The extraordinary stories in this new contemporary fantasy collection show a mature, darker side of the author of The Last Unicorn, in modern parables of love, death, and transformation shadowed lightly with melancholy. The Angel of Death enjoys newfound celebrity while moonlighting as an anchorman on the network news; King Pelles the Sure, the shortsighted ruler of a gentle realm, betrays himself in dreaming of a "manageable war"; an American librarian discovers that, much to his surprise and sadness, he is also the last living Frenchman; and rivals in a supernatural battle forgo pistols at dawn, choosing instead to duel with dramatic recitations of terrible poetry. Featuring several previously unpublished stories alongside recently published classics, this is a lovely, haunting, and wholly-satisfying read.

Excerpt from "King Pelles the Sure":

The Grand Vizier coughed, as delicately as he could manage it, given the panicky constriction of his throat. He said, "Your Highness, meaning absolutely no disrespect, you have never seen war —"

"Exactly, exactly!" King Pelles broke in. "How can one know the true meaning of peace, who has no experience of its undoubtedly horrid counterpart? Can you answer me that, Vizier?"

"Majesty, I have known that experience," the Grand Vizier replied quietly. "It was far from here, in a land I traveled to as a boy. I shared it with many brave and dear and young friends, who are all dead now — as I should have been, but for the courtesy of the gods, and the enemy's poor aim. You have missed nothing, my lord."

He seemed to have grown older as he spoke, and the king — who may have been foolish, but who was not a fool — saw, and answered him equally gently. "I understand what you are telling me, good Vizier. But this would be only a little war, truly — no more enduring or consuming than one of our delightful carpet clashes. A manageable war — a demonstration, one might say, just to let our rivals see that our people are not to be trifled with. In case they were thinking about trifling. Do you see the difference, Vizier? Between this war and yours?"