Wizard of the Pigeons
core novel 1986 Wizard of the Pigeons
Record
| First published | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.72 (1,749 ratings, collected 2026-09-11) |
| Page count | 214 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780441894673 |
Synopsis
Wizard of the Pigeons, published by Robin Hobb in 1986, is an urban fantasy set among the homeless population of Seattle. Wizard is a man living on the streets who possesses a supernatural gift he calls Knowing, an ability that lets him perceive hidden truths about the people and dangers around him, which he uses to help fellow street residents survive day to day. Bound by strange rules tied to his magic, including obligations to the pigeons that give him his name, Wizard relies on allies such as Cassie as he navigates the practical hardships of homelessness alongside genuinely supernatural threats. As a menace connected to a past he has long tried to forget begins closing in on him, Wizard is forced to draw on abilities he has mostly used quietly, and reluctantly, to survive.
Where it sits
- Universe: Wizard of the Pigeons
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Robin Hobb
Awards (verified)
- Prix Imaginales (Roman etranger (Foreign Novel)), 2004: won; Won for its French translation, Le Dernier magicien (Mnemos, 2003). Confirmed directly via imaginales.fr's own official winners list for the festival's foreign-novel category.
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 1986: finalist; Locus poll placement, 17th place; registered per this canon's no-cutoff convention for Locus poll placements, not a won result. Confirmed via sfadb.com, the accepted primary source for Locus Award lineage claims.
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 1987: finalist; Locus poll placement, 8th place; registered per this canon's no-cutoff convention for Locus poll placements, not a won result. Confirmed via sfadb.com, the accepted primary source for Locus Award lineage claims.
Notes
- Published under the Megan Lindholm name (Ace Books, 1986). An urban fantasy set in contemporary Seattle, following a homeless Vietnam veteran with unrecognized magical power; regarded as an early, influential work in the urban fantasy subgenre.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Wizard of the Pigeons
- Les Imaginales: Prix Imaginales, official winners list
- Wikipedia (fr): Le Dernier Magicien
- sfadb: Megan Lindholm Chronology
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