THE MAGICIAN'S BOOK is the story of one reader's long, tumultuous relationship with C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. Enchanted by its fantastic world as a child, prominent critic Laura Miller returns to the series as an adult to uncover the source of these small books' mysterious power by looking at their creator, Clive Staples Lewis. What she discovers is not the familiar, idealized image of the author, but a more interesting and ambiguous truth:...

A companion book that explores the worlds of the "Last Dragon Chronicles" providing secrets behind the seven books, insight into the characters, and discusses the inspiration behind the dragons, as well as the elements from the real world that inspired the books.

An examination of Tolkien's world of Middle-Earth, as it relates to our own reality.

This new collection, which has been edited by one of the world's leading Tolkien experts, presents J.R.R. Tolkien's final writings on Middle-Earth, revealing the journeys he took as he sought to better understand his unique creation.

Interviews with 13 American and English authors of fantasy fiction discussing their lives, literary influences, work routines and their beliefs about the place of fantasy in literature and our lives. Includes a "reader" listing each author's major fantasy works.

"The Hobbit and History uncovers the parallels between the Middle Ages and the intricate culture of Middle-earth that Tolkien created in The Hobbit, showing how historical cultures provided the models for Tolkien's characters, foods, riddles, and battle tactics. The book explores how European myths and legends inspired Tolkien's wizards, dragons, and the monsters he created. Seeing Middle-earth and its peoples against these historical backdrops shines...