a lot of contention from fans and owners alike about the past and future of THE LAST UNICORN. Licensing and rights ownership are sometimes a murky thing, and creators don’t always get the credit they are due. While our licensing agreement is with ITV (the rights holder for merchandise based on the movie) and is unaffiliated with Avicenna Development Corporation and independent of the recent legal contention, Peter has created something timeless for all of us, and we want to go above and beyond to show our appreciation.

To that end, to honor the author and creator we all love, we are voluntarily allocating a percentage of all of the proceeds directly for Peter’s benefit, independently of our licensing agreement.

In an interview with THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, Sally Quinn (FINDING MAGIC: A
SPIRITUAL MEMOIR) mentions THE LAST UNICORN.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

I usually read books about what I’m working on — in this case a novel. “Learning to Love,” by Thomas Merton; “Ireland’s Holy Wars,” by Marcus Tanner; “Vows,” by Peter Manseau; “The Confessions of Saint Augustine”; “The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats,” edited by Richard J. Finneran; “The Life of W. B. Yeats,” by Terence Brown; and “The Last Unicorn,” by Peter Beagle.

The German site PHANTÁSIENREISEN recounts some of their recent purchases on their recent UK trip.

The current unicorn
trend I can not win anything, even though I have a soft spot for
these magical beings since childhood. But when Peter S. Beagle,
creator of THE LAST UNICORN, presents us a new story, I can not
resist. Cover and flap lyrics of IN CALABRIA promise a classic tale,
modern fairy tale in front of the picturesque backdrop of Italy. Here
I have accessed without hesitation. In this confidence, I had not
looked at the book on the sot at all and only discovered at home the
praise of Gregory Maguire, author of the genius WICKED", another
point which suggested that me magical readings are imminent.

Translation from German, courtesy of Google

For more info about IN CALABRIA, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story