Essential Peter S. Beagle, Volume 2: Oakland Dragon Blues and Other Stories

Description: WORLD FANTASY AWARD FINALIST
LOCUS AWARD FINALIST

The essential second volume of bestselling author Peter S. Beagle's (The Last Unicorn) short stories, including one previously unpublished and four uncollected stories, shows again that Beagle is one of America's most influential fantasists.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.

"Peter S. Beagle is one of my favorite authors."
--Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind

[STARRED REVIEW] "This two-volume collection is a must-have for all of them. Yes, essential, for whomever you are."
--Kirkus

A dilapidated dragon, a frustrated cop, and an unapologetic author square off over a dangerously abandoned narrative. The seemingly perfect addition to a weekly card game hides a dark secret from everyone but her teammate. A deeply respected judge meets his match in Snow Ermine, a gorgeous pickpocket.

From heartbreaking to humorous, these carefully curated stories by Peter S. Beagle show the depth and power of his incomparable prose and storytelling. Featuring a newly published story, "The Mantichora," an original introduction from Meg Elison (Find Layla), and gorgeous illustrations from Stephanie Pui-Mun Law (Shadowscapes), this elegant collection is a must-have for any fan of classic fantasy.

Review Quotes: Washington Post Brilliant Forays into the Otherworldly
Locus Recommended Reading List

[STARRED REVIEW] "Volume 1, introduced by Jane Yolen, contains some of Beagle's most classic stories, including 'Come Lady Death, ' in which a jaded British woman meets her match when she invites Death to her ball, and 'Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros, ' about a socially awkward academic's relationship with a somewhat unusually presented and philosophically minded unicorn. 'Lila the Werewolf' features the first appearance of Joe Farrell, the protagonist of Beagle's novel The Folk of the Air (1986); fans of that book will be delighted to encounter Farrell in an additional story that takes place after the novel and features some interesting character growth on his part. The collection also contains the absolutely chilling 'We Never Talk About My Brother, ' the story of a news anchor with a secret and impossibly powerful control over the stories he reports, and the sweetly melancholy 'Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and the Angel, ' concerning a painter's divinely compelling model. There are also whimsical works like 'Gordon, the Self-Made Cat, ' starring a mouse who refuses to accept that biology is destiny. Whether set in a fantastical landscape, the New York City of Beagle's youth, or the invented northern California town of Avicenna, these are fables that explore how a brush with the uncanny can either change a life or simply spotlight what is already present. Magic is the lens through which the author shows us how fraught a mother-daughter relationship can be, how difficult it can be to let go of a dead friend or lover, and how a greater threat can unite two squabbling siblings. Delicate line drawings by artist Stephanie Law add a charming coda to each tale. Brimming with magic, lyrical prose, and deeply felt emotion, this is, indeed, essential reading."
--Kirkus

[STARRED REVIEW] "Beagle (The Overneath) showcases his versatility and ability to entertain even as he challenges expectations in 13 fantasy shorts from throughout his career. While several offerings, including 'Lila the Werewolf' (1969) and 'Come Lady Death' (1963), stem from Beagle's early years, the majority represent his post-2000 output, demonstrating that his skills have only been refined over the decades. With a tendency toward gentle thoughtfulness and philosophical rumination, tales such as 'Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros' and 'Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and the Angel' prove timeless in their quiet yet profound exploration of Jewish faith, friendship, family, and fellowship. Others, like 'The Stickball Witch' and 'Four Fables, ' drift into absurdity or everyday uneasiness, while 'We Never Talk About My Brother' looks at the balance between good and evil in a new light. Jane Yolen's introduction helps place Beagle and his work into further context. The result is both an ideal entry point for newcomers, and a lovely way for existing fans to revisit or rediscover old favorites.
--Publishers Weekly

"Gleaming gold, these two volumes of glorious stories remind us of what is true."
--E. Lily Yu, author of On Fragile Waves

"What becomes a legend most? For the author of the beloved fantasy classic The Last Unicorn, it would be The Essential Peter S. Beagle."
--Washington Post

"The briefer enchantments collected in these two volumes also brim with the deepest and truest of his magical powers: with laughter, with wisdom, and with the ineffable pleasure of the imaginary memories he shares."
--Nisi Shawl, author of Everfair

"Two perfect volumes that should come with a warning: When you try and go back inside your house, all its rooms will have changed."
--Laurie R. King, author of The Beekeeper's Apprentice

"Having all these Peter Beagle stories collected together is pure joy. His writing has amazed me my whole life. You think I'd be used to it by now, but the amazement is ongoing."
--Carrie Vaughn, author of the Kitty Norville series

5/5 stars. "Beagle is an absolute master of the short story."
--Seattle Book Review

"Beagle's clever and utterly whimsical storytelling is evident in every story, and I love jumping from tale to tale and exploring the facets of his mind."
--Charlie N. Holmberg, author of Keeper of Enchanted Rooms

"This was an amazing collection, and I cannot recommend it enough for existing fans of Mr. Beagle or fans of fantasy shorts or cozy fantasy."
--All Booked Up

"This collection of stories will surprise in its breadth--from children's to adult stories, fairy tales to urban fantasy, with unicorns, werewolves, witches, angels, and ghosts. . . . Highly recommended for fans of Neil Gaiman, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Susanna Clarke!"
--The Book on the High Shelf

"Peter S. Beagle's short stories tap into the sweetest sap of the soul and leave their mark forever. He always makes me cry in the most wonderful and necessary way."
--Delilah S. Dawson, author of Wicked As They Come

"Peter Beagle says it perfectly himself in one of his stories: 'The artist isn't the magic. The artist is the sight, the artist is someone who knows magic when he sees it.' To our everlasting benefit, we get to see the magic that he did."
--Girl Who Reads

"I enjoyed every story in this diverse collection."
--The Book Lover's Boudoir

5/5 stars. "This would be an excellent choice for public or school library acquisition, for home use, and for gift giving purposes. For connoisseurs of speculative fiction, this is required reading."
--Nonstop Reader

"[Beagle's] prose is evocative, poetic, sometimes transcendent, and generally surprisingly gentle--but with a bite."
--Re-enchantment of the World

"Another superb collection of fantasy stories that richly invoke the author's childhood streets, friends and imagination."
--Bookshine and Readbows

Praise for Peter S. Beagle

"One of my favorite writers." --Madeleine L'Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time

"Peter S. Beagle illuminates with his own particular magic such commonplace matters as ghosts, unicorns, and werewolves. For years a loving readership has consulted him as an expert on those hearts' reasons that reason does not know." --Ursula K. Le Guin, author of A Wizard of Earthsea

"Peter S. Beagle has both opulence of imagination and mastery of style." --New York Times Book Review

"At his best, Peter S. Beagle outshines the moon, the sun, the stars, the entire galaxy." --Seattle Times