George MacDonald
1) Phantastes
Author
Series
Formats
Description
George MacDonald's first major fiction work, in MacDonald's words "a sort of fairy tale for grown people," Phantastes was published in 1858. This unusual fantasy, subtitled a "fairie romance," is one of MacDonald's most mysterious and esoteric titles. The book's narrator, Anodos, enters Fairy Land through a mysterious old wooden secretary. From that beginning, he embarks on a dream-like series of encounters that follow the form of an epic quest, though...
Author
Series
Formats
Description
The Wise Woman tells the double story of two spoiled girls and the parents who spoiled them. A mysterious and powerful wise woman steps in to help the girls escape their destinies, but with little success. The great beauty of this short novel is graceful portrayal of how parents can harm their children by raising them without care and how difficult it is for children (and wise women) to find restoration to their true selves.
Considered the grandfather...
Author
Description
The Diary of an Old Soul is a book of poems written by George MacDonald that can be read as daily devotionals. George MacDonald was a Scottish author and Christian minister who is considered to be one of the main pioneers of the fantasy genre of fiction. MacDonald's books influenced many great authors that followed such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Edith Nesbit. MacDonald wrote many classics such as Lilith, Phantastes, The Princess and the Goblin,...
Author
Description
In this tale, a powerful witch attempts to control others' perception of the world and subjugates a baby boy and baby girl to different experiments, attempting to gain knowledge and power. These two young people grow into opposites and must learn to conquer their fears and rejoice in the differences of others in order to become whole again.
This series, published by ONE audiobooks, seeks to produce Classic Christian titles read by well known and...
Author
Description
George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister, who was a pioneering figure in the field of fantasy literature. The mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll, his writings have been cited as a major literary influence by authors including, W. H. Auden, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien,[1] Walter de la Mare,[2] E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. This collection contains six of his finest fairy tales, including 'The Princess and the Goblin,’...
Author
Description
The works of George MacDonald, the Scottish author, poet, and minister, have influenced the likes of W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, Madeleine L'Engle, C. S. Lewis, and Mark Twain. MacDonald wrote some of the first popular fantasy novels and is best known for his enduring stories, such as "Phantastes", "The Princess and the Goblin", "Lilith", and "At the Back of the North Wind". Macdonald said of his work that he wrote "not for children, but for the...
Author
Series
Description
MacDonald's second realistic novel written in the first person by a fictional female narrator, almost from its opening pages, The Flight of the Shadow feels somber and ominous. It is thus linked with The Portent from early in MacDonald's career, both books similar of length and style. Again MacDonald develops his familiar themes through the character of an orphan, who, without an earthly father, must yet discover the goodness of God's Fatherhood....
Author
Description
One of the first great works of nineteenth-century fantasy fiction, Phantastes inspired many of the great Christian and fantasy authors of the twentieth century. A fairy tale for adults, it is the captivating story of a wealthy young man who takes an unplanned journey into a fantastic nether world. Led by an enchanting sprite (discovered inside an old desk once owned by his deceased father), he meets a diverse cast of characters, among them a fairy...
10) Sir Gibbie
Author
Series
Description
One of the true high marks in George MacDonald's literary career was reached with the publication in 1879 of Sir Gibbie, the captivating story of a mute orphan with an angel's heart set in the highlands of Scotland. Every MacDonald reader has his or her favorite, but it is safe to say that Sir Gibbie is near the top of the list for lovers of fairy tale, poetry, and novels alike. The character of "wee Sir Gibbie" mysteriously embodies hints from the...
Author
Description
Good and evil fairies abound in this rich collection of compelling tales by one of the foremost fantasy writers of the nineteenth century. So do magical lands, sinister monsters, giants, ogres, and other creatures from the realm of the imagination. In "The Light Princess," a young royal, bewitched at birth by her spiteful aunt, is cursed with uncontrollable bouts of lightness. (Gravity, it seems, doesn't affect her!) A little boy in "The Golden Key"...
Author
Series
Formats
Description
The publication in 1868 of this sequel to Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood capped off one of George MacDonald's most productive years with a third major fiction work following Robert Falconer and Guild Court. Set in the Cornwall seaside town of Bude and inspired by a MacDonald family holiday a few years earlier, this novel continues the leisurely pastoral pace of minister Harry Walton's family. Like Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood, it was first written...
Author
Description
A king and queen have a daughter and invite everyone to the christening except the king's sister Princess Makemnoit, a spiteful and sour woman. She arrives without an invitation and curses the princess to have no gravity. Whenever the princess accidentally moves up in the air, she has to be, brought, down, and the wind is capable of carrying her off. As she grows, she never cries, and never can be, brought to see the serious side of anything. She...
14) Guild Court
Author
Series
Description
Following on the heels of Robert Falconer's hugely influential and controversial story, Guild Court, written concurrently with Falconer and published the same year, is one of MacDonald's lesser known novels. A love story set in London, its portrait of many intertwining and quirky lives in and around a city court is perhaps the most Dickens-like of MacDonald's novels. Though not a book that enjoyed such widespread circulation as his others, Guild Court...
Author
Series
Description
These are devotionals for everyone who would like to become familiar - but not overwhelmed - with the great thinking of legendary men of God's Word. George MacDonald was an author, poet and Christian Congregational minister born Scotland in 1824. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and was the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll and a great influence to authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Madeleine L'Engle, and...
17) A Time to Grow
Author
Description
The author of George MacDonald: Scotland's Beloved Storyteller presents a wealth of Christian wisdom culled from the works of the great Victorian writer.
The 19th century author, poet, and Christian scholar George MacDonald has inspired generations with his powerful stories and sermons. Writers from Lewis Carroll to W.H. Auden cite MacDonald as a major influence, while C.S. Lewis has said his books were pivotal in leading him toward Christianity....
Author
Series
Description
The character of Thomas Wingfold is introduced in this preeminent of George MacDonald's English novels, a young curate suddenly brought face-to-face with the hypocrisy of having sought the pulpit as a profession rather than a spiritual calling. Wingfold's prayerful journey into faith highlights MacDonald's most powerful "theological novel." We also meet the dwarf Joseph Polwarth, Wingfold's spiritual mentor and one of MacDonald's most memorable humble...
Author
Description
The Boyhood of Ranald Bannerman presents the largely autobiographical story of a young boy growing up in a small Scottish village. Although George MacDonald is generally considered the grandfather of modern fantasy novels, this beautifully written novel is MacDonald's most realistic. The precise portraits of Ranald's father, family, and village characters bring this boyhood brilliantly to life even today and powerfully illustrate the lessons of integrity,...
Author
Description
"The Fantastic Imagination" is a 1893 essay by Scottish writer George MacDonald (1824—1905). A pioneer of fantasy literature, MacDonald was the mentor of Lewis Carroll and influenced the work of many other notable writers including J. M. Barrie, Mark Twain, C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien. This fascinating essay concentrates on writing and imagination, offering expert insights into fantasy and fiction writing by a master of the genre. Highly recommended...