The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
#2364.07 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 1974 Reading commitment Low Patricia A. McKillip Last reviewed 2026-08-07
Overview
Patricia A. McKillip's debut novel (Atheneum, 1974): Sybel, a sorceress raised in isolation among a menagerie of legendary beasts, is drawn into a war of kingdoms when a baby is left in her care. A single, complete standalone novel, no sequels, no shared setting with McKillip's other admitted universe, Riddle-Master.
Mythic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld (1974) core · 4.07 (22,063 ratings); McKillip's first novel; one continuous standalone story, no sequels or shared setting with Riddle-Master.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Forgotten Beasts of Eld? The Forgotten Beasts of Eld's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is The Forgotten Beasts of Eld finished? Complete (1974).
- How much reading does The Forgotten Beasts of Eld take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book · ~343 pages).
- How is The Forgotten Beasts of Eld ranked? #236 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 22,063 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #236?
Ranked #236 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 4.07 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (22,063 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #235, Nettle & Bone (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
- A single standalone novel: ranked on that one book alone.
Why explore this universe?
Well rated · 1 book · Complete · 22k ratings · Ranks #236 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment mythic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- World Fantasy Award (Best Novel), 1975: won: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Related universes
- Same author Riddle-Master: Both by Patricia A. McKillip. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld (1974) and Riddle-Master (1976-1979) are confirmed separate continuities -- different setting, no shared characters or in-story link.
- Same author Ombria in Shadow: Both by Patricia A. McKillip; confirmed separate settings, characters, and continuity.
- Same author Winter Rose: Both by Patricia A. McKillip, confirmed separate continuities -- no shared characters, setting, or continuity across her admitted standalone/series universes.
- Same author Od Magic: Both by Patricia A. McKillip, confirmed separate continuities -- no shared characters, setting, or continuity across her admitted standalone/series universes.
- Same author Kingfisher: Both by Patricia A. McKillip, confirmed separate continuities -- no shared characters, setting, or continuity across her admitted standalone/series universes.
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- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Mythic fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 4.16
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.07 across 22,063 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld admitted; single-work, related to Riddle-Master by same author accepted 2026-08-07
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Related universes: see the Related universes section above.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-07
Rule: Registered as a single-work universe (LOTR-analogy/Piranesi precedent): one continuous novel with no sequels or companion material. Won the 1975 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.