The Isle of Glass
core novel 1985 The Hound and the Falcon
Record
| First published | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.96 (1,099 ratings, collected 2026-09-02) |
| Page count | 276 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780312942373 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
The Isle of Glass opens the Hound and the Falcon trilogy in twelfth-century Europe, introducing Alf, a young monk living quietly at a monastery among humans while concealing that he is actually an Elf. Alf's carefully guarded existence is upended when political turmoil threatens to erupt into civil war, and he is drawn out of the cloister to help avert the coming conflict. His efforts lead him away from the monastery and into a pilgrimage toward Jerusalem, a journey that brings him into contact with historical figures of the period even as he continues to hide his true nature from the humans around him. The novel follows Alf's growing entanglement in worldly affairs and the tension between his monastic vows and the secret, immortal life he has kept hidden.
Where it sits
- Universe: The Hound and the Falcon
- Series: The Hound and the Falcon core; position 1 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Judith Tarr
Awards (verified)
- William L. Crawford Award (IAFA Fantasy Award), 1987: won; Awarded to Judith Tarr for The Hound and the Falcon trilogy as a whole (the Crawford recognizes a debut fantasy writer/work); recorded against the trilogy's first volume since the award does not attach to a single specific title.
- Locus Award (Best First Novel), 1986: nominated; The Isle of Glass placed 11th (finalist tier, not a win).
Notes
- From the series record (The Hound and the Falcon): The complete trilogy (1985-1986, Bluejay Books), one continuous narrative arc.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series The Hound and the Falcon: position 1 of 3: next The Golden Horn (1985)
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hound_and_the_Falcon
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Isle_of_Glass
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Horn_(novel)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hounds_of_God
- https://sfadb.com/Judith_Tarr_Chronology
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawford_Award
- https://sfadb.com/William_L_Crawford_-_IAFA_Fantasy_Award
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