The Hound and the Falcon: The Isle of Glass, The Golden Horn, and The Hounds of God [Paperback]

Judith Tarr (Author)

Book Description

Series: Hound and Falcon Omnibus | Publication Date: May 15, 1993

Alfred of St. Ruan's Abbey is a monk and a scholar, a religious man whose vocation is beyond question. But Alfred is also, without a doubt, one of the fair folk, for though he is more than seventy years old by the Abbey's records, he seems to be only a youth.

But Alfred is drawn from the haven of his monastery into his dangerous currents of politics when an ambassador from the kingdom of Rhiyana to Richard Coeur de Leon is wounded and Alfred himself is sent to complete the mission. There he encounters the Hounds of God, who believe that the fair folk have no souls, and must be purged from the Church and from the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Judith Tarr is one of the undeniable experts in the historical fantasy form."--Booklist

"Wonderful characters, delightful weaving of real history and mythology, with the emphasis on the real world."--Katherine Kurtz

"Tarr's characters are well-rounded and believable. Her plotting is strong and her language a delight to read in its lean simplicity that still maintains a rich resonance."--Charles de Lint

From the Back Cover

Alfred of St. Ruan's Abbey is a monk and a scholar, a religious man whose vocation is beyond question. But Alfred is also, without a doubt, one of the fair folk, for though he is more than seventy years old by the Abbey's records, he seems to be only a youth.

But Alfred is drawn from the haven of his monastery into the dangerous currents of politics when an ambassador from the kingdom of Rhiyana to Richard Coeur de Leon is wounded and Alfred himself is sent to complete the mission. There he encounters the Hounds of God, who believe that the fair folk have no souls, and must be purged from the Church and from the world.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Orb Books (May 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312853033
• ISBN-13: 978-0312853037
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #873,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have a lot of academic credentials (PhD from Yale, MA from Cambridge University, AB from Mt. Holyoke) and taught writing and Latin at Wesleyan University in Connecticut--before I ran away from it all to live on a mesa in Arizona. I breed and ride Lipizzan horses, read and study history (and make up my own alternate and fantastical versions), and write--novels, short stories, articles. I teach writing online (details at http://capriole.smoe.org) and blog on the livejournals as dancinghorse. My alter ego is author Caitlin Brennan, who also has a plog on amazon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving story of self acceptance & a grand adventure in one!, October 13, 2002

By 

Dawn Smoker (Mechanicsburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Hound and the Falcon: Three Novels in One Volume, The Isle of Glass, The Golden Horn, the Hounds of God (Hardcover)

I first read this collection of three of Judith Tarr's best books back in the late 1980's. They are a little melodramatic at times, but I really enjoyed them.

The main characters are all incredibly well drawn, especially Alfred, the pious monk turned into a reluctant elven warrior & mage. He wrestles with his own self doubt and the state of his soul throughout the books, even as he changes lives for the better all around him. Sometimes, like his female foil, Thea, you just want to shake him and wake him up to the fact that someone soulless would never do so much good in the world--no matter what the church believes!

Alfred is a foundling who is raised by monks, and becomes a very learned and pious monk himself. His writings are praised by the Pope himself. Alfred eventually realizes that he is not aging and is, in fact, an immortal elf. If he believes his church teachings, then he is a soulless being. He grapples with this throughout the book. He has an encounter with others of his kind, nursing a prince of his kind back to health and meeting a fiery tempered elf woman, Thea. He is mortified that he is attracted to her--he had thought the vow of chastity to be the easiest of his vows, because he was never drawn to mortal women. He turns down the position as abbot, believing himself to be unworthy. (Those who raised him and grew up with him accept and love him as he is without a qualm--they know in their hearts that he is a power for good.) He then sets off to figure his life out. He is swept into the train of Richard the Lion-hearted later into the Crusades and to Rome. He is nearly burned by the church, becomes a great warrior, discovers his magical abilities, and finally learns to accept himself and the love of the elf woman who has been following him since their first encounter back at the abbey.

Don't miss this chance to read this book in this bargain omnibus form. You won't regret it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exquisite Fantasy!, February 26, 2003

By 

R.Parklane (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Hound and the Falcon: The Isle of Glass, The Golden Horn, and The Hounds of God (Paperback)

I love this trilogy. I read it close to 10 years ago. I have just finished it the second time. I am just as enthralled as ever with this historical fantasy filled with enchantments and interlaced with tender romantic moments. I will always love Alfred, the innocent and beautiful elf monk, turned powerful elf lord after much struggles with his real true self. I will always appreciate Thea who loves him from the very beginning. Finally who could ever forget Alfred's encounter with Richard, the Lion Heart, Alfred's sorrows during the disastrous invasion of Constantinople and finally Alfred's torment in the last of the trilogy when he thought he has lost all those he loves. My only complaint is the seemingly rush writing towards the end. On the other end, it maybe I did not wish the tale of Alfred, Thea, their children and their elf kin to end. The Hound and the Falcon is definitely one of my favorites to be treasured always.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!, March 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hound and the Falcon: The Isle of Glass, The Golden Horn, and The Hounds of God (Paperback)

I first read these books in separate volumes in the late eighties and then forgot the titles completely. I found it again about a year ago and ordered it from amazon straight away. It is by far one of the most complete historical fantasies I have ever read. It is so easy to read, and contains so many details that manage to become so much a part of the story that they don't even slow it down, that it is a joy to read. I have read it again and again and still enjoy it each time. Read this book, it will open your eyes to what a great fantasy series can be.