The Book of Elementals
#6063.82 adjusted 3.89 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 2 books Status Unfinished 1979–1988 Reading commitment Low Phyllis Eisenstein Last reviewed 2026-10-26
Overview
Phyllis Eisenstein's Book of Elementals is a secondary-world fantasy of sorcerers who draw their power from the elements and command enslaved demons. Sorcerer's Son (1979) follows Cray Ormoru, son of the sorceress of Castle Spinweb, in search of the father he never knew, a coming-of-age story built on a magical apprenticeship; The Crystal Palace (1988) sends Cray after the woman his enchanted mirror shows him, through the realms of Air, Water, Fire and Ice. A third volume, The City in Stone, was announced but never published.
Epic fantasy, Mythic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (2 works) counts toward ranking
The Book of Elementals Phyllis Eisenstein
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Sorcerer's Son | 1979 | 1 | core | 3.87 (693 ratings) |
 | The Crystal Palace | 1988 | 2 | core | 3.69 (298 ratings) |
Two published novels; a planned third never appeared.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Book of Elementals? The Book of Elementals's Core Canon is 2 books.
- What is the reading order for The Book of Elementals? Publication order, starting with Sorcerer's Son. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is The Book of Elementals finished? Unfinished (1979–1988).
- How much reading does The Book of Elementals take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 2 Core Canon books).
- How is The Book of Elementals ranked? #606 in this site's official ranking, based on 991 reader ratings across 2 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #606?
Ranked #606 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.82 across 2 core books.
- A smaller readership (991 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.06 behind #605, The Isles of the Gods.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Rated · 2 books · Unfinished · 991 ratings · Ranks #606 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment epic fantasy universe.
Reading order
Publication order (2 Core Canon books)
- Sorcerer's Son (1979)
- The Crystal Palace (1988)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.82 across 991 ratings on 2 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: The Book of Elementals (Phyllis Eisenstein, 2 books) accepted 2026-10-26
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Eisenstein, Phyllis Tier 2
- EBSCO Research Starters: Sorcerer's Son and The Crystal Palace by Phyllis Eisenstein Tier 2
- Fantasy Literature: Sorcerer's Son review (third novel, The City in Stone, not published) Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-10-26
Rule: Core Canon = Sorcerer's Son (1979) and The Crystal Palace (1988). A third volume, The City in Stone, was announced but never published and is not registered.