Patricia A. McKillip

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld (Magic Carpet Books)

Christine

i'm not crying you are!!!!1
--
1/28/24: this book makes me INSANE it is so special

Mikala Mawer

I wanted to like this book and I think I am being generous giving it a 3/5. The only reason it is a 3 is because I would be reading it thinking, what is this? But then I would continue to read it and was curious. I think this book could have been amazing if it was 300 pages longer or even made into a series. Everything went by so fast in it. In one line she is saying she will never love. Then in the next line she is falling in love and getting married to a man she met twice. I also didn’t like how every man just automatically fell in love with her. There needed to be a lot more context given and more detail.

Raised on Eld mountain with only her father's magical menagerie for company, a young wizard is drawn irrevocably into the human world with all its sorrows and delights when a baby comes into her care.

The forgotten beasts of Eld

Celeste Richardson

Patricia McKillip is one of those authors that I’ve always intended to read. I bought a used omnibus of her Riddle-Master of Hed trilogy during my first year of college, which was more than a decade ago. Yet for some reason, I’ve never quite gotten around to reading it, anything else by her. After having now read The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, my interest in her work has been rekindled. This little standalone was a lovely reading experience. And as it referenced her Riddle-Master series multiple times, that series has climbed closer to the top of my TBR list.
“How much that name means to you—memory, knowledge, experience. There is not one possession more truly, irrevocably yours.”
As I’ve aged, I’ve developed a greater appreciation for quiet novels. Peter S. Beagle, Juliet Marrillier, and Robin McKinley all write fantasy stories that are subtle in just about every way, which could result in reader detachment when not properly handled. The action, the character development, the world building, the philosophy, and even the prose are all almost ethereal in a way when done well. These types of books remind me of pastel watercolors in a world of neons and jewel tones; not as showy, perhaps, but a moment of calm in the midst of a tempest. And that’s exactly how McKillip’s writing felt to me. There is something fairy-talesque about writing of this caliber paired with quiet storytelling, and it was really lovely to experience.
“What do you think love is—a thing to startle from the heart like a bird at every shout or blow? You can fly from me, high as you choose in your darkness, but you will see me always beneath you, no matter how far away, with my face turned to you. My heart is in your heart.”
Sybel is from a line of wizards who can draw mythical beasts to themselves by discovering their true names. She is happy in her solitude with only these beasts for company until a man shows up on her doorstep with a baby in his arms. After agreeing to raise the child, her life finds a new normalcy until the boy’s father comes looking for him. From there, Sybel’s life is turned upside down as she finds herself caught between powerful men who have grown to hate one another.
“I have fought for myself—and fought myself. But there is not joy in that. It is only when I am with you that I know, deep in me, how to laugh, and there is no one, no one who can teach me that but you.”
There is something really romantic about this story, even before any romantic involvement occurs. The lyrical writing mixed with the lovely setting definitely had something to do with it, as did the beasts themselves. I loved learning about the beasts in Sybel’s life, and how they had become just as attached to her as she had to them. But when the actual romance began to take root, the slow burn of it was enchanting. I also tend to love unexplained magic systems. These magic systems often involve the magic of true names, which I think is a really interesting similarity. From a Judeo-Christian perspective, the giving of true names has been one of our callings since the creation of Adam, and I find the portrayal of that naming in fantasy novels fascinating.
“I have many people who know my name, but only one or two or three that know who it belongs to.”
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is as lovely as it is brief. As I said above, I’ve developed quite a deep appreciation for and fondness of fantasy authors who choose to tell bright, quiet stories instead of embracing the breakneck action and grim-darkness that so populate the genre. If you need a book that will help you take a deep breath in the midst of your feverishly-paced life, I heartily recommend a visit to Sybel’s world.

You can find  this review and more at Novel Notions.

Clara Moore

I found the language to be a bit curt and things kind of just happened suddenly. However I liked the concept and some of the prose was really beautiful. It was a nice short read.

Sheila Goicea

See my full review of this book on my blog along with others at: foalsfictionandfiligree.com.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication. 



Released today!

  “I need you to forgive me. And then perhaps I can begin to forgive myself. There is no one but you who can do that either.”

A book like this is intimidating to pick up. Not because it is mundane, nor because it is necessarily daunting (although it is, in a way). No, my friends. This book entails every aspect that fantasy writing is about, and it is truly breathtaking. Being disappointed with other fantasy reads after this book is why it is intimidating. 

Compared to the writing of today's YA novels, this book automatically takes the lead in its overall quality. Its writing style, detail to plot and meaningfulness are (in my opinion) so much more when compared to what is out there today.

We are dropped into a new world, that isn't ever fully explained. Because of this, the reader is allowed to be left with a sense of yearning and wonderment to know more. To me, this is the key element to draw in the reader, and to make them thirst for more. Over-explanation of detail only "dumbs down" the writing to be taken at face-value, rather than allowing the readers' imagination to run wild. The tidbits that we are privy to are delicious, whimsical, and truly meaningful.

Now, to the story...

Our main character Sybel, is the daughter of Ogam, a man born from a line of wizards. His special powers allowed him to "call" many spectacular creatures to live among his castle walls, safely nestled in the mountains of Eld. Sybel, growing up in a world separate from the one she lives in, knows little of the outside world. She cares little for the dealings of men, and spends her time tending her beloved creatures, and calling the fabled Lorien, a mythical white bird, to join her. 

Her solitude is interrupted when an unbidden man brings a baby to her doorsteps, insisting that she takes the child in and raises him in a place far away from the warring nations outside her walls. She consents, and realizes that she must learn what it means to love another human--something she is not used to doing. 

As the child grows into a young man, Sybel develops a strong, motherly connection to him. But as he comes of age, Tamlorn is sought out, and called to rejoin the world of men, and take his rightful place as prince. Sybel calls Tamlorn's father, the king Drede to her to discuss terms for Tamlorn. When Drede meets Sybel, he immediately falls in love with her, and extends the offer for her to join him and Tamlorn. 

Because of Sybel's odd upbringing and talents, she has developed a rather cold character. She doesn't know, or care much for the toils of men. That is, until she discovers that she is used by one who desires her for her power. 

  “It is not a bad thing, itself, but it is a bad thing to be used by men, to have them choose what you must be, and what you must not be, to have little choice in your life.”

Sybel's outlook on mankind transforms into a dark and corrupting thing,  causing her to unabashedly use others to cast her revenge. But her desires for revenge do not come without their consequences. 

  “The giant Grof 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 Sybel experiences life, love, loss, and joy, she must either grow, or forever be locked in the dark shackles of revenge, hurt, and mistrust. Because her character basically starts from zero, the reader gets to watch her "transform" as she learns more about human nature. 

There are two different points in this book that I didn't necessarily like, and made me take a half-star off:

#1 Because this is a shorter novel, changes aren't always allowed enough time to happen without feeling a bit forced. An example of this is Sybel's character. She changes so much in such a short amount of time, that it isn't always believable.

#2 I felt that the imaginative expression could be slightly overwhelming at times, and could have used a bit more explanation. 

Despite these two things, it is without a doubt that this is a beautiful story of growth, hardship, healing, and forgiveness. I would highly recommend this read to any lover of young adult fantasy.



Random side note: I think that Sybel is the original white-haired, dragon wielding heroine. Not Khaleesi.

Vulgarity: None that I recall.
Sexual content: Some advances are made towards Sybel, but they are stopped before anything happens.
Violence: Minimal. 

My Rating: ★★★★1/2

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Story Eater

I think Patricia McKillip has wormed her way onto my top 5 favorite authors shelf. Someone forgot to give me her books back when I read Tolkien, Lewis, MacDonald, and LeGuin.

I also have an inkling where Martin got the idea for Daenerys Targaryen.

Michael M.

Sybel, the beautiful great-granddaughter of the wizard Heald, has grown up on Eld Mountain with only the fantastic beasts summoned there by wizardry as companions. She cares nothing for humans until, when she is sixteen, a baby is brought for her to raise, a baby who awakens emotions that she has never known before. But the baby is Tamlorn, the only son of King Drede, and, inevitably, Sybel becomes entangled in the human world of love, war and revenge - and only her beasts can save her from the ultimate destruction. . .

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

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