This is the first introduction to the whole field of modern fantasy literature in the English-speaking world.

A bibliography of science fiction and fantasy writer, editor, and publisher Robert Reginald, with an introduction by William F. Nolan and an Afterword by Jack Dann.

Fantasy is a genre in motion, gradually expanding its reach and historical sources to embrace a global identity Historical Dictionary of Fantasy Literature, Second Edition is a snapshot of the genre in this moment, identifying new themes and sources that are emerging to inspire, enhance and invigorate the published works of fantasy writers.

Using a broad definition of fantasy to include myth, folklore, legend and fairy tale, this survey of the genre will entice as well as inform any student interested in the mysterious, mystical or magical. Beloved authors like J. R. R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, William Morris and Robert E. Howard are examined closely.

Indespensible for maintaining a strong fantasy collection, this classic guide features more than 4,800 fantasy novels and story collections that have been reviewed and recommended by at least two leading journals. New to this edition are: 1,500 new fantasy novels and collections 4,000 new sources in the research guide, which includes more than 10,500 articles, books, and disserations five new review sources added to the 24 previously cited recommendation symbols that denote superior quality numbered entries for quick reference and an expanded Subject Index Ten topical chapters range from Allegorical Fantasy and Literary Fairy Tales to Witchraft and Sorcery. Each annotated title includes extensive bibliographic references, along with reading level, major awards won, recommendation symbols, and review citations.

A series of provocative essays on how the fantastic genres evolve and grow In this wide-ranging series of essays, an award-winning science fiction critic explores how the related genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror evolve, merge, and finally "evaporate" into new and more dynamic forms. Beginning with a discussion of how literary readers "unlearned" how to read the fantastic during the heyday of realistic fiction, Gary K. Wolfe goes on to show how the fantastic reasserted itself in popular genre literature, and how these genres themselves grew increasingly unstable in terms of both narrative form and the worlds they portray. More detailed discussions of how specific contemporary writers have promoted this evolution are followed by a final essay examining how the competing discourses have led toward an emerging synthesis of critical approaches and vocabularies. The essays cover a vast range of authors and texts, and include substantial discussions of very current fiction published within the last few years.

Pringle presents his selections in chronological order and includes a synopsis of the story, a discussion of the author's overall contribution to fantasy literature, critical commentary on the title's significance, and a brief publishing history. An introductory essay tackles the difficulty of defining fantasy, while a "Brief Bibliography" directs readers to other discussions of the genre. By no means a definitive subject guide, this entertaining volume should serve as a solid introduction to the elusive field of imaginative literature.