George MacDonald

George MacDonald's first major fiction work, in MacDonald's words "a sort of fairy tale for grown people," Phantastes was published in 1858. This unusual fantasy, subtitled a "fairie romance," is one of MacDonald's most mysterious and esoteric titles. The book's narrator, Anodos, enters Fairy Land through a mysterious old wooden secretary. From that beginning, he embarks on a dream-like series of encounters that follow the form of an epic quest, though...

"Lilith" is the 1895 fantasy novel by George MacDonald, the pioneering and widely influential Scottish writer and Christian minister. It is the story of Mr. Vane, the owner of a library that seems to be haunted by a former librarian, a spirit that resembles a raven. When Vane finally encounters the wraith, called Mr. Raven, he comes to discover that it knew his father, who now resides in "the region of the seven dimensions". Vane follows the apparition...

A wise woman kidnaps a spoiled princess to teach her lessons of humility and gratitude.

One of the first great works of nineteenth-century fantasy fiction, Phantastes inspired many of the great Christian and fantasy authors of the twentieth century. A fairy tale for adults, it is the captivating story of a wealthy young man who takes an unplanned journey into a fantastic nether world. Led by an enchanting sprite (discovered inside an old desk once owned by his deceased father), he meets a diverse cast of characters, among them a fairy...

A king and queen have a daughter and invite everyone to the christening except the king's sister Princess Makemnoit, a spiteful and sour woman. She arrives without an invitation and curses the princess to have no gravity. Whenever the princess accidentally moves up in the air, she has to be, brought, down, and the wind is capable of carrying her off. As she grows, she never cries, and never can be, brought to see the serious side of anything. She...

This 1877 sequel to Malcolm begins where the first volume of the doublet left off, at Lossie House in Cullen's fictionalized Portlossie. Soon thereafter Malcolm travels to London to rescue Florimel from the harmful influences of duplicitous friends who do not have her best interests in mind. Kidnapping her out of London, Malcolm's and Florimel's return to the north coast of Scotland brings to a stirring climax the divergent threads of mystery and...

This towering 1875 novel, set in the Scottish fishing village of Cullen, is considered by many as George MacDonald's fictional masterwork. The intricate tale is more true to place than any of MacDonald's books. As Malcolm is drawn into the web of secrets surrounding majestic Lossie House, with the marquis of Lossie and his tempestuous daughter Florimel at the center of them, we meet some of MacDonald's most memorable characters. Through them Malcolm...

George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister who was a pioneering figure in the field of fantasy literature. The mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll, his writings have been cited as a major literary influence by authors including W. H. Auden, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien,[1] Walter de la Mare,[2] E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. This collection contains six of his finest fairy tales, including 'The Princess and the Goblin,'...

The author of George MacDonald: Scotland's Beloved Storyteller presents a wealth of Christian wisdom culled from the works of the great Victorian writer. The 19th century author, poet, and Christian scholar George MacDonald has inspired generations with his powerful stories and sermons. Writers from Lewis Carroll to W.H. Auden cite MacDonald as a major influence, while C.S. Lewis has said his books were pivotal in leading him toward Christianity....

This Scottish masterpiece of 1886 contains wonderfully descriptive passages of the Scottish highlands. The story centers around two families-the English Palmers and that of clan chief Alister Macruadh-and Mr. Palmer's cruel removal of Clan Ruadh from its traditional lands. This portrait of the Highland Clearances poignantly captures how and why the clan way of life disappeared from the highlands in the 18th and 19th centuries. One of MacDonald's signature...