The Well at the World's End
core novel 1896 The Well at the World's End
Record
| First published | 1896 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.77 (915 ratings, collected 2026-09-11) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9781598182989 |
Synopsis
The Well at the World's End, published by William Morris in 1896, follows Ralph, the youngest of four sons of King Peter of the small realm of Upmeads. Chafing at the confines of provincial life alongside his elder brothers, Ralph grows restless when his father decrees that only the eldest sons may leave home to make their way in the wider world, leaving Ralph and his twin behind. Determined not to be left out, Ralph defies his father's wishes and secretly slips away from Upmeads on his own, beginning a long journey through varied and often dangerous lands. His quest gradually centers on a legendary well said to lie at the world's end, whose waters are reputed to grant those who drink them healing, lasting peace, and enduring love, a goal that draws Ralph ever further from the sheltered home he left behind.
Where it sits
- Universe: The Well at the World's End
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: William Morris
Notes
- New author record. One of the foundational works of modern fantasy prose romance, predating any organized genre award by decades (the Hugo Award began 1953; the World Fantasy Award, 1975) -- zero contemporary genre awards is fully expected and explicitly not treated as a quality signal, matching the project's established convention for this era (Dunsany, Eddison, Mirrlees). H.G. Wells praised it on release; C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien both cited Morris's prose romances as a formative influence. A standalone novel; Morris's other prose romance, The Wood Beyond the World (1894), is a separate, unrelated story and is not folded into this admission.
Sources
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Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.