Thomas the Rhymer

A minstrel lives by his words, his tunes, and sometimes by his lies. But when the bold and gifted young Thomas the Rhymer awakens the desire of the powerful Queen of Elfland, he finds that words are not enough to keep him from his fate.

As the Queen sweeps him far from the people he has known and loved into her realm of magic, opulence - and captivity - he learns at last what it is to be truly human. When he returns to his home with the Queen's parting gift, his great task will be to seek out the girl he loved and wronged, and offer her at last the tongue that cannot lie.

Award-winning author Ellen Kushner's inspired retelling of an ancient legend weaves myth and magic into a vivid contemporary novel about the mysteries of the human heart. Brimming with ballads, riddles, and magical transformations, here is the timeless tale of a charismatic bard whose talents earn him a two-edged otherworldly gift.

“Elegant and beautiful . . . a magical tour de force shot through with strange melodies. I loved itA perfectly splendid story, splendidly told with great style and originalityElegant and cozy. Witty and wise. Innocent and sensuous and, at times, downright sexy. Kushner's Thomas the Rhymer does it allNo one is writing more elegant and gorgeous English these days than Ellen Kushner - The Magazine of Fantasy & Science FictionLyrically written and humanly moving. Ellen Kushner's treatment of the True Thomas legend is worthy to rank with those of Kipling and Cabell”

Elegant and beautiful . . . a magical tour de force shot through with strange melodies. I loved it

A perfectly splendid story, splendidly told with great style and originality

Elegant and cozy. Witty and wise. Innocent and sensuous and, at times, downright sexy. Kushner's Thomas the Rhymer does it all

No one is writing more elegant and gorgeous English these days than Ellen Kushner - The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

Lyrically written and humanly moving. Ellen Kushner's treatment of the True Thomas legend is worthy to rank with those of Kipling and Cabell

Ellen Kushner (1955- )

Ellen Kushner is the author of World Fantasy Award-winner Thomas the Rhymer, and 'Swords of Riverside' comprising the interconnected novels Swordspoint, The Privilege of the Sword, and The Fall of the Kings (with Delia Sherman). She narrated these as audiobooks for Neil Gaiman Presents, winning an Audie Award for Swordspoint. She has taught creative writing at Clarion, the Odyssey Workshop, and is an instructor at Hollins University's Children's Literature M.F.A. program. She lives in New York City with Delia Sherman and far too many books.

A minstrel lives by his words, his tunes, and sometimes by his lies. But when the bold and gifted young Thomas the Rhymer awakens the desire of the powerful Queen of Elfland, he finds that words are not enough to keep him from his fate. As the Queen sweeps him far from the people he has known and loved into her realm of magic, opulence - and captivity - he learns at last what it is to be truly human. When he returns to his home with the Queen's parting gift, his great task will be to seek out the girl he loved and wronged, and offer her at last the tongue that cannot lie.Award-winning author Ellen Kushner's inspired retelling of an ancient legend weaves myth and magic into a vivid contemporary novel about the mysteries of the human heart. Brimming with ballads, riddles, and magical transformations, here is the timeless tale of a charismatic bard whose talents earn him a two-edged otherworldly gift.

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