The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
core novel 1974 The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Record
| First published | 1974 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.07 (22,526 ratings, collected 2026-09-14) |
| Page count | 343 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780689304347 |
Synopsis
A young woman named Sybel lives in isolation on a mountain called Eld, caring for a collection of mythical creatures originally gathered by her late father, Ogam, with whom she shares a rare telepathic bond and deep inherited knowledge. Her sheltered existence is disrupted when a man named Coren of Sirle arrives under cover of darkness carrying an infant, Tamlorn, and asks Sybel to raise the child with love; aided by the local witch Maelga, she agrees. Twelve years later, Coren returns to reclaim the boy, and Sybel resists, suspecting that Coren and his brothers intend to use Tamlorn as a pawn against King Drede of Eldwold. The confrontation draws Sybel, long cut off from human society, into the wider political world of Eldwold and its rival noble houses, even as she continues her long, private quest to summon the legendary white bird known as the Liralen.
Where it sits
- Universe: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Patricia A. McKillip
Awards (verified)
- World Fantasy Award (Best Novel), 1975: won
Notes
- McKillip's first novel; one continuous standalone story, no sequels or shared setting with Riddle-Master.
Sources
← The Forgotten Beasts of Eld dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.