Patricia McKillip is een Amerikaanse auteur van fantasy en sciencefiction, onderscheiden door haar lyrische, delicate proza en nauwgezette aandacht voor detail en karakterisering. Haar verhalen spelen zich vaak af in omgevingen die doen denken aan de Middeleeuwen, waar personages mysterieuze krachten en onzekere oorsprongen tegenkomen. Muziek speelt vaak een vitale rol in haar werk, naast de complexe dynamiek van familiebanden en onenigheid. McKillips unieke stem duikt in thema's van verborgen identiteiten en de aantrekkingskracht van het onbekende.
Sybel, an heiress to a lineage of powerful wizards, lives in isolation within her enchanting mansion, surrounded by magical beasts. Each creature serves a unique role, from the treasure-seeking dragon to the vengeful falcon. Her quest for the elusive Liralen leads her to a soldier who brings an infant, awakening her to the complexities of love, betrayal, and untapped power in a world where magic and humanity intertwine. This journey challenges her solitude and reveals the deeper connections between her enchanted existence and the human realm.
Following the novel The Sorceress and the Cygnet, McKillip's characters, the sorceress Nyx and her cousin Meguet, are plunged into the mystery of the firebird, whose haunting cry transforms objects at random. To uncover the identity of the legendary creature who turns into a nameless man at sunrise, they are swept to the edge of the world.
THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD is a spellbinding tale of chilling sorcery, human complexities, and dynastic war. Sybel is just sixteen when she is given a baby to raise. Born and brought up on Eld Mountain, with only the fantastic creatures called there by wizardry as playmates, she knows nothing of humankind . . . until the baby awakens emotions she never knew she had. And when Coren, the man who brought the baby to Sybel, returns to Eld, her serenity is shattered once again.
For over twenty years, World Fantasy Award winner Patricia A. McKillip has captured the hearts and imaginations of thousands of readers. Now at last her renowned Riddle-Master trilogy– The Riddle-Master of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind –long out of print, is collected in one volume.It is considered her most enduring and beloved work. Now it is collected in one volume for the first time–the epic journeys of a young prince in a strange land, where wizards have long since vanished...but where magic is waiting to be reborn.
Somewhere in a far galaxy a being inconceivably alien is surging tumultuously from an unimaginable womb. In a solitary cell on the Underworld, the vast prison-satellite in perpetual Earth-orbit, Terra Viridian is tormented by a vision, an imperative which has already driven her to an insane bloodletting. On an Earth embalmed in peace by a ubiquitous bureaucracy, the Magician weaves his musical spells and tries to close his mind to the thoughts of others. - just three links in a chain stretching across space and time towards a testing as awesome as it is unpredictable.
A magical tale of a world where the wizards have disappeared, but the lore of the riddle-masters hold sway; of the prophecy that linked the Starbearer to the end of the age; and of Morgon, reluctant Starbearer, and the quest he must undertake in the distant fastness of the Erlenstar Mountain.
Stories deal with dragons, kings, outlaws, dream weavers, an alien poet, a frustrated musician, a water spirit, mermaids, demons, and an enchanted dove
A knight named Cyan Dag embarks on a perilous quest after learning from a mysterious bard that his king has married a false queen, hidden by ancient sorcery. Driven by honor and loyalty, he aims to rescue the true queen from her tower prison, thwart impending war, and restore magic to a land in decline. This adventure intertwines themes of loyalty, bravery, and the struggle against dark forces, as Cyan confronts challenges that test his resolve and the fate of his kingdom.
Corleu was different from the typical dark-haired Wayfolk. His blond hair and his fascination with the legends and children's rhymes about the Cygnets, Gold King, Blind Lady, Dancer, and Warlock set him apart. When Corleu and a band of Wayfolk become trapped in an endless swamp, he crosses a threshold (an unthinkable act for Wayfolk) seeking a means of escape. This impetuous act puts him on a collision course with the legends of his childhood. This is not a simple novel. The intricately woven plot laced with surrealist qualities will appeal to mature fantasy lovers.
Sorrow and trouble and bitterness will hound you and yours and the children of yours… Some said the dying words of Nial Lynn, murdered by his own son, were a wicked curse. To others, it was a winter’s tale spun by firelight on cold, dark nights. But when Corbet Lynn came to rebuild his family estate, memories of his grandfather’s curse were rekindled by young and old--and rumors filled the heavy air of summer. In the woods that border Lynn Hall, free-spirited Rois Melior roams wild and barefooted. And as autumn gold fades, she is consumed with Corbet Lynn, obsessed with his secret past…
The narrative intertwines the human realm and faerie world through chaotic magic, focusing on themes of atonement and redemption. Prince Talis, the reluctant heir to Pelucir, grapples with his lack of interest in ruling and a troubled past linked to a corrupted spellbook. Meanwhile, the legendary mage Atrix Wolfe, who has renounced magic, is drawn back into the conflict by the Queen of the Wood, who seeks his help to find her missing loved ones before she resorts to sacrifice. This richly woven tale explores the consequences of a fateful decision made twenty years prior.
Kyreol's small world begins at the Face, a high rock cliff, and ends at Fourteen Falls, a series of rapids. Each year, her people celebrate Moon-Flash-a spark of light that seems to come from and go into the moon, a symbol of life and joy. When a mysterious stranger arrives, Kyreol wants to know more about him, as well as the Moon-Flash, and soon she and her childhood friend Terje leave their home to look for answers. Those answers will pluck Kyreol from Riverworld and transform her life forever-by fast-forwarding her into a future she can barely comprehend.
Exploring the intersection of fantasy and contemporary life, this novel by a World Fantasy Award-winning author delves into modern themes while maintaining a rich narrative style. The story weaves together elements of magic and realism, inviting readers to experience a fresh take on familiar concepts. With engaging characters and thought-provoking scenarios, it challenges perceptions of reality and imagination, making it a compelling read for fans of both fantasy and literary fiction.
The Prince of Ombria is dying, and his malevolent great-aunt is scheming to take control, threatening the city’s future. However, a mysterious sorceress is casting new spells beneath the streets, guarded by a girl made of wax, hinting at a glimmer of hope for Ombria.
Magic lives in remarkable realms – and in the short fiction of today's top fantasists. In this fifth breathtaking volume of the year's best flights of the fantastic, award–winning editors David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer present a dazzling new array of wonders – stories that break through the time–honored conventions of the genre to carry the reader to astonishing places that only the most ingenious minds could conceive. In the able hands of Neil Gaiman, Kage Baker, Tim Powers, and others, miracles become tangible and true, impossible creatures roam unfettered, and fairy tales are reshaped, sharpened, and freed from the restrictive bonds of childhood. Lose yourself in these pages and in these worlds – and discover the power, the beauty, the unparalleled enchantment of fantasy at its finest.
ONCE UPON A TIME there was a girl named Frances, an "army brat," who lived in a world of make believe where cactuses were a giant's green fingers, the hills were full of unicorns, and the great antlered Stagman hid in the churchyard shadows. And then Frances grew up. But the Stagman wouldn't go away... Now her fantasies follow her from the classroom to the streets, from singles clubs to golden beaches; and everywhere he waits. The barbaric mangod more sensual, more dangerous than any mortal lover. Silent as a dream, the Stagman is coming for her. Stepping from the shadows. And all he demands is her sanity.
Die junge Peri, die das Meer hasst, entdeckt ein Zauberbuch und zaubert auf das Meer. Dabei trifft sie Prinz Kir, der das Meer liebt. Gemeinsam erzählen sie dem Meer von seinen Sehnsüchten, und ein Seedrache erscheint. Peri stürzt in ein Abenteuer voller Magie und tiefen Gefühlen.
Die junge Waise Nephente, in der königlichen Bibliothek aufgewachsen, liebt Bücher und entschlüsselt deren Geheimnisse. Eines Tages erhält sie von einem jungen Magier ein bisher unentziffertes Buch.
Schwarzer Rauch steht über dem zerstörten Schloss. Die Leibgarde liegt hingemetzelt vor der Tür zum Großen Saal. Ein Anblick der Verwüstung. Da regt sich etwas in der Asche des geborstenen Kamins - ein Kind. Die Männer, die es finden, nehmen es in ihre Obhut. Sie nennen es Rook, den Raben, wegen seiner ungewöhnlichen schwarzen Augen.§Jahre später lernt Rook auf der Bardeninsel Luly die Magie der Musik: Eine bestimmte Tonfolge gespielt auf einer bestimmten Flöte lässt das Getreide wachsen, eine andere vermag Wunden zu heilen. Und eine unscheinbare Knochenflöte bringt, wenn sie gespielt wird, den Tod.§Man hatte Rook davor gewarnt, jemals seinen wahren Namen zu nennen. Doch da er alle Erinnerung an den Überfall verloren hat, bei dem seine Familie ausgelöscht und sein Besitz zerstört wurden, misst er dem keine Bedeutung bei. Bis auf der Insel sonderbare Dinge geschehen. Und dann erinnert er sich: Er sieht wieder, wie die Schlächter des Basilisken den Palast seines Vaters überfallen , wie sie Feuer legen und die Schätze plündern. Sein Entschluss steht fest: er wird den machtgeilen, heuchlerischen Fürsten mit dem Basilisken im Wappen töten, er wird seine Eltern rächen, er wird die stumme Flöte ihr Todeslied singen lassen.§Heimlich verlässt er die Insel, nicht ahnend, dass er verfolgt wird.
McKillip erzählt eine kunstvoll verschlungene Geschichte im Land Numis, wo Magier unter königlicher Kontrolle stehen. Als ein neuer Gärtner in der Zauberschule von Kelior beginnt, verändert sich das starre Leben der Schule. Eine bezaubernde Fantasy voller Romantik und Poesie, inspiriert von Mythen und Märchen!
In einem Winkel der Zauberschule entdeckt Prinz Talis ein Buch mit magischen Anleitungen. Er erfährt, daß es unberechenbare Kräfte birgt und seinen Meister einstmals zur Geburt einer reißenden Bestie verführte. Aber es ist bereits zu spät, und Talis gerät in den Bann der Königin des Waldes, die seine Fähigkeiten mißbraucht. Talis wäre allerdings kein magischer Meisterschüler, wenn er sich nicht zu helfen wüßte.
