The Prince of Morning Bells [Paperback]

Nancy Kress (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1981

"Anyone who has ever doubted the psychological link between fantasy and life will be quickly corrected by this insightful and highly recommended novel".--Roger C. Schlobin, "Fantasy Newsletter".

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Prince of Morning Bells was Nancy Kress's first novel. Originally published by Timescape, it has long been out of print. Now, after nearly two decades, it is available in this FoxAcre Press trade paperback edition. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

The Prince of Morning Bells by Nancy Kress. With a new Afterword by the Author.

"Smile a lot, yes, and then weep a little, and hold your breath, and wonder at the wisdom and the whimsy of it..depending on how much you bring to it, the book is metaphor, it is fable; it makes a statement, has a moral, looks back at you, from time to time, like a mirror." --Theodore Sturgeon, TWILIGHT ZONE

"A lively and entertaining fairy tale." --PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY

"The bittersweet climax not only surprised me, it choked me up a little." --Peter Stampfel, THE VILLAGE VOICE

"Anyone who has ever doubted the psychological link between fantasy and life will be quickly corrected by this insightful and highly recommended novel." -- Roger C. Schlobin, FANTASY NEWSLETTER

"A depth and freshness of observation that is uncommonly astute and poignant." -- Anne McCaffrey

"Nancy Kress has the true storyteller's Gift -- the ability to make her characters and what happens to them so vital that the reader's heart aches." -- Stephen R. Donaldson

"Sprightly and moving." -- --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; First Edition edition (September 1, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671420836
• ISBN-13: 978-0671420833
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,366,212 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good fantasy novel, July 23, 2002

By 

Paul Lappen (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Prince of Morning Bells (Paperback)

A reprint of Kress' twenty-year-old first novel, this is the story of Princess Kirila of Castle Kiril. In a land that's perpetually at peace, Kirila tries her hand at the usual things a Princess does, like hunting and creating a tapestry. After her eighteenth birthday, she gets increasingly moody and short-tempered, taking it out on the castle staff. One day, she decides to go on a solo Quest to find the True Heart of the World. All she knows is that it is somewhere to the north, and it has to do with the Tents of Omnium.

Kirila soon comes upon a talking dog, with blue-black fur, named Chessie. He says he was a human prince who was turned into a dog by a wizard. Chessie is also going to the Tents of Omnium, the only place to get unenchanted. They spend some time at the Quirkian Hold, something like a monastery, whose purpose is to make order of all things in the universe. Their four clans are Up, Down, Strange and Charmed. Some feel that is enough to explain everything, while others feel that the Model of Forces may need some revision by adding another clan.

Later, they meet Prince Larek of Castle Talatour. He is handsome, single and totally obsessed with jousting. The castle is the smallest, most poorly maintained castle Kirila has ever seen. Nevertheless, she accepts Larek's marriage proposal. Chessie continues his Quest to the Tents of Omnium.

Twenty-five years later, after Kirila has borne a couple of children, buried Larek, who lost a battle with a wild boar, and started to experience middle age and arthritis, Chessie returns. He got almost to Omnium, but was stopped by a sort of magical force field. On the spur of the moment, Kirila decides to continue the Quest. After several adventures, they reach the Tents of Omnium, where Chessie returns to human form.

This novel is really good. It starts off with some tongue-in-cheek humor, then gets a lot better. Here is a first-rate combination of psychology and fable that is quite entertaining.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great early book, February 19, 2009

By 

SKW (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Prince of Morning Bells (Paperback)

I first read this book over two decades ago while a girl in my teens, and it continues to echo around in my head. I'm glad to finally see it back in print.

The previous reviewer gives a good summary of the plot. However, I've always viewed the book to be strongly allegorical without being preachy: where can a woman find happiness? Kirila grows bored with "childish activities" and begins her quest. She joins a community based on scientific principles, joins another based on religion, spends decades doing the "married to a stereotypical male who likes sports" lifestyle...but in the end finds out what really is at the Heart of her World.

I recommend it to teenaged girls (both chronologically and at heart) who enjoy fantasy. Think of this as a girl-centered coming-of-age story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Finish, March 3, 2011

By 

Melissa McCauley (North Little Rock, AR) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Prince of Morning Bells (Paperback)

I dearly love Nancy Kress's novels (if you haven't read Beggars in Spain RUN and get a copy-RIGHT NOW!), and I really, really wanted to love this - but I just couldn't finish. It seemed like she was trying too hard to be witty - at times it reminded me of The Phantom Tollbooth. But, unfortunately, I found myself not really caring about Kirila and Chessie, and had to admit I didn't want to read any more.