A Unicorn Fantasy, Patricia A. McKillip, and Neil Gaiman

Kai Lung Unrolls his Mat, by Ernest Bramah.

A Ballantine Books ‘Unicorn’ Fantasy, which is why I have it. Found it at Half-Price; haven’t read it.

Ranking: Keeper for the collection, but for the right price …

File Code: Fantasy. Paperback.

Stepping from the Shadows; and The Moon and the Face, by Patricia A. McKillip

Two non-fantasies by one of the best fantasy authors. “The Moon and the Face” is a science-fiction book and a sequel to a book I don’t have, “Moon-Flash”; I have never read that either. “Stepping from the Shadows” is a “semi-autobiographical coming of age story” and while apparently plenty imaginative is not fantasy. I have only read a bit, and now the cover is damaged.

Ranking: Keepers for now, but Dispensable.

File Code: Novel. Paperbacks.

The Sorceress and the Cygnet, and The Cygnet and the Firebird, by Patricia A. McKillip.

A ‘duology’ from the early 90’s, these were engaging entertainments that have left little lasting impressions on me. Not like the “Riddle-Master” books. I was willing to sell them a while ago, but now I’m not so sure.

Ranking: Keepers.

File Code: Fantasy. Novels. Paperbacks.

The Book of Atrix Wolf, Song for the Basilisk, and Winter Rose, by Patricia A. McKillip.

These all have covers by Kinuko Y. Craft. All good books, all great reads. I don’t have very clear memories of them at this point, but they are all fine entertainments. After these, I started to get all McKillip books in hardbacks. “Winter Rose” has a sequel, “Solstice Wood”.

Ranking: Keepers.

File Code: Fantasy. Novels. Paperbacks.

 Stardust, by Neil Gaiman.

“Stardust is a 1997 fantasy novel by British writer Neil Gaiman. Stardust has a different tone and style from most of Gaiman's prose fiction, being consciously written in the tradition of pre-Tolkien English fantasy, following in the footsteps of authors such as Lord Dunsany and Hope Mirrlees. It is concerned with the adventures of a young man from the village of Wall, which borders the magical land of Faerie.” – Wikipedia. Made into a disappointing movie in 2007. His second novel. Not bad, but a little – just a little – rough yet. [And this is the only image of the mass paperback copy I have that I could find. So far of all the paperbacks I have, "Stardust" has the most cover variations I have ever seen.]

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Paperback.

Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions, by Neil Gaiman.

An anthology of his short stories and poetry, many of the fiction tales previously published in Great Britain in “Angels and Visitations”. At this moment, Gaiman might be the greatest living fantasy writer.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Anthology. Paperback.