Moondust

It's criminal that Thomas Burnett Swann's body of work has been largely forgotten by fantasy readers today. With its recurring themes of beautiful but fading pre-human races, paganism, and the power of Nature, it would appeal to a wide audience today! Add to that his lyrical, tender prose, and a concise, unpadded narrative style, and you have a superb fantasy writer, totally unlike the legion of pedestrian D&D-stylists whose leaden works, apparently written by the pound, mimic the surface of Tolkien but have none of his magic & mythic power.In this fine novel, we have a unique setting: the city of Jericho, shortly before its walls are to fall. Swann expertly mixes Biblical lore with the mysterious, dangerously lovely pre-human world of Honey Heart, to create an historical fantasy tale that's both touching & thrilling. The Jeff Jones cover art of the Ace paperback edition captures the mood perfectly.When is someone going to publish a one- or two-volume omnibus of Swann's work? It's desperately needed! No overwritten "sagas" or "epics" or "chronicles" here -- just slim, expertly crafted jewels. And here we have one of his best, most highly recommended to all discerning fantasy readers!