The Essential Peter S. Beagle, Volume 1
Lila the Werewolf and Other Stories
The essential first volume of bestselling author Peter S. Beagle's (The Last Unicorn) short stories demonstrates why he 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 Beagle's mastery of the short-story form. "For over forty years, Peter S. Beagle has been the gold standard of fantasy." --Neil Gaiman, author of American Gods and The Sandman An unlikely friendship based on philosophy develops between an aging academic and a mythological beast. A mysterious, beautiful attendee who attends a ball thrown in her honor chooses whether or not to become mortal. A dysfunctional relationship is not improved by the consequences of lycanthropy. One very brave young mouse questions his identity and redefines feline wiles. From heartbreaking to humorous, these carefully curated stories by Peter S. Beagle show the depth and power of his incomparable prose and storytelling. Featuring an original introduction from Jane Yolen (Owl Moon) and gorgeous illustrations from Stephanie Pui-Mun Law (Shadowscapes), this elegant collection is a must-have for any fan of classic fantasy.
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4 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
A collection of fantasy stories by Peter S. Beagle.
Review
In my review of Peter Beagle's Summerlong, I mentioned that perhaps I should go back to his short stories and try them again. In this and the successor volume, I've had the chance to do just that, including specifically re-reading two stories I'd seen previously, “Lila the Werewolf” and “Come, Lady Death”.
I said previously that I was unimpressed by Beagle's short stories, and that remains true of the two mentioned above – the ones I had read before. I was pleasantly surprised by several others. I know little about Beagle's career, but I was surprised by how many of these stories are relatively recent – something I usually find suspect in an ‘essential' collection – indicative of padding or an attempt to get some attention to later work by stacking the deck with some classics. In this case, however, the later stories were the ones that caught my attention.
The stories are generally low key – somewhat contemplative, somewhat conversational – and I think I could safely say that Beagle is a master of the conversational story. Many of these also lean toward reminiscences, and effectively.
My favorite stories:
- “El Regalo” – A young girl's brother is a witch and gets into trouble. Beagle says he's interested to expand this story, and I hope he does. While it works nicely at this length, the characters are engaging, the tone perfect.
- “Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and The Angel” – A grouchy painter is blessed/cursed by an angel turning up to be his muse. A really nicely done story from a young boy's point of view.
- “We Never Talk About My Brother” – The narrator's brother is a big success, but maybe not deservedly. The first story in the collection that struck me that wasn't from a young person's point of view. A touch long, but effective.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
