The Riddle-Master of Hed
core novel 1976 Riddle-Master
Record
| First published | 1976 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.98 (13,338 ratings, collected 2026-09-14) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780689305450 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
The Riddle-Master of Hed, the first book of the Riddle-Master trilogy, follows Morgon, prince of the simple farmers and swineherds of Hed, who wins a crown from the dead Lord of Aum by mastering a deadly riddle-game, a victory that also carries the odd burden of three mysterious stars marked on his forehead. When Morgon learns that the ruler of An long ago promised his daughter's hand to whoever claimed that same crown, he sets sail to meet her, but the ship is attacked and sunk by mysterious shapechangers who begin threatening him and replacing people around him, leaving him with lost memories. He is forced to travel north toward the mysterious High One who rules from Erlenstar Mountain, seeking answers about his stars and the shapechangers hunting him.
Where it sits
- Universe: Riddle-Master
- Series: Riddle-Master core; position 1 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Patricia A. McKillip
Notes
- From the series record (Riddle-Master): Morgon of Hed's trilogy; a foundational 1970s work of literary high fantasy.
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 Riddle-Master: position 1 of 3: next Heir of Sea and Fire (1977)
Sources
← Riddle-Master dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.