The Book of Atrix Wolfe
30th Anniversary Special Edition
A decision made in haste reverberates across multiple kingdoms in Patricia A. McKillip’s lush fantasy classic The Book of Atrix Wolfe.
Blackmailed to betray the ethics of his practice, an enraged mage calls up violent forces to end a war between two kingdoms. An honorable king, his mourning wife, and the fey realm’s royal family are among the collateral damage of that decision. Prince Talis, born the night the war ends, is orphaned; the mage self-exiles.
Twenty years later, Talis happens upon a grimoire whose mysteries ensnare him. In his family’s castle, a kitchen maid’s soul stirs: Talis alone seems to truly see her. And in the mountains beyond Talis’s kingdom, the mage at last faces the harms that his decision wrought, even as the shadow hunter that he summoned begins to ride again.
McKillip’s signature talents are on full display in this wondrous tale, wherein memories of “barren crags and ancient forests, winds scented with honey, wolf, wildflowers, swift water so pure” can be summoned as a force for good, and love is an articulation of guileless recognition of another. This thirtieth anniversary edition comes with a papercut cover; it reflects the lacy delicacy of McKillip’s work—beloved among high fantasy aficionados.
Reviewed by
Michelle Anne Schingler
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
