The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Bookplates of art for the book by Alicia Austin, dated 1981 and in a limited portfolio (scanned by MoxSapphire):
| Plate 1 | Plate 2 | Plate 3 | Plate 4 |
| Plate 5 | Plate 6 | Plate 7 (artist profile) | Plate 8 |
Back Cover Text:
Spun from threads of gold and living dreams of ancient powers, THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD is the story of Sybel, the ivory-haired wizard, who, with a touch of her mind, summons a kingdom of magical beasts - each with a superhuman power. Together they must undertake a wondrous quest across shimmering, fabled Eldwold and beyond, through dynastic was and chilling sorcery, before Sybel learns the power of human love.
From the Cover:
Under a crystal dome
in the forests of an enchanted
world, unfolds this adventure of ancient
powers, spun with threads of gold and the
living dreams of the uncorrupted sorceress, Sybel.
This book was published in 1974 and won the World Fantasy Award.
McKillip's writing in this story is masterful. The book has several little lines and images that are just wonderful. The characters and descriptions are beautifully done. McKillip has a talent for creating villains that are understandable, so even when they are at their most despicable I feel almost sorry for them. They are often driven to acts that are evil, and are not just being evil for the sake of evil. McKillip has an interesting way of showing the reader how they have been driven to such acts - and then showing us how that character failed in some way to redeem himself and thus became a villain. I highly recommend this book.
