Best of
Fantasy

1979

Dungeon Masters Guide


E. Gary Gygax - 1979
    There's no need to guess the rules. You'll learn spells, monsters, travel, magic lists and combat rules.

Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien


J.R.R. Tolkien - 1979
    This memorable collection will delight Tolkien enthusiasts with its beauty and its range. It contains 48 full-color reproductions of Tolkien's paintings and colored drawings, as well as original pen-and-ink drawings, some published here for the first time. Long out of print, the volume is now re-issued with a revised text by Christopher Tolkien. Pictures will provide a unique and fascinating insight into Tolkien's visual conception of many of the places and characters familiar to readers of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Examples of his art range from delicate watercolours depicting Rivendell, the Forest of Lothlorien, Smaug and Old Man Willow to drawings and sketches of Moria Gate and Minas Tirith. Together they form a comprehensive collection of Tolkien's own illustrations for his most popular books. Also included are many of his beautiful designs showing patterns of flowers and trees, friezes, tapestries and heraldic devices associated with the world of Middle-earth. In their variety and scope they provide abundant visual evidence of the richness of his imagination. Christopher Tolkien's text gives detailed notes on the sources for each picture.

The Chronicles of Amber: Volume II


Roger Zelazny - 1979
    Second half of the first Chronicles.Contains Sign of the Unicorn, The Hand of Oberon, and The Courts of Chaos.

The Neverending Story


Michael Ende - 1979
    Its special story within a story is an irresistible invitation for readers to become part of the book itself. The story begins with a lonely boy named Bastian and the strange book that draws him into the beautiful but doomed world of Fantastica. Only a human can save this enchanted place by giving its ruler, the Childlike Empress, a new name. But the journey to her tower leads through lands of dragons, giants, monsters, and magic, and once Bastian begins his quest, he may never return. As he is drawn deeper into Fantastica, he must find the courage to face unspeakable foes and the mysteries of his own heart. Readers, too, can travel to the wondrous, unforgettable world of Fantastica if they will just turn the page...

The Language of the Night: Essays on Fantasy and Science Fiction


Ursula K. Le Guin - 1979
    A Nebula and Hugo Award-winning writer of science fiction presents a collection of essays that explores the various issues, concepts, challenges, and paradoxes that confront the science fiction writer.

The Flight of Dragons


Peter Dickinson - 1979
    First published in 1979, The Flight of the Dragon presents a riveting thesis on how so great a creature as the dragon actually managed to fly. 140 illustrations, 100 in color.

The Morgaine Saga


C.J. Cherryh - 1979
    Cherryh's epic story of a woman's mission across time and space to preserve the integrity of the universe.

Xanth: The Quest for Magic


Piers Anthony - 1979
    Since then, the dazzling world of Xanth has delighted millions of readers. Now, here are the first three novels of this classic series to enthrall a whole new generation. . . .A SPELL FOR CHAMELEONWinner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel of the YearThough every citizen of Xanth has a special spell only he or she can cast, Bink of North Village has no magic. But the Good Magician Humphrey and Beauregard the genie insist that Bink indeed is capable of enchantment– magic more powerful than the King himself, or even the evil magician Trent. Now if only Bink can find his magic . . . before he is forced into exile.THE SOURCE OF MAGICCurious about the source of Xanth’s magic, the King sends Bink on a daring quest for truth. From the beginning, Bink and his companions are harried by an unseen creature determined to thwart them. But when some allies become enemies, it will take all Bink’s ingenuity and luck to prevail on his mission, which takes an unexpectedly defiant turn.CASTLE ROOGNAMillie had been a ghost for eight hundred years. But now, restored by the magic of Xanth, she is again a beautiful living woman. She can have any man she desires . . . except one: Jonathan the zombie. To help Millie, young Magician Dor embarks on a journey for the elixir that will restore Jonathan to full life–an adventure that will take him to the past, where his intentions are thwarted by a surprising encounter. Discover a magical world of dazzling imagination!

The Little Vampire


Angela Sommer-Bodenburg - 1979
    Tony, a nine-year-old horror story addict is delighted when a little vampire called Rudolph lands on his windowsill one evening and, together, the two have a series of hilarious adventures involving visits to Rudolph’s home – The Vampire Family Vault – where Tony narrowly escapes the clutches of Great-Aunt Dorothy.

Sarah's Unicorn


Bruce Coville - 1979
    ‘Welcomes beginning readers to the world of fantasy in a story which is simple and direct, yet woven with moonbeams.’ —SLJ.

White Plume Mountain


Lawrence Schick - 1979
    WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN is from the Special ("S") series; like others in this series, it is meant to stand on its own and is a complete ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS adventure. The recommended number of players is four to ten, with levels ranging from fifth to tenth.Introduction:White Plume Mountain has always been a subject of superstitious awe to the neighboring villagers. People still travel many miles to gaze upon this natural wonder, though few will approach it closely, as it is reputed to be the haunt of various demons & devils. The occasional disappearance of those who stray too close to the Plume reinforces this belief.Thirteen hundred years ago, the wizard Keraptis was searching for a suitable haven where he could indulge his eccentricities without fear of interference. He visited White Plume Mountain, going closer than most dared to, & discovered the system of old lava-tubes that riddle the cone & the underlying strata.With a little alteration, he thought, these would be perfect for his purposes. The area already had a bad reputation, & he could think of a few ways to make it worse. So, taking with him his fanatically loyal company of renegade gnomes, he disappeared below white Plume Mountain & vanished from the knowledge of men...

The Eternal Mercenary


Barry Sadler - 1979
    That he didn’t was only the first surprise. The second, bigger one, was that Casey had been fighting for two thousand years, ever since that day on Golgotha when he put his lance into the side of the Man on the Cross. “Soldier, you are content with what you are. Then that you shall remain until we meet again.” So does Casca’s journey begin, a man who cannot die, does not age, and knows no skill but those of battle. He becomes The Eternal Mercenary.

Wonderworks


Michael Whelan - 1979
    Visit fantastic worlds. Meet incredible creatures, beautiful and exotic peoples all within the pages of Wonderworks.The greatest name in the field of fantastic art is Michael Whelan. Whelan's sense of color, proportion, design, attention to detail, and imagination has made him the most popular and most sought-afterillustrator in the world of science fiction and fantasy illustration.Wonderworks is the first and only collection of Michael Whelan's work. It is an award nominee book by an award-winning artist containing over 100 paintings and drawings plus introductions by some of the bestselling authors in the field—Poul Anderson, Anne McCaffrey, Michael Moorcock, Alan Dean Foster, and C. J. Cherryh.

The Oak King's Daughter (Cerin Songweaver tales)


Charles de Lint - 1979
    "The Oak King's Daughter", 1979, Triskell Press was reprinted in De Grijze Roos, 1983 as "De Dochter van de Eikkoning in {Flemish} and was included in Triskell Tales , 2000

Green Magic: The Fantasy Realms of Jack Vance


Jack Vance - 1979
    Contains the stories:"Green Magic""The Miracle Workers""The Moon Moth""The Mitr""The Men Return""The Narrow Land""The Pilgrims""The Secret""Liane the Wayfarer" (aka "The Loom of Darkness")

Haunted Houses, Ghosts And Spectres (Supernatural Guides)


Eric Maple - 1979
    

An Atlas Of Fantasy


J.B. Post - 1979
    It purposefully omits "one-to-one" maps such as Thomas Hardy's Wessex (which merely renames places in southwest England), but includes Barsetshire and Yoknapatawpha County, which are evidently considered to be sufficiently fictionalized. The emphasis is on science fiction and fantasy, though Post suggests there exist enough mystery fiction maps to someday create The Detectives' Handy Pocket Atlas. Other maps were omitted due to permission costs or reproduction quality.

Soonie and the Dragon


Shirley Rousseau Murphy - 1979
    Left all alone in the world after the death of her aunt, Soonie sets out to seek her fortune and finds it by rescuing three different princesses who had been stolen by a dragon.

The Tale of the Five: The Sword and the Dragon


Diane Duane - 1979
    In The Door into Fire, Herewiss, Prince of the Brightwood, is the only man in centuries to possess the Power of the Flame, but he cannot control it. Even though he cannot control the Power of the Flame, he does have a talent for sorcery and with the help of Sunspark, a fire elemental, he is able to free his best friend Freelorn, the Prince of Arlen. Now Herewiss must make a choice. Does he go with his best friend to aide him in his fight to regain his kingdom or does he follow Sunspark to an ancient castle where there are 'doors' that lead to other worlds? Places that he can go to earn to use the Power of the Flame. Dare he walk through the door into fire? In The Door into Shadow, we are at a time that the royal magics are failing. The Reaver armies are massing and with them is the Shadow-destroyer off all that is good in the Goddess's creation. Between them and humanity stand a few brave souls - Herewiss, the first man in decades to have the Power of the Flame; Freelorn, the prince of Arlen; Sunspark, a fire elemental; Eftgan, the warrior queen of Darth

To Keep the Oath [Darkover Series]


Marion Zimmer Bradley - 1979
    But the laws of our charter prevent me and I am bound by oath to obey those laws; laws made, not by our own Guild-mothers, but by men who fear what we might have to say to their women!

The Black Book of Clark Ashton Smith


Clark Ashton Smith - 1979
    

Inside My Feet: The Story of a Giant


Richard Kennedy - 1979
    Google Books

The Magic of Xanth


Piers Anthony - 1979
    

Endangered Species, and Other Fables with a Twist


Fritz Eichenberg - 1979
    

Cult Compendium


Greg Stafford - 1979
    A guideline chapter shows how to design your own new cults. To round out the book, Rick also added in Gloranthan cults from White Wolf and Different Worlds magazines. Associated background articles from Wyrms Footnotes and similar sources give you a complete breakdown on how rune magic, spirit magic, elementals, and runes operate within the game world.

Divide and Rule


Jan Mark - 1979
    He is chosen to become the Shepherd, a ritual intercessor between the god and his people.

A Necklace of Fallen Stars


Beth Hilgartner - 1979
    Her gift serves her well, for it is as the result of the first tale she tells in a village inn that she meets up with Kippen, the minstrel who accompanies her on her journey -- a journey that becomes perilous when the two discover that Kaela is being pursued by an unscrupulous sorcerer who has been sent by her outraged father to track her down.Living by their talents and their wits, Kaela and Kippen wander the back roads and byways of the kingdom, winning not only their daily bread, but many friends as well. Like a necklace of fallen stars, the stories Kaela tells along the way are strung together by strands of adventure and romance in this lively, forthright, yet magical tale.

The Garland of Filigree


Nicholas Stuart Gray - 1979
    In ours, we get troubles in threes. Our parents call it coincidence. I call it Fate."Whatever he calls it, Alan´s fears were well-grounded. Starting with acute anxiety for the reputation of his young brother, and mounting to the sudden threat of fire in the old country house where the family lives, they reach amazing heights of tension and wonder and fear and delight in this tale of adventure. A tale of sorcery varying from the pale-grey variety to the blackest, and introducing Filigree, a brilliant character in several ways.

Official Advanced Dungeons And Dragons: Coloring Album


E. Gary Gygax - 1979