Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference: An Indispensible Compendium of Myth and Magic

Covers varied aspects of fantasy fiction, including culture, magic, witchcraft, commerce, trade, law, mythical creatures, arms and armor, and castles

The title exaggerates considerably, but this handbook does live up to its claim to be "an indispensable compendium of myth and magic," introducing basic concepts in both areas, drawing on Western and selected non-Western cultures, and bringing the evolution of some of the concepts down to the present, as in the capsule account of wicca, offered for the aspiring urban fantasist. There is also enough illustrated material on the relevant basic historical aspects, with emphasis on northern Europe, to help the would-be fantasist needing help in telling a serf from a fief and a castle from a chattel. Considering the number of published fantasy writers who have run into difficulties at that level, the book certainly deserves wide use, though it would be more helpful above the basic level if it had a reading list. At the level it attains, though, the editors and authors have done a singularly good job. Roland Green