The Book of Elementals, Vol. 1 and 2 (v. 1 & 2) [Hardcover]

Phyllis Eisenstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2003

The Book of Elementals Vol. 1 and 2 is an omnibus reprint edition of two classic fantasies by Phyllis Eisenstien: In Sorcerer's Son, Cray Ormoru, born in magic and raised with sorcery, dwelt in a world of happiness within the walls of Castle Spinweb. His mother, Delivev the sorceress, provided everything he needed or desired. Still Cray yearned for something more. And as he grew from boy to young man, Cray sensed that the time had come to undertake the quest to find the father he had never known, the young knight who had pledged eternal love to Delivev and then never returned from a final mission for his own lord. And so Cray set out on the journey which would take him from town to castle to a fortress of bronze, totally unprepared for the sorrows and dangers that lay ahead. For the fate of Cray's father would only be discovered by the light of demon fire... In The Crystal Palace, Cray and his friend Feldar Sepwin, a seer, craft a mirror of silver, wood and spider web, enchanted to show the viewer his or her heart's desire. Yet for Cray the mirror showed nothing for years. Then one day he was drawn to it to see the image of a young girl. But who she was and where she dwelled remained mysteries. In time, as the girl grew into a beautiful woman, Cray discovered her home with the help of demons of Fire, Air and Ice-a magnificent palace in the realm of Ice. Cray discovered that she was Aliza, a sorceress dedicated solely to the study of her craft. And Cray realized that his quest had just begun-for Aliza was as much prisoner as mistress of her Crystal Palace, and even Cray might not master the power to break the spell and set her free...

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

THE BOOK OF ELEMENTALS VOL. I AND II is a reprint of Phyllis Eisenstein's classic novels "Sorcerer's Son" and "The Crystal Palace."

From the Author

"Sorcerer’s Son was inspired by a talk that fantasy author and editor Lin Carter gave on talismanic rings. It started me thinking about how I might use gems and metal for magic and then, inevitably, what the opposite of that kind of magic might be. From there grew the people who used those kinds of magic, and then the creatures whom they controlled. That was the background. For the story, all the fairy tales I had ever read (a very large number) came into play, plus all the subjects that fascinate me, especially love and loss and yearning, and a young person’s search for his place in the world. Those are themes I use over and over again in my fiction, though sometimes I don’t realize it consciously till after the story is finished. They are, after all, the stuff of the human condition, whether they occur in a fantasy context or a realistic one. And they’re what fairy tales are about, too. The Crystal Palace and The City in Stone grew out of the same material, after I did a lot of mulling. My husband offered some valuable suggestions, too; sometimes I think he understands what I’m trying to do better than I do."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 744 pages
• Publisher: Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc. (August 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892065940
• ISBN-13: 978-1892065940
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,725,722 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well I actually bought a book from a Columbia Professor, June 27, 2005

By 

Angel E. Perez Jr. "Zone Writer" (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of Elementals, Vol. 1 and 2 (Paperback)

Good all around, I don't like fantasy much, but this book is worth the read. Give it a shot, especially if you are into fantasy