Peter S. Beagle

Stand-alone novels:

A Fine and Private Place — (1960) Publisher: Conversing in a mausoleum with the dead, an eccentric recluse is tugged back into the world by a pair of ghostly lovers bearing an extraordinary gift — the final chance for his own happiness. When challenged by a faithless wife and aided by a talking raven, the lives of the living and the dead may be renewed by courage and passion, but only if not belatedly. Told with an elegiac wisdom, this delightful tale of magic and otherworldly love is a timeless work of fantasy imbued with hope and wonder. After multiple printings since 1960, this newest edition will contain the author's recent revisions and will stand as the definitive version of an ageless classic.

The Innkeeper's Song — (1993) Publisher: Set in a shadowy world of magic and mystery, a fantasy novel in which a young man sets off on a wild ride in pursuit of the lover whose death and resurrection he witnessed.

The Innkeeper's Song: A vivid, bittersweet dream... but of what?

The Innkeeper's Song is a one-volume fantasy for mature readers that is by turns (or even simultaneously) lyrical and maddening. Lyrical because much of its language is, in contemporary fantasy, on par with only Patricia McKillip and Guy Gavriel Kay. Maddening because — despite the full-throttle beginning, intricately woven characters and a world made wondrous without a map or long descriptions but simply by names and prosaic brushstrokes — the promise of the beginning and middle absolutely fizzles to a all-but-incomprehensible anti-climax in which none of the characters' skills, virtues or flaws seem to matter. It's the equivalent of dreaming oneself into a world of rich and dread beauty, flying over that world so freely as to go beyond dreaming entirely... and then being slapped awake to find oneself flailing at the air and wondering, "What might have been..."

Sigh.

The tale concerns three women who arrive at an inn in the course of their quest to protect their ancient magician-friend from a renegade apprentice so that he might die in peace and not rise as a tormented ghost. The three are a warrior-nun who has escaped her convent; a legendary thief-sailor-swordsman; and a village girl whom the thief raised from a drowning death with the magician's ring. Added to these memorable figures are the earnest stable-boy; the gruff innkeeper; the nun's companion (a fox); and the stubborn boy who was betrothed to the village girl and follows her in the hope of reclaiming their lost love.

Each chapter proceeds from the first-person viewpoint of a different character (central or not), which works well overall but sometimes proves tiresome, especially when the author chooses (or is forced to) use a minor character as the "camera" for a particular scene or plot development or when the character's "voice" is confusing or not quite right. However, the chapters told by the thief are particularly well done; and she emerges as one of the most admirable, engaging characters in contemporary fantasy. (One actually wishes for more tales of Lal, Sailor Lal, Swordcane Lal, Lal-after-dark.)

Recommended as a library loan for dedicated fantasy buffs, fans of Kay or McKillip, or those looking for something completely different. —Rob R.   Comments

Tamsin — (1999) Publisher: Arriving in the English countryside to live with her mother and new stepfather, Jenny has no interest in her surroundings until she meets Tamsin. Since her death over 300 years ago, Tamsin has haunted the lonely estate without rest, trapped by a hidden trauma she can't remember, and a powerful evil even the spirits of night cannot name. To help her, Jenny must delve deeper into the dark world than any human has in hundreds of years, and face danger that will change her life forever...

A Dance for Emilia — (2000) Publisher: Even lifelong friendships can't outlast death...or can they? Award-winning author Peter S. Beagle presents a deeply personal story of dreams abandoned and recovered, friends loved and lost, and the strength it takes to let go....

Giant Bones — (1996) Young adult. Nominated for the World Fantasy Award, The Mythopoeic Awards, 1998 Best Books for the Teen Age. Six breathtaking stories set in the bestselling world of The Inkeeper's Song.

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons — (2007) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Dragons are common in the back water kingdom of bellemontagne, coming in sizes from mouse-like vermin all the way up to castle-smashing monsters. Gaius Aurelius Constantine Heliogabalus thrax (who would much rather people just call him robert) has recently inherited his deceased dad’s job as a dragon catcher/exterminator, a career he detests with all his heart — in part because he likes dragons, feeling an odd kinship with them, but mainly because his dream has always been the impossible one of transcending his humble origin to someday become a prince’s valet. Needless to say, fate has something rather different in mind ...

We Never Talk About My Brother — (2009) Publisher: Modern parables of love, death, and transformation are peppered with melancholy in this extraordinary collection of contemporary fantasy. Each short story cultivates a whimsical sense of imagination and reveals a mature, darker voice than previously experienced from this legendary author. In one tale the Angel of Death enjoys newfound celebrity while moonlighting as an anchorman on the network news, while in another the shortsighted ruler of a gentle realm betrays himself in dreaming of a "manageable war." Further storylines include an American librarian who discovers that, much to his surprise and sadness, he is the last living Frenchman, and rivals in a supernatural battle who decide to forgo pistols at dawn, choosing instead to duel with dramatic recitations of terrible poetry. Featuring several previously unpublished stories alongside a bevy of recently released works, this haunting compilation is appealing to both genre readers and mainstream literature lovers.

We Never Talk About My Brother

When new trends such as the New Weird or Interstitial Fiction have entered the fray, is Peter S. Beagle's prose still up to par? We Never Talk About My Brother is some of the best short fiction I've read in quite some time and Beagle has only improved over the years.

Of the nine stories that are included in this collection, seven of them truly stand out. For the most part, Beagle's strength is his characters — especially their dialogue. In "The Stickball Witch" for example, there can be no doubt that the narrator is but a boy, and this reinforces the belief in the game of stickball or the supposed witch who is their neighbor. Or in "Spook" where, amidst a phantom haunting an apartment, it is the banter between two Jews that hooks us to the setting and propels the narrative. I think Beagle is at his best when he's tackling contemporary fantasy — fantasy that was urban before "urban fantasy" became a popular marketing label. Maybe that's why "The Tale of Junko and Sayuri" or "King Pelles the Sure" aren't as memorable for me. They're competent stories, no doubt, but they lacks that extra oomph to deliver the coup de grace. However, "By Moonlight" and "Chandail" clearly show that Beagle is more than capable of writing compelling second-world fantasy and those stories would easily have been my favorites if not for the other equally excellent stories in this collection.

"Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and the Angel" is the opening story and right from the outset, the story reels you in. For me, this is one of the best examples of how good dialogue carries the story. When an angel suddenly appears and offers itself as a muse, the painter Uncle Chaim dismisses it so he can concentrate better on his current model. Uncle Chaim is your grumpy uncle — practical but dedicated to his work — and this is what resonates rather than the fantastical elements (such as the preposterousness of angels offering to be personal muses). For me this is the Beagle template and what makes many of the other stories in this book succeed.

The titular piece is "We Never Talk About My Brother" and it's equally impressive. The characterization makes this a rich and enjoyable read. The author successfully summons an aura of a small-town family and we are anchored by the all-too sympathetic narrator. He's the likable Joe, not without flaws but definitely someone we can relate to. And while this could have been the backdrop for a battle of epic proportions, it all boils down to a simple brawl for the most personal of reasons. Humanity is written all over this short story.

This isn't the first time I read "The Last and Only, or, Mr. Moscowitz Becomes French" and it is easily for me the best story in the book. Surprisingly, this doesn't quite follow your Beagle template. This is actually a layered story and new elements are discovered as one re-reads it. It initially starts out like a fanciful fairy tale yet it spirals into something big and encapsulating, and all the while we're tethered by the plight of its human characters. This is certainly fuel for post-colonialism readers but I appreciated the fact that this is not only the story of Mr. Moscowitz, but that of his wife.

What We Never Talk About My Brother might lack in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. Seven of the stories are striking and you can compare them to any other contemporary short fiction and they'll hold their ground, if not outright blast away the competition. Beagle's writing has ripened with time and if there's any doubt, one only needs to pick up a copy of this collection. —C.T.   Comments
FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.

The Secret History of Fantasy — (2010) Publisher: Featuring innovative authors, such as Robert Holdstock, Stephen King, Gregory Maguire, Francesca Lia Block, Steven Millhauser, and Jeffrey Ford, this volume provides stories that highlight the new path that fantasy literature has taken in the past 30 years. Merging the mythology, fairy tales, and archetypes of older fantasy classics with the sensibilities of new modern literature, these stories redefine fantasy and give it a fresh, exciting voice. An imaginative interpretation of the genre, the diverse collection ranges from the dreary depths of an English forest to a TV-lit room with the Lone Ranger and Tonto.