The Forgotten Beasts of Eld: 50th Anniversary Special Edition

By Patricia A. McKillip, Thomas Canty and Gail Carriger

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Tachyon Publications
• Release date: Feb 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9781616964115

Book preview

Chapter One

The wizard Heald coupled with a poor woman once, in the king’s city of Mondor, and she bore a son with one green eye and one black eye. Heald, who had two eyes black as the black marshes of Fyrbolg, came and went like a wind out of the woman’s life, but the child Myk stayed in Mondor until he was fifteen. Big-shouldered and strong, he was apprenticed to a smith, and men who came to have their carts mended or horses shod were inclined to curse his slowness and his sullenness, until something would stir in him, sluggish as a marsh beast waking beneath murk. Then he would turn his head and look at them out of his black eye, and they would fall silent, shift away from him. There was a streak of wizardry in him, like the streak of fire in damp, smoldering wood. He spoke rarely to men with his brief, rough voice, but when he touched a horse, a hungry dog, or a dove in a cage on market days, the fire would surface in his black eye, and his voice would run sweet as a daydreaming voice of the Slinoon River.

One day he left Mondor and went to Eld Mountain. Eld was the highest mountain in Eldwold, rising behind Mondor and casting its black shadow over the city at twilight when the sun slipped, lost, into its mists. From the fringe of the mists, shepherds or young boys hunting could see beyond Mondor, west to the flat Plain of Terbrec, land of the Sirle Lords, north to Fallow Field, where the third King of Eldwold’s ghost brooded still on his last battle, and where no living thing grew beneath his restless, silent steps. There, in the rich, dark forests of Eld Mountain, in the white silence, Myk began a collection of wondrous, legendary animals.

From the wild lake country of North Eldwold, he called to him the Black Swan of Tirlith, the great-winged, golden-eyed bird that had carried the third daughter of King Merroc on its back away from the stone tower where she was held captive. He sent the powerful, silent thread of his call into the deep, thick forests on the other side of Eld, where no man had ever gone and returned, and caught like a salmon the red-eyed, white-tusked Boar Cyrin, who could sing ballads like a harpist, and who knew the answers to all riddles save one. From the dark, silent heart of the Mountain itself, Myk brought Gyld, the green-winged dragon, whose mind, dreaming for centuries over the cold fire of gold, woke sleepily, pleasurably, to the sound of its name in the half-forgotten song Myk sent crooning into the darkness. Coaxing a handful of ancient jewels from the dragon, Myk built a house of white, polished stone among the tall pines, and a great garden for the animals enclosed within the ring of stone wall and iron-wrought gates. Into that house he took eventually a fountain girl with few words and no fear either of animals or their keeper. She was of poor family, with tangled hair and muscled arms, and she saw in Myk’s household things that others saw perhaps once in their lives in a line of old poetry or in a harpist’s tale.

She bore Myk a son with two black eyes who learned to stand silent as a dead tree while Myk called. Myk taught him to read the ancient ballads and legends in the books he collected, taught him to send the call of a half-forgotten name across the whole of Eldwold and the lands beyond, taught him to wait in silence, in patience for weeks, months, or years until the moment when the shock of the call would flame in the strange, powerful, startled mind of the animal that owned the name. When Myk went out of himself forever, sitting silent in the moonlight, his son Ogam continued the collection.

Ogam coaxed out of the Southern Deserts behind Eld Mountain the Lyon Gules, who with a pelt the color of a king’s treasury had seduced many an imprudent man into unwanted adventure. He stole from the hearth of a witch beyond Eldwold the huge black Cat Moriah, whose knowledge of spells and secret charms had once been legendary in Eldwold. The blue-eyed Falcon Ter, who had torn to pieces the seven murderers of the wizard Aer, shot like a thunderbolt out of the blue sky onto Ogam’s shoulder. After a brief, furious struggle, blue eyes staring into black, the hot grip of talons loosened; the Falcon gave his name and yielded to Ogam’s great power.

With the crook of an ungentle smile inherited from Myk, Ogam called also to him the oldest daughter of the Lord Horst of Hilt as she rode one day too close to the Mountain. She was a frail, beautiful child-woman, frightened of the silence and the strange, gorgeous animals that reminded her of things on the old tapestry in her father’s house. She was afraid also of Ogam, with his sheathed, still power and his inscrutable eyes. She bore him one child, and died. The child, unaccountably, was a girl. Ogam recovered from his surprise eventually and named her Sybel.

She grew tall and strong in the Mountain wildness, with her mother’s slender bones and ivory hair and her father’s black, fearless eyes. She cared for the animals, tended the garden, and learned early how to hold a restless animal against its will, how to send an ancient name out of the silence of her mind, to probe into hidden, forgotten places. Ogam, proud of her quickness, built a room for her with a great dome of crystal, thin as glass, hard as stone, where she could sit beneath the colors of the night world and call in peace. He died when she was sixteen, leaving her alone with the beautiful white house, a vast library of heavy, iron-bound books, a collection of animals beyond all dreaming, and the power to hold them.

She read one night not long afterward, in one of his oldest books, of a great white bird with wings that glided like snowy pennants unfurled in the wind, a bird that had carried the only Queen of Eldwold on its back in days long before. She spoke its name softly to herself: Liralen; and, seated on the floor beneath the dome, with the book still open in her lap, she sent a first call forth into the vast Eldwold night for the bird whose name no one had spoken for centuries. The call was broken abruptly by someone shouting at her locked gates.

She woke the Lyon, asleep in the garden, with a touch of her mind, and sent it padding to the gates to cast a golden, warning eye at the intruder. But the shouting continued, urgent, incoherent. She sighed, exasperated, and sent the Falcon Ter instructions to lift the intruder and drop him off the top of Eld Mountain. The shouting ceased suddenly, a moment later, but a baby’s thin, uncomforted voice wailed into the silence, startling her. She rose finally, walked through the marble hall in her bare feet, out into the garden, where the animals stirred restlessly in the darkness about her. She reached the gates, of thin iron bars and gold joints, and looked out.

An armed man stood with a baby in his arms and Ter Falcon on his shoulder. The man was silent, frozen motionless under the play of Ter’s grip; the child in his mailed arms cried, oblivious. Sybel’s eyes moved from the still, half-shadowed face to the Falcon’s eyes.

I told you, she said privately, to drop him off the top of Eld Mountain.

The blue, unwavering eyes looked down into hers. You are young, Ter said, but you are without doubt powerful, and I will obey you if you tell me a second time. But I will tell you first, having known men for countless years, that if you begin killing them, one day they will grow frightened, come in great numbers, tear down your house, and loose your animals. So the Master Ogam told us many times.

Sybel’s bare foot tapped a moment on the earth. She moved her eyes to the man’s face and said,

Who are you? Why are you shouting at my gates?

Lady, the man said carefully, for the ruffled feathers of Ter’s wing brushed his face, are you the daughter of Laran, daughter of Horst, Lord of Hilt?

Laran was my mother, Sybel said, shifting from one foot to another impatiently. Who are you?

Coren of Sirle. My brother had a child by your aunt—your mother’s youngest sister. He stopped with a sudden click of breath between his teeth, and Sybel waved a hand at the Falcon.

Loose him, or I will be standing here all night. But stay close in case he is mad.

The Falcon rose, glided to a low tree branch above the man’s head. The man closed his eyes a moment; tiny beads of blood welled like tears through his shirt of mail. He looked young in the moonlight, and his hair was the color of fire. Sybel looked at him curiously, for he gleamed like water at night with link upon link of metal.

Why are you dressed like that? she said, and he opened his eyes.

I have been at Terbrec. He glanced up at the dark outline of the bird above him. Where did you get such a falcon? He cut through iron and leather and silk . . .

He killed seven men, Sybel said, who killed the wizard Aer for the jewels on his books of wisdom.

Ter, the young man breathed, and her brows rose in surprise.

Who are you?

I told you. Coren of Sirle.

But that means nothing to me. What are you doing at my gates with a baby?

Coren of Sirle said very slowly and patiently, Your mother, Laran, had a sister named Rianna—she was your aunt. She married the King of Eldwold three years ago. My—

Who is the King these days? Sybel asked curiously.

The young man caught a startled breath. Drede. Drede is the King of Eldwold, and he has been King for fifteen years.

Oh. Go on—Drede married Rianna. That is very interesting, but I have a Liralen to call.

Please! He glanced up at the Falcon and lowered his voice. Please. I have been fighting for three days. Then my uncle tossed a baby into my arms and told me to give it to the wizard woman on Eld Mountain. Suppose, I said, she will not take him? What will she want with a baby? And he looked at me and said, you will not come down from that mountain with the child—do you want your brother’s son dead?

But why does he want to give it to me?

Because it is the child of Rianna and Norrel, and they are both dead.

Sybel blinked. But you said Rianna was married to Drede.

She was.

Then why is the child Norrel’s son? I do not understand.

Coren’s voice rose perilously. Because Norrel and Rianna were lovers. And Drede killed Norrel three days ago on the Plain of Terbrec. Now will you take the baby so I can go back and kill Drede?

Sybel looked at him out of her black, unwinking eyes. You will not shout at me, she said very softly. The mailed hands of Coren curled and uncurled in the moonlight. He took a step toward her, and the soft light shaped the long bones of his face, traced lines of exhaustion beneath his eyes.

I am sorry, he whispered. Please. Try to understand. I have ridden the late day and half the night. My brother and half my kinsmen are dead. The Lord of Niccon joined forces with Drede, and Sirle cannot stand against them both. Rianna died of the child’s birth. If Drede finds the child, he will kill it out of revenge. There is no safe place for it in Sirle. There is no safe place for it anywhere but here, where Drede will not think to come. Drede has killed Norrel, but I swear he will not take this child. Please. Take care of him. His mother was of your family.

Sybel looked down at the child. It had stopped crying; the night was very still about them. It waved tiny fists aimlessly in the air and pushed at the soft blanket wrapped around it. She touched its pale, plump face, and its eyes turned toward her, winking like stars.

My mother died of me, she said. What is its name?

Tamlorn.

Tamlorn. It is very pretty. I wish it had been a girl.

If it had been, I would not have had to ride all this way to hide it. Drede is afraid the child might declare its legitimacy, when it is older, and fight Drede’s own heir. Sirle would back it—my people have been playing for the kingship of Eldwold ever since King Harth died at Fallow Field and Tarn of Sirle held the throne for twelve years, then lost it again.

But if everyone knows the child is not Drede’s—

Only Drede, Rianna, and Norrel know the truth of the matter, and Rianna and Norrel are dead. Kings’ bastards can be very dangerous.

He does not look dangerous. Her lean, pale fingers whispered over its cheek. A smile strayed absently across her face. It will go nicely, I think, in the collection.

Coren’s arms tightened around the child. It is Norrel’s son—it is not an animal.

Sybel’s level eyes raised. Is it not less? It eats and sleeps and it does not think, and it requires special care. Only . . . I do not know what to do with a baby. It cannot tell me what it needs.

Coren was silent a moment. When he spoke finally, she heard the weariness haunting his voice like an overtone. You are a girl. You should know such things.

Why?

Because—because you will have children someday and you—will have to know how to care for them.

I had no woman to care for me, Sybel said. My father fed me goat’s milk and taught me to read his books. I suppose I will have a child that I can train to care for the animals when I am dead.

Coren gazed at her, his lips parted. If it were not for my uncle, he said softly, I would take the child back home rather than leave Norrel’s son here with you, your ignorance, and your heart of ice.

Sybel’s face grew as still before him as the still full moon. It is you who are ignorant, she whispered. I could have Ter rip you into seven pieces and drop your bloodless head on the Plain of Terbrec, but I am controlling my temper. Look!

She unlocked the gates, her fingers shaking in an anger that roused through her like a clean mountain wind. She snapped private calls into the dream-drugged minds about her, and, like pieces of dreams themselves, the animals moved toward her. Coren stepped in beside her. He propped the child on one shoulder, his mailed arms protecting its back, one hand cupping its head, while his eyes slid, wide, over the moving, rustling darkness. The great Boar reached them first, fire-white in the darkness, his tusks like white marble that hunters dreamed of, and a sound came, inarticulate, from Coren’s throat. Sybel rested one hand above the small red eyes. Do you think because I care for these animals, I cannot care for a child? They are ancient, powerful as princes, wise and restless and dangerous, and I give them whatever they require. So I will give this child what it requires. And if that is not what you want, then leave. I did not ask you to come with a child; I do not care if you go with it. I may be ignorant in your world, but here you are in my world and you are a fool.

Coren stared down at the Boar, struggling for words. Cyrin, he whispered. Cyrin. You have him. He stopped again, his breath jerking through his open mouth. His voice came slow, dredging memory. Rondar—Lord of Runrir captured—the Boar Cyrin that no man had captured before, the elusive Cyrin, Keeper of Riddles and—demanded either Cyrin’s life or all the wisdom of the world. And Cyrin uprooted a stone at Rondar’s feet, and Rondar said it was worthless and rode away, still searching . . .

How do you know that tale? Sybel asked, astonished. It is not one of Eldwold.

I know it. I know. He lifted his head, his arms tight around the child as a great shape swooped toward them, silent, a shadow upon the night. The Swan folded itself gently before them, its back broad as the Boar’s, its eyes black as the night between two stars. The Swan of Tirlith—Is it the Swan? Sybel, is it?

How do you know my name? she whispered.

I know. He watched two cats ease through the night, coming from opposite sides of the house, and she heard him swallow. Tamlorn struggled in his arms, but Coren did not move. The Cat Moriah reached them, nudged its black, flat head under Sybel’s hand, then lay down on her feet and yawned at Coren, showing teeth like honed polished stones.

Moriah . . . Lady of the Night, who gave the wizard Tak the spell that opened the doorless tower where he was captured . . . I do not—I do not know the Lyon— Gules Lyon, his eyes liquid gold, traced a close circle about Coren’s legs, then settled in front of him, muscle sliding leisurely into muscle beneath the glowing pelt. Coren shook his head quickly. Wait—There was a Lyon of the Southern Deserts who lived in the courts of great lords, dispensing wisdom, fed on rich meats, wearing their collars and chains of iron and gold only so long as he chose . . . Gules.

How do you know these things?

The Lyon’s great head turned toward Sybel. Where, Gules inquired curiously, did you find this one?

He brought me a baby, Sybel said distractedly. He knows my name, and I do not know how.

Once he could speak, Coren said.

Once they all could. They have been wild, away from men so long that they have forgotten how, except for Cyrin, just as men—most men—have forgotten their names. How do you—

Coren started beside her, and she looked up. The span of unfurled wings blotted the moon, shadowed their faces, then dropped lower, each stroke sucking a heartbeat of wind. Tamlorn kicked restlessly against Coren’s hold, wailed a complaint into his ear. The Dragon dropped sluggishly before them, holding Coren in its lucent green gaze. Its shadow welled huge to their feet. Its mind-voice was ancient, dry as parchment in Sybel’s mind.

There is a cave in the mountains where his bones will never be found.

No. I called you because I was angry, but I am not angry, now. He is not to be harmed.

He is a man, armed.

No. She turned to Coren, as he stood watching the Dragon, with Tamlorn wriggling, whimpering, ignored in his arms, and her eyes curved suddenly in a little smile. You know that one.

"His name is not so

Reviews for The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

[jennybeast · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love how McKillip's stories fall between the wildly fantastical and a meditation on humanity's place in the world. I love the strength of her wizards, and the fact that so many of them are women. Powerful story, glad it's being re-released.

[jean_sexton-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The world of fantasy is much poorer without Patricia McKillip in it. Hearing of her death in May 2022, I knew I needed to read her books again. I settled on The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, a book I read many, many years ago, as the first to reread. I was not disappointed. Like many classic books, as you grow, so does the story develop layers you never noticed before. It is no wonder this book won the World Fantasy Award.Elegantly written, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, is a short book, yet examines so many essentially human questions. What is love? What is hate? Is revenge worth it? What happens when we betray a trust? How can trust betrayed be regained? Is there ever redemption? How do we forgive others and ourselves? How do couples survive after the fairy-tale wedding?I loved the characters. Sybel, the ivory-haired wizard, learns about love in its various forms. While she is the lead character, keep an eye on Coren. In many ways, he is the touchstone of the novel. You may need tissues while reading this book; I did. Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy. People who enjoy Peter S. Beagle would most likely find this to be a great read.

[tikimoof · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5-ish.

I liked the idea, but the language was a little too remote for me to really care about the characters. And I know there was a metaphor with the beasts and Sybel's attachments, but it didn't quite work for me.

[ma_washigeri · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An early book I think. I love the Harpist in the Wind trilogy and you can see elements of the writing and story here that are building up to that. A parable of power corrupting but followed by redemption. Absolute corruption is avoided by the vulnerability of being human - and the natural morality of the inhuman.... Doesn't really fit the cosmos I live in but neither do magical dragons. Sometimes I want to escape the hard edges of the real world and this is a good mix of thoughtfulness and escape. Just a touch repetitive and predictable but a lovely read. Now I'm trying to find a more recent book of hers - but can't find any in the library. They don't seem to be making it over to the UK.... plus another half star.

[sandyamcpherson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are nearly 50 reviews of this story (on LT), and I probably don't have much extra to add. I'm confounded by the thought I had originally read this when my younger daughter was accumulating YA novels. But the story was so completely unfamiliar that I'm now doubtful I ever read it before.Anyway, it was a nice segue back into the comfortable style of 1970's and 80's fantasies. I like the way mood is developed as much as action in this narrative style. I find thoughtful concepts develop in my own mind about implications for living/not living alone, for the greater harm/benefits of hate and revenge and letting go. McKillip may not have intended this novel to become an avenue of self-exploration but that is what developed for me.As I say, it was an imaginative story and I would have loved to read more about the 'wizardlings' and hoped for additional interactions with the wondrous beasts. Parts of Forgotten Beasts felt rushed and in places, I would have liked more "story" around the details.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best for teens and adults looking for smart comfort reads; definitely not a juvenile. Cover art on some editions misleading; it's important that Sybel's hair is white, silvery, not just very light blond. Lots of details and some intrigue make this the kind of book that would merit a reread. The main theme itself is not subtle or even all that complex (at least in the opinion of this experienced reader), but there are other subtleties, including the beautiful language, that are to be treasured/ savored.Sybel experiences lots of character growth. Thank goodness, because she is not always very likable. My favorite character is Coren. I'd love to read a prequel about him and his friendship with Norrell. (Nirrell? I read a scanned ebook so it's not easy for me to check afaik.)The other characters are not cardboard, but neither are they so rich that they feel truly authentic.I do appreciate that she's a wizard who treasures her books and who is introspective, conflicted, etc. This book reminds me a lot of [book:Dragonsbane|176268] by [author:Barbara Hambly|10333] in those ways, and I suspect fans of one will enjoy the other. Feminists will likely enjoy, too. Recommended to anyone interested, and perhaps especially to teen girls.However, based on some of the other reader reviews, it seems that there are men who need to read it. Not bloodthirsty enough? Makes you feel as if you're growing a uterus? Or you poor thing, imagine discovering that you're reading something that doesn't focus on your testosterone-fueled edgy melodrama, something from, oh, another point of view that might make you think about people who happen to be a bit different, perceive a bit differently.... :snort:I read it online free at openlibrary.org for a group discussion in the SFF group.

[liscarey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Note: This is a review of the 2011 Audible Studios edition.Sybel is the daughter and granddaughter of wizards, and a wizard herself, continuing the family tradition of collecting strange and magical animals. She has not mixed with her neighbors much, or at all, and has no children.Then a local, lesser lord, Coren, arrives at her gate carrying a baby boy. The baby is Tamlorn, the son of her mother's younger sister, and also of King Drede.But Drede believes,with some reason it must be said, that Tamlorn is in fact the son of one of Coren's older brother, Norrell. Norrell and Rhianna are dead, killed by Drede. Coren asks her to love, protect, and raise Tamlorn.Twelve years later, Coren comes back, wanting to take Tamlorn away, to help Coren's family overthrow Drede, take revenge for Norrell's death, and place Tamlorn on the throne. Tamlorn doesn't want to go, and Sybel sends Coren away.But this makes Tamlorn curious about his father. When Drede arrives, having discovered that Tamlorn really is his son, and Rhianna and Norrell never had the chance to be alone together, Tamlorn wants to meet him. Ultimately, he decides he wants to go with Drede.This is the point from which Sybel's life truly becomes complicated.Up to this point, she has more or less replicated the lives of her father and grandfather, living in her tower, collecting and caring for her magical animals, studying magic. And raising one child. This is a point of some difference, in that Tamlorn is not a wizardling, and Sybel sought the help of a local witch woman, Maelga, which her father and grandfather never had, and they become, in effect, a family of three, rather than a family of two.But now Tamlorn is gone to become Drede's heir.And Coren and his brothers still want their revenge.They have a plan. Drede also has a plan, based on his fear of having such a powerful wizard close by, and with an interest in his heir. And Sybel is determined not to be used.When Drede pays another wizard, Mithrin, to eliminate the danger he sees in Sybel, while enabling him to keep her as his meek, contented, but still magically powerful wife, he unleashes something that will disrupt all their lives, as Sybel becomes a third party seeking revenge.In many ways I'm describing the wrong things about this book. Sybel, Coren, Tamlorn, Maelga, and even Drede are all multilayered and interesting characters. Sybel's magical animals are not just living trophies, but powerful, opinionated, and often wise. The language is beautiful and rich, but never so ornate as to be a distraction. And the three major contenders here, Sybel, Coren, and Drede, all need to confront their fears in the most literal and terrifying way possible, if they are to survive and achieve their goals.This is a wonderful book, and it's a joy to reread it after many years.I bought this audiobook.

[baochuan-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed the book. The character is not as well developed as I expected probably becuase of the writing style. But the story is well told and the ending is quite interesting.

[threadnsong · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my all-time favorite books and one that shaped how I see the world and the magic within it. Note that the magic here is not one of spells spoken and wands waved; rather it is the name of a magical animal called, with the help of wizards' tomes, from out of the shadows and into the House on Eld Mountain. Much more humanizing a concept of magic. When I first read it, at the ripe old age of 12 or so, I was disheartened that most of the action took place with the people and not the animals. I wanted to hear their stories! Animals can be so much more interesting. The language was always intriguing, giving hints of what the action or thought is, and letting the reader's imagination fill in the gaps and come to a conclusion. It's rich and gripping and is definitely a book that can be read quickly.So while the animals are part of the fabric of this book, the main story (at least this time reading it!) is that of Sybel and her journey from being a lone wizard in her home with her animals to a wizard who learns to love an infant. And with the growing of that infant comes the world of men (literally) who want to use that young boy in their quests for power. The king, Drede, finds that he loves his son Tam, and that he also loves (or lusts for) Sybel and will go to great lengths to bring her and her power to his side.Also at struggle for Sybel's heart is the seventh son of the seventh son of the house of Sirle, one of the kingdoms that competes for the crown. Coren is the young knight who placed an infant Tamlorn into Sybel's arms, and he, too, is drawn to her beauty and her abilities. He also knows the stories of her marvelous animals unlike his rowdy brothers. What transpires is a struggle, both internal and external, for the hearts of those Sybel loves and who love her, and how much her personal quest for revenge will consume her if she goes through with it. And what her animals will do for her when she asks them. At the end, too, there is the promise of more poets' songs to be sung about these animals when they return to their ancient paths.

[quondame · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite Patricia McKillip book, and pretty much my favorite stand alone fantasy book ever.

[lydia_perversius · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How many times must Patricia McKillip blow my mind with her books? And who decides when a certain kind of storystelling is out of date or not? Because, let me tell you, whoever thinks that McKillip's "voice" is old-fashioned and cannot keep up with modern readers, is terribly wrong!The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a book filled with the classic storytelling of the woman I consider the mother of fantasy. Sybel, a young girl gifted with the magical powers to call powerful beasts to come to her aid, finds her life turned upside down when a young soldier comes knocking on her door, asking her to take care of a baby - the son of a king. Uknowingly, she gets dragged in the middle of a war between kingdoms, and men fighting for her heart - but the woman with the garden full of legendary creatures, is not a woman with a heart easily won...I seriously loved this story. Even if Sybel was tough to connect with as a main character, her past was such that it explained a lot about her behavior. Not only that, but what Tam's father did to her was, in my eyes, a great allegory for rape - the total lack of control of her body and willpower, the feeling of being stuck in a place where she would never be able to return from, truly amazing how McKillip phrased it all - and it was only natural for her to turn even colder and seek revenge in a way that would make kingdoms tremble. I loved how she struggled with coming to terms with her feelings for Tam's uncle, and how, in the end, she didn't change her flawed way of thinking, only promised to try and ask for forgiveness - stating, even, that she needed her husband's forgiveness mainly because this way, she might one day forgive herself. McKillip is a queen when it comes to subtly charging plot twists. She just writes along, telling you a nice story that sounds so wonderfully like a fairy tale - thanks to her voice - and then BAM! The plot twist comes up, shaking you to the core, and you're just faced with the fact that she had it coming your way all along, she just made you focus on other things more to bide her time.I'm in love with her writing, no matter which book I read, and I can't wait to read more of her work!***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***

[feeroberts64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip is a story about Sybel, a wizard that does not need the outside world. She locks herself behind her gates with her enchanted beasts, but when a soldier beckons at her gates with an infant, she about to find out about love and deceit. This story is about love, deceit, and revenge, and the toll it can have on one's heart and mind. It was well written with lively characters, and magical beasts. A wonderful story with clean romance.I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.

[dokfintong · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The preface, written by Gail Carriger, a writer of steampunk paranormal romances, tells us that "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" is her perfect desert island book.My stomach is not strong enough for this much treacle.I received a review copy of "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" by Patricia A. McKillip (Tachyon) through NetGalley.com. It was first published in 1974 by Atheneum.

[pwaites_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Trigger warning: attempted rapeThis fantasy novel is beautiful and lyrical, a classic reminiscent of The Last Unicorn. One thing’s for certain: I need to read more books by Patricia A. McKillip.Sybel has spent her entire life on Eld mountain, mostly in solitude except for the marvelous creatures called there by her deceased father and grandfather. Then, when she’s sixteen, a man arrives at her gate with a baby he says is her nephew. The child is the son of a king, and if word of him reaches the outside world, he will unwittingly be thrown into the deadly world of politics and the grudge between the king and a noble family. Sybel does her best to keep them both from the outside world, but when the boy is twelve his father hears of him, and Sybel finds herself suddenly involved in the world of men.The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is one of those books where I probably need to reread it to savor the themes appropriately. Forgiveness, revenge, love, power… there’s a lot of depth to novel, which isn’t the longest fantasy book on the block by any means. It also deals with gender, ideas of women and power, being powerless versus powerful, and men’s desire to possess women. Sybel has magical power, but she never seeks to use it to control or manipulate other humans, and the very idea of possessing other people in that way is new to her. But upon meeting her, powerful men tend to think about how they could own and use her. What path does she take now?“The man was hit in one eye by a stone, and that eye turned inward so that it looked into his mind, and he died of what he saw there.”As I already mentioned, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is beautifully written. The language is lovely and lyrical, and there’s somehow a dreamlike quality to it. This story reads like an original fairy tale, and I loved how it focuses on a woman, her agency and inner life included.The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a true genre classic, and I wish I’d read it earlier. How can I not have heard more about this book? After all, it won the World Fantasy Award back in 1975. I really should have heard of it more.Regardless, now I know what a wonderful story this is, and I will be sure to seek out more work from Patricia A. McKillip.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.

[electrascaife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sybel, a young wizard living in the lonely mountain home of her father and grandfather and using her craft to call magical beasts to her, is given a child to look after, unbidden and at first unwilling. This is the beginning of the opening of her heart to others, which brings both happiness and darkness to her and those around her.A solid story with good characters, although it did seem to drag in a few spots, mostly when Sybel tends to go on a bit too long about her (lack of) feelings.

[reallifereading · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A leather-bound book. Weathered, yellowed heavy paper. A careful handwritten script.
A fireplace. A glass of wine.
A stiff-backed, heavy, scarlet chair. A rug so thick you can barely see your toes.
Snow falling outside, magicking everything white.

All this. Any of this would have been the perfect way to read The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, and not the way I did, snatched in bits and pieces on my iPhone. Convenient yes but just so so lacking in atmosphere, in texture, in feeling.

Because this is such a magical book. An ice queen hidden in the mountains surrounded by mythical creatures kind of magic. Witchcraft and Darkness kind of magic. For she calls them with their true name and they come. How very Ged-like.


It is a fairytale, a love story, a song of strength and power.


Its sense of antiquity begs to be given the proper treatment. To be read under the stars, by candlelight, in a tome that is passed down from generation to generation.

My reread (with many more to come) shall definitely be on the printed page. On a cold mountain. With tendrils of mist caressing each page…

A book to read today, tomorrow and ever after.

[questbird · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A sorceress lives on a mountain with a menagerie of fantastic creatures. One day, a baby is delivered to her -- her nephew. As she raises him and interacts with the world of men below her mountain she finds love, anger, sorrow, revenge and redemption. The tale moves along with efficiency, almost inevitability. The language is clear and evocative.

[calisoleil · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A lovely little story. Beautifully written in almost poetic, flowing language. It's just not for me. I would have loved it when I was 14... probably would've given it 5 stars, but alas (or thank gawd) it's been a very long time since I've been 14. I'm glad I read it either way.

[karlstar_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I believe I enjoyed this book when I first read it, but I can't remember a thing about it, which is a sign that it wasn't memorable. I'll put it on my re-read list as most of her books are very good.

[krumbs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There was a thread of sadness running through this entire book. Every character seemed lonely and isolated, and none were really living up to their potential, even if it was a conscious choice on their part. The beasts weren't allowed to remain magnificent and the people seemed to disappoint both themselves and the people they were surrounded by. There were important and true underlying themes, but I don't know that I truly enjoyed the book; it made me melancholy.

[raschneid_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Based on this one book, McKillip may well be a Great Stylist of SF. Her writing is fluid, spare, and luminous with imagery. With a strong internal vocabulary, she creates a mood that is atmospheric and at times even gothic.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld has all the narrative elements of a traditional fantasy novel - lost heir, warring clans, fantastic beasts, Celtic names, wise magical women. But here, the protagonist is not the lost prince, but his wizard woman guardian. Sybel's emotional life drives the novel; to make the gothic comparison again, her character feels influenced by Jane Eyre, aloof, imaginative, and passionate.

Sybel begins as a character drawn starkly in two dimensions, but she slowly gains facets of complexity, creating conflict and discovery that drive the novel. I enjoyed her greatly as a character, but also feel hesitant to give the book five stars until I reread it. Despite an emotionally charged text, Sybel's motivations are often subtextual. There's a disconnect between the emotion on the page and some of her more extreme actions, leading to believability issues. I look forward to rereading it and deciding whether Sybel's actions are supported by the text or if the author was being a little heavy-handed in order to prop up the structure of her plot.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sybil was raised on Eld mountain by her father. Her only company was the animals that her father called to the mountain. After her father died she maintained the animals and studied magic to become an unparalleled sorceress. She spends days upon days trying to call the one creature that she thinks can give her complete freedom, the creature called the Liralen. One day she is interrupted by someone at her gate; Coren wants her to take in and protect a baby named Tam. When Sybil accepts Tam into her mountain home she is drawn into a deadly conflict between two factions. Sybil struggles to remain separate from the world of men, but instead is drawn deep into it as Tam grows to manhood.This book is a very deliberately paced book. It is beautifully written, in an older style but with lush description and very literature-like language. This is very much a traditional young adult fantasy. To be honest I had trouble getting through the first chapter which details Sybil's lineage and how she comes to live on the mountain; I kept falling asleep. After I got past the first chapter however I found myself intrigued by what would happen to Sybil and Tam as they were drawn further and further into man's conflicts. For such a simple story this book touches on many deep philosophies. It looks at living in isolation, the relationship to your mother and father, revenge, fear, peace, and love. The characters, especially Sybil, go through a tumultuous emotional growth throughout the story. The animals that Sybil "keeps" are delightful and represent aspects of human personalities; such as wisdom, fierceness, grace, direction.This was a great read for children and adults alike. Despite some violence, it is definitely appropriate for younger children. I am always impressed with the beauty of McKillip's writing. I will say her books always make you think and always end up wandering into some deeper aspects of human philosophy.

[wolffish · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was a gift from a very special friend. When they gave it to me, they said that it had given them strength and inspiration through tough times in their life and they wanted to pass it on.The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a story about a young woman who grows up, the daughter of a great man, who has called to him a variety of different fantastical beasts, all of which she cares for after her father's passing.The characters are imaginative, from the wise boar who can answer every question save one, to the dragon, to the elusive Liralen. They come alive through the pages and each narrative, dialogue and descriptive draws you further into this amazing, emotive world.From cover to cover, the story captivates and draws you in, so in the end, you're as in love with the characters as they might be for one another.The author has a way with words, a deep, wise voice for her narratives and a whimsy to the interactions that the characters have with one another. An excellent story to share with a young loved one going through a hard time, or an old friend who just loves a good book.

[justchris_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Forgotten Beast of Eld by Patricia McKillip is an old friend. I do not reread it as often as the Riddle-Master of Hed trilogy, but it still has a timeless charm, as do all of her stories.This is the story of Sybel, a third-generation wizard. She has always lived alone in the mountains with her magical menagerie in the house her grandfather built until the day that Coren brings her the baby Tamlorn to save him from the power struggles around the throne. And so she learns to love. This is a story of love, fear, desire, need, betrayal, hurt, compulsion, vengeance: Sybel, Tam, his father King Drood, Coren and his brothers, the old witch woman Maelga, and the various talking animals (Tyr the Falcon, Cyrin the Boar, Gyld the Dragon and more).It is a straightforward story, filled with evocative imagery and dialogue, very reminiscent of fairy tales and styles of storytelling that are not so common anymore. The exposition is minimal; the prose is good; the characters aren't very deep. In some ways they feel more like archetypes than individuals.

[musicmom41 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my first McKillip fantasy and I enjoyed it very much. It brought to mind Robin McKinley’s [The Blue Sword] and [The Hero and the Crown] which I read earlier this year. The writing in this was beautiful and she described her people and places vividly so it was easy to envision what was happening, which for me made it not only pleasurable but also a fairly quick read. I was a little disappointed in the beginning because I had wanted more told about the development of the relationship between Sybel and Tam. (nb—this is one of my problems with YA literature, they are often skimpy on the development of characters and relationships in order to get to the “action.”) However, the book made up for that as it followed Sybel’s development after she encounters Coren the second tine and in all that follows. The ending is stunning and satisfying, although I had expected one aspect of it. Highly recommended

[bluesalamanders · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A wizard, daughter of wizards, has a menagerie of mythical and powerful beasts. Her otherwise solitary life changes when a man brings her a child to raise.I picked up this book due to several recommendations and I'm afraid I'm didn't quite get the point. The language is stilted, the characters are dull, and the plot is plodding and uninspired. Interesting parts are glossed over and boring parts are greatly elaborated on. Intriguing characters get little or no time, which is instead given to boring conversations that could have been summed up in a few lines instead of a few pages and often appear out of nowhere with no build-up.I rather think it might have been as a better short story or several short stories. I liked the end well enough, but I haven't yet read a book I disliked where the end made up for everything else, and this is no exception. Definitely will not reread.

[atimco-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Patricia McKillip has long been a favorite fantasy author of mine, and this stand-alone story is a great introduction to her work. Sybel is a daughter and granddaughter of wizards who learned to call mythical creatures and control them, deep in the forest of Eld Mountain. Sybel lives alone with her creatures — Gules Lyon, the Cat Moriah, the Bull Cyrin, the Dragon Gyld, and the Falcon Ter. Her only desire is to call the fabled Liralen bird to her house, but she cannot find it. Sybel does not know what it means to love, until one day a tired soldier appears on her doorstep carrying a baby — her nephew. Everything changes for Sybel at that point. She learns to love young Tamlorn and Maelga, the old witch who helps her care for him. Tamlorn grows strong and happy on Eld Mountain with Sybel and her animals. But the two countries below, whose war caused the child to be sent up the mountain, are restless. Tam learns that his father is Drede the king. But the House of Sirle, who brought Tam to Sybel, also have plans for the boy. Sybel refuses to be drawn into the politics of war, although both sides woo her for her powers. But when Sybel is hurt by another magician, she descends from her mountain into the wars of men, and begins to plot her revenge. Like the rest of McKillip's work, this isn't just escapist medieval fantasy with dragons and bards and battles. There is actually something quite profound here. In her studies, Sybel accidentally calls fear itself, which manifests as a horrible bird of prey, the Blammor. The wise Bull Cyrin speaks more than once of a giant whose eye was injured, turning it back into his mind. The legend goes that the giant died of what he saw there in himself. Though it's never explicitly stated, I think the power of the Blammor is self-knowledge. To the good, it is awful but bearable. But the evil do not escape with so much as a single bone unbroken by what they see reflected in the Blammor's moon-pale eyes. I love the way this is tied together in the end with the Liralen, that beautiful bird with trailing wings. It is only beautiful if you are, inside; self-knowledge holds no terrors if you are pure within. And becoming beautiful inside, after being twisted by hatred, is the journey that Sybel makes in this story. Her horrible revenge on the evil magician and the king who commissioned him comes at the expense of everyone she loves... and in the end the choice to hate or to let go is hers alone. This shares some elements with Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books, mostly in the importance given to names. Names are power, and can be used to control the being who is named. In Earthsea, wizardry consists of naming things rightly, and it seems to be the source of power for Sybel as well. I was also reminded forcibly of Robin McKinley's Damar books, The Blue Sword and The Hero and The Crown, because of the taut spare quality of the relationships. The politics are also very like those in McKinley's stories; everyone has a different motive and the players interact carefully, often deceptively. On the romantic side, the relationship between Coren and Sybel reminded me a lot of Aerin and Tor.I think this might be my favorite of McKillip's books so far — or at least it's near the top of the list. It's a fantastic novel from one of the genre's most intelligent and skilled authors. Highly recommended.

[ncgraham_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld marked Patricia McKillip's first unmitigated success in the fantasy genre. It is the story of Sybel, third in a bloodline of wizards who have settled on Eld Mountain. There she lives, alone but for the fantastical beasts that she and her forefathers have called to serve them, until one day a baby is brought to her doorstep. With the help of an old healer woman, she raises the child Tamlorn and learns from it how to love, but when Tam is grown the rulers of both Eldwold and Sirle come to claim him. Sybel thinks she has everything under control, when she feels herself being called, and cannot resist....Though this book begins rather slowly—it took 100 of the 200-odd pages for the main conflict to emerge—but pretty soon one becomes entangled in a web of hate, fear, and passion. Sybel is a complex, distant, and eventually vengeful heroine, less likable initially than many McKillip protagonists, but all the more fascinating for it. The end contained an unexpected twist, rife with symbolic imagery, and I expect it will all make more sense upon a reread, although I did not feel confused while reading it, as I sometimes do with her books. Most fascinatingly, there are repeated mentions by Cyrin the talking pig of the Riddle Master; obviously McKillip had other ideas boiling in her mind at this point. I'm not sure this book is quite at the level of the Riddle-Master trilogy, but it certainly ranks alongside Ombria in Shadow and Alphabet of Thorn as one of her best stand-alone books.

[thedivineoomba · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this book a long time ago when I was just a lowly teenager. I didn't understand it then, and the plot got a bit away from me. o when I found it in a used bookstore, I just had to give it another shot.The plot has this misty quality about as if viewing from a dream, or a story that is no longer a story, but a fairy tale. This made the book hard to read, and I had a hard time following the ac.tion, even if it was straight forward. I've read books of this style before, and had the same problems, but the author actually succeeded where most authors will fail. All the characters are very stylized, meaning that there are no hidden motives, what you read is what you get. Its very much a tale about knights, evil kings, and beautiful sorceress, set in days when men could kill, women could scheme, and right or wrong is easy determine.

[jillmwo-74323 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unlike any other fantasy in my experience. High fantasy throughout but accessible.