Once Upon a Winter's Night (Roc Fantasy) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "They lived in a one-room, stone cottage on the edge of Faery, there where the world ends and the mystical realm begins, there where golden..." (more)
Key Phrases: flow across the sea, wee sparrow, golden spool, Summerwood Manor, Prince Alain, Lord Kelmot (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Classic fairy tales are classic for a reason, and in this exuberant retelling of the story of [East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon] the theme of true love conquering all obstacles comes out strong and clear. McKiernan (Silver Wolf; Black Falcon; etc.) fleshes out the Andrew Lang version of the tale with a French setting, numerous battles, enigmatic riddles and fairly clean sex. Camille, the sixth and last daughter of a destitute farmer, lives at the border of the land between mortals and faery. One winter night Camille receives the chance of a lifetime when Alain, prince of Summerwood (in the land of faery), asks her family for her hand in marriage. The story continues, as per the classic tale, with Camille discovering that Alain is a bear during the day because of a curse placed on him by a disgusting troll. Our heroine, who is sweet and guileless with only a hint of cloying Pollyanna-ishness, sets out alone on a nearly doomed quest, but admirably keeps going no matter what. Some of the plot is clich‚d, but this has more to do with the familiarity of the story than with the writing, which is never less than graceful. The ending (including a soap opera-like roundup of what happens to Camille's sisters) leaves the door open for a sequel and another quest. Overall, this is a solid, well-rounded fantasy that readers will enjoy as much on a summer beach as on a winter's night.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Prepare to be transported to the fairyland of childhood, replete with trolls, ogres, unicorns, and other wonders. When the prince of Summerland (in Faery, of course) falls in love with poor farmer's daughter Camille, she is borne from her family's rough home to his grand castle on the back of a great white bear. In short order, she falls in love with the prince, though she is not permitted to see his face because of a family curse. One night, however, overcome with curiosity, she shines a candle on his beautiful face, which brings the curse on the household. All disappear but Camille, left alone to confront her fears and evil trolls who seek to claim Summerland's throne. She seeks the help of Lady Soriel, who gives her vague, oracular advice; an injured bird as companion; and a walking stick for the journey she must make. Camille has only a year and a day to search all of Faery for her lost love and free him from his terrible fate. Enchanting. Paula Luedtke
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 380 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover; 1St Edition edition (July 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451458400
• ISBN-13: 978-0451458407
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,407,367 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quest for a Vanished Prince, November 25, 2006

By	Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Once Upon a Winter's Night (Paperback)

Once Upon a Winter's Night (2001) is the first fantasy novel in the Faery series. It is a greatly extended version of the fairytale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon".

In this novel, Camille and her family are disturbed one winter night by a great pounding on the door of their hovel. At first they do nothing, but the pounding continues. Finally, Camille suggests that Henri, her father, find out who is knocking. When Henri, opens the door, he immediately slams it shut and bars it.

When asked about the knocker, Henri wails "A Bear! A white Bear!" Then once more comes the massive knock and the door shudders under the blow. Finally, Camille reopens the door and invites the Bear to enter. The single room is quite crowded after the Bear comes in and lies on the floor.

A message tube is attached around the Bear's neck. The note within asks for Camille's hand in marriage and offers a sizeable bride-price. It is signed "Lord Alain, Prince of the Summerwood".

Camille's mother Aigrette is convinced as soon as the bride-price is announced. Her five sisters tend to be favorable to the offer, although Lisette complains that she is the eldest and should be married first. Henri and Giles, the younger son, are against the whole idea, but Henri can only drag his feet and insist on more time. The Bear is told to come back in a week.

Despite Aigrette's nagging, Henri is not really convinced to let Camille go. However, Aigrette hits upon the idea of a doctor for chronically ailing Giles and Camille begins to seriously consider marrying Alain. Although Giles continues to argue against the idea, Camille leaves with the Bear after he returns.

After an arduous trip through Faery with the Bear, including a Red Cap attack in Winterwood, Camille finally arrives at Summerwood Manor. She finally meets Alain on the third day after her arrival. He is everything that she imagined, except that he is wearing a mask.

In this story, Camille grows to love Alain and waits patiently to see him without his mask. After a trip back home, however, her mother's insinuations persuade Camille to sneak a look at his unmasked face and a violent wind takes away Alain and everybody within Summerwood Manor.

Camille spends several days cleaning up the mess within the manor, but finally thinks to consult the Lady of the Mere. Lord Kelmot, a Lynx rider, shows her the way. The Lady indirectly advises her to look for Alain "East of the Sun and West of the Moon". She also gives Camille a staff and provides a sparrow as her companion. Kelmot offers to accompany her in her quest to locate Alain, but the Lady has advised her to only take the stave and sparrow with her.

Camille meets many friendly people on the way and a few villains. Her own wit often suffices to thwart the villains, although a word of advice from her friends often becomes useful. She hurries as fast as she can, for she only has a year and a day and another month from the day Alain vanished, and she encounters many delays.

Despite the author's statements, I find it hard to believe that the original bardic tale is a long as this novel. Just reading it aloud would take several days. Add musical flourishes and the telling would take a week or more, particularly if the bard only spoke in the evenings after supper.

Highly recommended for McKiernan fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of geases and curses, perseverance and native wit.

-Arthur W. Jordin

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enchanting fantasy, July 10, 2001

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Camille, the youngest of six daughters with a younger ailing brother, lives with her impoverished family near the end of the human world and the start of the fairy realm. She finds happiness singing while working in the field and playing games with her brother. The six female siblings have little hope for marriage because there is no money for a dowry.

However, everything changes when a bear arrives at their hovel. The bear carries a message from Prince Alain of Summerwood stating he wishes to marry Camille and if his proposal is accepted he will pay a bride price that will leave her family in modest luxury. Camille and her brother say no, but the rest of her kin accept. Camille gives in when she realizes her brother can obtain needed medicine.

Camille rides the bear through Springwood to Winterwood to Autumnwood until she finally reaches her destination of Summerwood. There she meets Prince Alain who wears a mask. Still, Camille and Alain begin to fall in love, but she tries to lift the curse that is destroying him without realizing the consequences of her actions. Still, she willingly will go into hell if need be to rescue her beloved.

ONCE UPON A WINTER'S NIGHT is a superb adult fairy tale that children of all ages will enjoy. The story line is charming and magical as it takes readers on quite a ride in the realm of Fairy. Camille is a great female protagonist and the melancholy Alain, who finds brief respites with his beloved, is an enigmatic hero. Dennis McKiernan escorts fantasy lovers into an enchanted place that deserves more tales, perhaps those starring Alain's siblings and even a prequel starring his parents.

Harriet Klausner

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New McKiernan, Same Great Story, July 14, 2001

By A Customer

Well, I just finished Once Upon a Winter's Night and my only problem with it is I can't wait for the sequal(s)! That's all that's bad about it... McKiernan definately has a winner on his hands. The book is _almost_ as good as his Mithgar arc, but totally in a different way. All I can say is it's magical. I felt like a little kid reading this book, because it defiantely has a fairy tale storybook feeling, but you can tell this one is written for us big kids too. It has very tasteful adult scenes including a little bit of intimacy and Dennis' trademark descriptions of battles, and all things magical. I think it is better than his other non Mithgar book, Caverns of Socrates, and will reach a broader audience, including female readers of fantasy and romance. The book is well written and everything ties together beautifully. You might even say there are even some "red slipper" token items sprinkled throughout that McKiernan always uses so skillfully. The book will may you think a lot about people, the world, and the nature of why we're all here. Bravo Dennis, and keep 'em coming!