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Thomas the Rhymer

 (Google eBook)
Front Cover
31 Reviews
Random House Digital, Inc., Dec 18, 2007 - Fiction - 304 pages
Award-winning author and radio personality Ellen Kushner’s inspired retelling of an ancient legend weaves myth and magic into a vivid
contemporary novel about the mysteries of the human heart. Brimming with ballads, riddles, and magical transformations, here is the timeless tale of a charismatic bard whose talents earn him a two-edged otherworldly gift.

A minstrel lives by his words, his tunes, and sometimes by his lies. But when the bold and gifted young Thomas the Rhymer awakens the desire of the powerful Queen of Elfland, he finds that words are not enough to keep him from his fate. As the Queen sweeps him far from the people he has known and loved into her realm of magic, opulence—and captivity—he learns at last what it is to be truly human. When he returns to his home with the Queen’s parting gift, his great task will be to seek out the girl he loved and wronged, and offer her at last the tongue that cannot lie.


From the Paperback edition.
  

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It is most definitely a love story. - Goodreads
Probably what I hate the most is the ending. - Goodreads
It was such an interesting premise. - Goodreads
The great riddle that's central to the plot fell flat. - Goodreads

Review: Thomas the Rhymer

User Review - Goodreads

It's hard for me not to compare it with Swordspoint, the 1st of Kushner's book that I read. The fast paced Swordspoint is full of tenebrous characters that gives the story the feel of 17th century ...

Review: Thomas the Rhymer

User Review  - Roslyn - Goodreads

I read this many years ago (1994?) and so don't remember details, but I do remember it's a re-telling of the ballad by that name set firmly in its time (ie not an adaptation set in contemporary times ... Read full review

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Selected pages

Contents

Section 1
2
Section 2
174
Section 3
211
Section 4
259
Section 5
261
Section 6
263
Section 7
267
Section 8
277
Section 9
278
Section 10
285
Copyright

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A Companion to the Fairy Tale
State of the Fantastic: Studies in the Theory and Practice of Fantastic ...
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From Google Scholar

Folklore and Fantastic Literature
CW Sullivan III - 2001 - Western Folklore

About the author (2007)

Ellen Kushner grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, attended Bryn Mawr and Barnard Colleges, and has an A.B. from Columbia University. She started out after college working as a sf/f editor in New York City for Ace and then Pocket Books, but in 1987 found her way to public radio on WGBH 89.7fm in Boston, and has been on the air there ever since. In April 1996, PRI launched her new national, public radio series, Sound & Spirit, which explores the musical connections between myth and magic, folklore and literature, anthropology and history. She resides in Boston, MA.


From the Paperback edition.

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