Harrowing the Dragon - Hardcover

McKillip, Patricia A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0441013600 ISBN 13: 9780441013609

Publisher: Ace Hardcover, 2005

Synopsis

Spanning a quarter of a century, an anthology of previously uncollected short fiction by the World Fantasy Award-winning author explores a world of magic in such works as "The Harrowing of the Dragon of Hoarsbreath," "A Matter of Music," "The Fellowship of the Dragon," "The Lion and the Lark," "Toad," "Ash, Wood, Fire," "The Stranger," and more.

About this title

About the Author

Patricia A. McKillip is a winner of the World Fantasy Award, and the author of numerous novels.

Reviews

Adult/High School–This collection includes 15 tales previously published between 1982 and 1999. The stories range from high fantasy set on other worlds to a first-person account of the investigation into the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. A few (The Lion and the Lark, Toad, The Snow Queen) are retellings of fairy tales. Of special interest is the variety of strong, often young female characters. In The Fellowship of the Dragon, five young women are sent by their queen to rescue her lover, the court harper, with unexpected results. McKillips elegant prose explores the nature of love, friendship, wisdom, and change, often with a touch of humor. Outstanding.–Sandy Freund, Richard Byrd Library, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Starred Review. As shown in this excellent story collection, World Fantasy Award–winner McKillip (Od Magic) can take the most common fantasy elements—dragons and bards, sorcerers and shape-shifters—and reshape them in surprising and resonant ways. In "The Harrowing of the Dragon of Hoarsbreath," a man determined to drive off a fearsome dragon learns that pride can be as cold and monstrous as any beast. "The Snow Queen" and "The Lion and the Lark" (based on Beauty and the Beast) clothe old classics in new magic to examine the price of identity and the value of freedom. The bleak "Star-Crossed" details the official investigation into the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, while "Voyage into the Heart" tells of the heartless hunt to capture a unicorn's horn. "Baba Yaga and the Sorcerer's Son" is full of charm and humor, while the sly "Toad" reveals a frog prince who is far from innocent. Each of these tales is a gem of storytelling, a rich treasure for both fans and those yet to discover McKillip's deceptively simple magic.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

This gathering of McKillip's short fantasy covers 17 years and displays a variety of well-written treatments of other material. The background of most of the stories is traditional folklore, and the inspiring originals behind "The Snow Queen," "The Lion and the Lark," and "Toad" are readily apparent. One of the best pieces in the book, "Star-Crossed," is a twist on Romeo and Juliet in which Friar Lawrence isn't around to confess what the situation has become, and the constables of Verona have to ferret out the truth behind the double suicide. The whole collection constitutes a valiant rescue from out-of-print limbo of stories whose high readability demonstrates that McKillip is one of the most distinguished, if least publicized, modern fantasy writers. Fantasy collections should assign the book high priority for acquisition. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Ace Hardcover
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0441013600
• ISBN 13: 9780441013609
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320