Reception
T. A. Shippey, discussing the Peregrine novels in Salem Press Encyclopedia of Literary, decries the incomplete status of the series and the "number of loose ends in the plot [that will] never quite [be]tied off: Peregrine keeps hearing the warning to 'burn the boards of beechwood with the baleful signs,' but readers never learn exactly what these are. He also discovers in a dragon's hoard what appears to be the Crown of the Kings of Ephtland, but he never reaches Ephtland (although that town is mentioned often) or wears the crown. He is trying simultaneously to trace the whereabouts of his elder brother, but though he hears of him, the two never meet. Possibly Avram Davidson meant in the end to have his hero overcome some baleful hex, rescue his brother, and be crowned King of Ephtland, but this never will be known." [3]
The book was also reviewed by Chris Henderson in Whispers , March 1982. [1]
Avram Davidson was an American writer of fantasy fiction, science fiction, and crime fiction, as well as the author of many stories that do not fit into a genre niche. He won a Hugo Award and three World Fantasy Awards in the science fiction and fantasy genre, a World Fantasy Life Achievement award, and an Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine short story award and an Edgar Award in the mystery genre. Davidson edited The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction from 1962 to 1964. His last novel The Boss in the Wall: A Treatise on the House Devil was completed by Grania Davis and was a Nebula Award finalist in 1998. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction says "he is perhaps sf's most explicitly literary author".
The Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America or SAGA was an informal group of American fantasy authors active from the 1960s through the 1980s, noted for their contributions to the "Sword and Sorcery" kind of heroic fantasy, itself a subgenre of fantasy. When it developed a serious purpose that was to promote the popularity and respectability of Sword and Sorcery fiction.
The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 2 is a 1976 anthology of fantasy stories, edited by American writer Lin Carter. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books.
The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 4 is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by American writer Lin Carter. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in 1978.
Flashing Swords! #3: Warriors and Wizards is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by American writer Lin Carter. It was first published in paperback by Dell Books in August 1976. The first German edition was issued by Pabel in November 1978.
The Phoenix and the Mirror; or, The Enigmatic Speculum is a fantasy novel by American writer Avram Davidson, the first volume in his Vergil Magus series. It was first published in hardcover by Doubleday in February 1969, with the first paperback edition issued by Ace Books in the same year. The Ace edition was reprinted in January 1978 and February 1983. The first ebook edition was issued by Prologue Books in August 2012. The first British edition was published in paperback by Mayflower in April 1975. Gollancz issued British trade paperback and ebook editions in October 2013 and December 2013, respectively. The Gollancz edition adds an introduction by Adam Roberts.
Dragons! is a themed anthology of fantasy short works edited by American writers Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois. It was first published in trade paperback by Ace Books in August 1993, and as an ebook by Baen Books in July 2013.
Demons! is a themed anthology of fantasy short works edited by American writers Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois. It was first published in paperback by Ace Books in July 1987. It was reissued as an ebook by Baen Books in March 2013.
Modern Classics of Fantasy is an anthology of fantasy short works edited by American writer Gardner Dozois. It was first published in hardcover by St. Martin's Griffin in January 1997, which also issued a trade paperback edition in November of the same year and an ebook edition in October 2014. A Science Fiction Book Club edition appeared in March 1997.
Universe 15 is an anthology of original science fiction short stories edited by Terry Carr, the fifteenth volume in the seventeen-volume Universe anthology series. It was first published in hardcover by Doubleday in August 1985, with a paperback edition from Tor Books in December 1987.
The Enquiries of Doctor Eszterhazy is a collection of historical mystery fantasy short stories by Avram Davidson featuring his scholarly detective character Doctor Eszterhazy and set in an imaginary European country. It was first published in paperback by Warner Books in December 1975. Its contents were later incorporated into the more comprehensive collection The Adventures of Doctor Eszterhazy (1991), which included five additional Eszterhazy stories written later but set earlier.
The Adventures of Doctor Eszterhazy is a collection of historical mystery fantasy short stories by Avram Davidson featuring his scholarly detective character Doctor Eszterhazy and set in an imaginary European country. It was first published in hardcover by Owlswick Press in January 1991, with an ebook edition issued by Gateway/Orion in August 2013. The book is an expansion of the earlier collection The Enquiries of Doctor Eszterhazy (1975), adding five more stories written later but set earlier; the only Eszterhazy story it left uncollected was 1988's "The Odd Old Bird."
The Best of Avram Davidson is a collection of fantasy, science fiction and mystery short stories, written by Avram Davidson and edited by Michael Kurland. It was first published in hardcover by Doubleday in January 1979. The book has been translated into French.
Or All the Seas with Oysters is a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories, written by Avram Davidson. It was first published in paperback by Berkley Medallion in 1962. The first hardcover edition was issued by White Lion in January 1976, and a second paperback edition by Pocket Books in December of the same year. An ebook edition was published by Gateway/Orion in August 2012.
What Strange Stars and Skies is a collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories, written by Avram Davidson. It was first published in paperback by Ace Books in January 1965. An ebook edition was issued by Gateway/Orion in September 2012.
Strange Seas and Shores: a Collection of Short Stories is a collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories, written by Avram Davidson. It was first published in hardcover by Doubleday in 1971. A paperback edition was issued by Ace Books in August 1981, and an ebook edition by Gateway/Orion in September 2013.
Collected Fantasies is a collection of fantasy short stories, written by Avram Davidson and edited by John Silbersack. It was first published in paperback by Berkley Books in June 1982.
¡Limekiller! is a collection of fantasy short stories by Avram Davidson, edited by Grania Davis and Henry Wessells. It was first published in hardcover by Old Earth Books in November 2003. An ebook edition was issued by Gateway/Orion in July 2015.
Ursus of Ultima Thule is a fix-up fantasy novel by American writer Avram Davidson. It originally appeared as the novella "Arnten of Ultima Thule" in If v. 20, no. 12, July/August 1971, and the two-part serial "The Forges of Nainland are Cold" in Fantastic, v. 21, no. 6-v. 22, no. 1, August–October 1972. The complete novel, which incorporated a new chapter as a bridge between the two component stories, was first published in paperback by Avon Books in December 1973. It was reissued in hardcover and trade paperback by Wildside Press in March 2000, with an audiobook edition following from the save publisher in November 2011. Ebook editions were issued by Prologue Books in August 2012 and SF Gateway in May 2013.
Peregrine: Primus is a fantasy novel by American writer Avram Davidson, the first volume in his uncompleted Peregrine trilogy. It was first published in hardcover by Walker & Co. in 1971, with a paperback edition following from Ace Books in October 1977. The first ebook edition, which was also the first British edition, was issued by Gateway/Orion in June 2013. An audio edition was issued by Or All the Seas with Oysters Publishing in February 2022.
