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Cover of Legends II [11 works]

Legends II [11 works]

First published 2003 · 784 pages

A sweeping, multi-faceted journey back into the most beloved realms of modern epic fantasy.

What it feels like

Reading this collection feels like opening a series of magical doors, each leading into a richly realized, deeply familiar universe. The pace is steady and inviting, allowing readers to sink into the distinct atmospheres of different epic realms, from intoxicating, dream-soaked shores to the gritty roads of hedge knights and the supernatural shadows of historical thrillers. Because it gathers the work of multiple genre masters, the prose shifts beautifully from voice to voice, offering a varied but consistently masterful texture. The mood balances the warm nostalgia of returning to beloved worlds with the sharp thrill of new, standalone adventures. It is a feast for devoted fantasy fans, offering both a comforting homecoming and a mesmerizing introduction to legendary landscapes.

Mood
  • immersive
  • nostalgic
  • wondrous
  • shadowy
Tone
  • epic
  • adventurous
  • reverent
  • varied
Pace
steady
Themes
expanding mythologies · epic journeys · supernatural encounters · heroic legacies
The writing
A rich tapestry of distinct, masterful voices, each showcasing the signature style that made their respective epic worlds famous.
The arc
Shifts dynamically from nostalgic comfort to thrilling peril as the reader traverses distinct, self-contained adventures.
Who it's for
Devoted fantasy readers looking to revisit their favorite sprawling universes or sample the acclaimed worlds of genre masters.
Content notes
  • supernatural peril
  • psychological distress

About the book

Fantasy fans, rejoice! Seven years after writer and editor Robert Silverberg made publishing history with Legends, his acclaimed anthology of original short novels by some of the greatest writers in fantasy fiction, the long-awaited second volume is here. Legends II picks up where its illustrious predecessor left off. All of the bestselling writers represented in Legends II return to the special universe of the imagination that its author has made famous throughout the world. Whether set before or after events already recounted elsewhere, whether featuring beloved characters or compelling new creations, these masterful short novels are both mesmerizing stand-alones--perfect introductions to the work of their authors--and indispensable additions to the epics on which they are based. Beyond any doubt, Legends II is the fantasy event of the season. ROBIN HOBB returns to the Realm of the Elderlings with "Homecoming," a powerful tale in which exiles sent to colonize the Cursed Shores find themselves sinking into an intoxicating but deadly dream... or is it a memory?GEORGE R. R. MARTIN continues the adventures of Dunk, a young hedge knight, and his unusual squire, Egg, in "The Sworn Sword," set a generation before the events in A Song of Ice and Fire.ORSON SCOTT CARD tells a tale of Alvin Maker and the mighty Mississippi, featuring a couple of ne'er-do-wells named Jim Bowie and Abe Lincoln, in "The Yazoo Queen."DIANE GABALDON turns to an important character from her Outlander saga--Lord John Grey--in "Lord John and the Succubus," a supernatural thriller set in the early days of the Seven Years War.ROBERT SILVERBERG spins an enthralling tale of Majipoor's early history--and remote future--as seen through the eyes of a dilettantish poet who discovers an unexpected destiny in "The Book of Changes."TAD WILLIAMS explores the strange afterlife of Orlando Gardiner, from his Otherland saga, in "The Happiest Dead Boy in the World."ANNE McCAFFREY shines a light into the most mysterious and wondrous of all places on Pern in the heartwarming "Beyond Between."RAYMOND E. FEIST turns from the great battles of the Riftwar to the story of one soldier, a young man about to embark on the ride of his life, in "The Messenger."ELIZABETH HAYDON tells of the destruction of Serendair and the fate of its last defenders in "Threshold," set at the end of the Third Age of her Symphony of Ages series.NEIL GAIMAN gives us a glimpse into what befalls the man called Shadow after the events of his Hugo Award--winning novel American Gods in "The Monarch of the Glen."TERRY BROOKS adds an exciting epilogue to The Wishsong of Shannara in "Indomitable," the tale of Jair Ohmsford's desperate quest to complete the destruction of the evil Ildatch... armed only with the magic of illusion.From the Hardcover edition.

Description from Open Library.

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