Book Review: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

By Patricia A. McKillip
Berkley Book/Atheneum Publishers, 1984,217 pages
ISBN: 0425065952

You have to love good fantasy stories. They take you on mystical journeys and stimulate your imagination with their characters, creatures, suspense, and mysticism.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld fits all of these criteria.

Written in feminine tones, it’s the story of Sybel, a sixteen year old ivory haired sorceress who lives alone with her array of animals; a falcon (Ter), a boar (Cyrin), a cat (Moriah), a lyon (Gules), and a green-winged dragon (Gyld).

Sybel, who was taught the ways of summoning, conversing, and controlling the wills of animals by her father Ogam (a powerful sorcerer), finds her life suddenly changed when a man (Coren of Sirle) arrives at her door with an infant (Tamalorn), who is the child of her deceased aunt and the heir to the throne of Eldwold. Upon caring for Tamalorn, she [Sybel] realizes how lonely and unloved she is and eventually falls in love with Coren. However, Coren and his brothers are in a power struggle with the King of Eldwold (Drede), thus attempting to use Tamalorn as a pawn against the king, Sybel struggles between her love for Tamalorn, her love for Coren, her love for her animals, and her changing life. Ultimately, Sybel is forced into this warring feud when Drede attempts to have her murdered, invoking her revenge with the aid of her animals. In the end, Sybel finds the secret to her happiness is closer than she thinks.

McKillip artistically weaves a tale of fantasy, blended with romance, love, revenge, and coming of age. The soft, easy writing style enhances the image of the main character [Sybel] and the emotional touches felt throughout the story. The animals are not well defined, but are masterfully woven in to make them believable.

Her [McKillip] use of imagery, twists, and turns entices the reader along the journey of this "classic" fantasy. A light read and a beautiful fantasy for any generation.