Customer Reviews

Double Phoenix

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While the fantasy masters (Morris, Dunsany, etc.) republished in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series continue to remain in print, the authors of this slim but rewarding volume have been sadly forgotten. Presenting a pairing of two allegorical novellas dealing with the Phoenix of myth, it succeeds both as entertainment & something deeper. Let me especially note Cooper's "The Firebird" -- if his use of the Journey of Life is straightforward, his detailed images, rich colors, & evocative landscapes bring that journey to vivid life. The novella is as much a tone poem, a flowing music, as it is narrative; it deserves to be much better known. And Green's "From the World's End" is subtle & literate work, with pyschological depth. Together, these two novellas will transport readers & leave them thoughtful afterwards. Those looking for typical action & adventure will be disappointed; those looking for insight & mythic resonance will find both in abundance. Highly recommended!

This volume is not a single work, but two: "The Firebird", by Edmund Cooper, and "From the World's End" by Roger Lancelyn Green (of Robin Hood fame) are bound into a single volume. Both are very well-written fantasies, focusing on the famed Phoenix and its legendary rebirth. Both novels are said to be allegories rich in imagery and analogues; I think they're just fine writing. Read them for the story.

These will both soon be rediscovered as modern classics of fantasy.