The essential second volume of bestselling author Peter S. Beagle's short stories, including one previously unpublished and four uncollected stories, shows again that Beagle is one of America's most influential fantasists. With his celebrated versatility, humor, and grace, Beagle is at home in a dazzling variety of subgenres. Evoking comparison to such iconic authors as Twain, Tolkien, Carroll, L'Engle, and Vonnegut, this career retrospective celebrates...

The essential second volume of bestselling author Peter S. Beagle's (The Last Unicorn) short stories, including one previously unpublished and four uncollected stories, shows again that Beagle is one of America's most influential fantasists. With his celebrated versatility, humor, and grace, Beagle is at home in a dazzling variety of subgenres. Evoking comparison to such iconic authors as Twain, Tolkien, Carroll, L'Engle, and Vonnegut, this career...

In ancient Persia, magical beasts are nearly extinct. But the unicorns are not yet gone-not when the terrifying karkadann wields its deadly horn. It will be up to Heydari, tenderhearted son of an elephant driver, to discover more than a monster in a badly-injured beast. Lisa passes her days as a distracted maid who is slow of speech and thought. But Lisa has unique memories: a terrible sorcerer has cursed with his dying spell, taking both her freedom...