Alphabet of Thorn
core novel 2004 Alphabet of Thorn
Record
| First published | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.09 (6,444 ratings, collected 2026-10-08) |
| Page count | 314 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780441011308 |
Synopsis
Deep inside a palace on the edge of the world, in the kingdom of Raine, the orphan Nepenthe pores over books in the royal library, a scribe and translator who was found as a baby among the thorns and has grown up among the librarians' silent ranks. On the day the new queen is crowned, a young mage from the Floating School brings her a book written in an alphabet of thorns that no one can read, and deciphering it becomes her obsession: the thorns unfold into the story of Axis, an emperor who conquered the world, and Kane, the sorceress who walked beside him, and their ancient epic begins to wind itself into the present. Meanwhile the new queen, Tessera, a girl who wants nothing to do with matters of state, hides in the woods while her regents plot, and the fate of Raine turns on what Nepenthe reads.
Where it sits
- Universe: Alphabet of Thorn
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Patricia A. McKillip
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Adult Literature), 2005: nominated; Finalist.
Notes
- Ace Books, February 2004, cover by Kinuko Y. Craft. A separate world from McKillip's other universes in this canon.
Sources
← Alphabet of Thorn dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.