Charles de Lint

This collection from the World Fantasy award-winning author of The Onion Girl contains "lucid transfiguration of folklor… This collection from the World Fantasy award-winning author of The Onion Girl contains "lucid transfiguration of folklore and myth into fantasy tales." — Booklist Charles de Lint's urban fantasies, including Moonheart, Forests of the Heart, and The Onion Girl, have earned him a devoted following and critical acclaim as a master of contemporary magical realism. At the heart of his work is the ongoing Newford series, of which this is the latest volume. The city of Newford could be any contemporary North American city . . . except that magic lurks in its music, in its art, in the shadows of its grittiest streets, where mythic beings walk disguised. And its people are like you and me, each looking for a bit of magic to shape their lives and transform their fate. In this volume we meet a bluesman hiding from the devil; a Buffalo Man at the edge of death; a murderous ghost looking for revenge; a wolf man on his first blind date; and many more. We're reunited with Jilly, Geordie, Sophie, the Crow Girls, and other characters whose lives have become part of the great Newford myth. And De Lint takes us beyond Newford's streets to the pastoral hills north of the city, where magic and music have a flavor different but powerful still. "Gracefully told and filled with unforgettable and convincing characters." — Library Journal read more

Originally published under the pen name "Samuel M. Key" "Years after the death of a notorious child murderer, children h… Originally published under the pen name "Samuel M. Key" "Years after the death of a notorious child murderer, children have begun to die again...and a crime photographer begins to suspect he has the one true clue that connects the horrific events." In the early 1990s, Charles de Lint wrote and published three dark fantasy novels under the pen name "Samuel M. Key." Now, Orb presents them for the first time under de Lint's own name. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Beyond the familiar hum of Newford, an ancient, vibrant magic thrives in secret. Here, everyday citizens—from struggling… Beyond the familiar hum of Newford, an ancient, vibrant magic thrives in secret. Here, everyday citizens—from struggling artists to unassuming shopkeepers—unwittingly brush shoulders with trickster fey, powerful magicians, and timeless mythical beings. When the hidden world of the Fae begins to unravel, old loyalties clash and forgotten enchantments stir, pulling unsuspecting souls into a web of wonder and peril. The fate of Newford's hidden heart, and perhaps its very soul, hangs in the balance as the line between reality and myth dissolves. read more

When Sara and Jamie discovered the seemingly ordinary artifacts, they sensed the pull of a dim and distant place. A worl… When Sara and Jamie discovered the seemingly ordinary artifacts, they sensed the pull of a dim and distant place. A world of mists and forests, of ancient magics, mythical beings, ageless bards...and restless evil. Now, with their friends and enemies alike--Blue, the biker; Keiran, the folk musician; the Inspector from the RCMP; and the mysterious Tom Hengyr--Sara and Jamie are drawn into this enchanted land through the portals of Tamson House, that sprawling downtown edifice that straddles two worlds. Sweeping from ancient Wales to the streets of Ottawa today, Moonheart will entrance you with its tale of this world and the other one at the very edge of sight...and the unforgettable people caught up in the affairs of both. A tale of music, and motorcycles, and fey folk beyond the shadows of the moon. A tale of true magic; the tale of Moonheart. read more

In a city much like our own, where the ordinary facades conceal ancient secrets, artists and dreamers often find themsel… In a city much like our own, where the ordinary facades conceal ancient secrets, artists and dreamers often find themselves caught between two worlds. When a mysterious force begins to unravel the delicate balance, a diverse group of individuals, from street musicians to struggling painters, must confront the hidden magic stirring beneath the asphalt. They discover that the old myths are not merely stories, but living truths woven into the fabric of reality, now threatened with oblivion. To save their city and protect the very essence of belief, they must delve into the heart of an unfolding mystery, where forgotten gods and wild spirits walk amongst us. read more

"[This] fantasy moves from the outer to the inner world with amazing ease and should satisfy new and old fans of this pr… "[This] fantasy moves from the outer to the inner world with amazing ease and should satisfy new and old fans of this prolific and gifted storyteller." — Publishers Weekly In novel after novel, and story after story, Charles de Lint has brought an imaginary North American city to vivid life. Newford: where magic lights dark streets; where myths walk clothed in modern shapes; where a broad cast of extraordinary people work to keep the whole world turning. At the center of all the entwined lives in Newford stands a young artist named Jilly Coppercorn, with her tangled hair, her paint-splattered jeans, a smile perpetually on her lips—Jilly, whose paintings capture the hidden beings that dwell in the city's shadows. Now, at last, de Lint tells Jilly's own story . . . for behind the painter's fey charm lies a dark secret and a past she's labored to forget. And that past is coming to claim her now. "I'm the onion girl," Jilly Coppercorn says. "Pull back the layers of my life, and you won't find anything at the core. Just a broken child. A hollow girl." She's very, very good at running. But life has just forced Jilly to stop. "A master storyteller, [de Lint] blends Celtic, Native American, and other cultures into a seamless mythology that resonates with magic and truth." — Library Journal "Like great writers of magic realism, [de Lint] writes about people in the world we know, encountering magic as a part of that world. Fairy tales come true, and their magic affects realistic characters full of particular lusts and fears." — Booklist read more

From the World Fantasy Award–winning author: A website malfunction causes unexpected trouble for a modern city infused w… From the World Fantasy Award–winning author: A website malfunction causes unexpected trouble for a modern city infused with magic and myth. Charles de Lint's Newford novels are renowned for their imaginative scope and memorable characters. In Spirits in the Wires, de Lint returns to his captivating city as it enters the Internet age. The city of Newford has it all—including its own popular research and library website, Wordwood. But when Wordwood mysteriously crashes, everyone visiting the site instantly vanishes. Longtime resident Christy Ridding witnesses his girlfriend Saskia disappears right before his eyes. . . . To rescue their missing friends, Christy and his companions must journey into Newford's otherworld, where the Wordwood, it transpires, has a physical presence of its own... read more

In this whimsical, original folktale, written and illustrated throughout in vibrant full color by two celebrated masters… In this whimsical, original folktale, written and illustrated throughout in vibrant full color by two celebrated masters of modern fantasy, a young girl's journey becomes an enchanting coming-of-age story about magic, friendship, and the courage to shape one's own destiny. Lillian Kindred spends her days exploring the Tanglewood Forest, a magical, rolling wilderness that she imagines to be full of fairies. The trouble is, Lillian has never seen a wisp of magic in her hills--until the day the cats of the forest save her life by transforming her into a kitten. Now she must set out on a perilous adventure that will lead her through untamed lands of fabled creates--from Old Mother Possum to the fearsome Bear People--to find a way to make things right. read more

In the city's hidden corners, where ancient folklore whispers through modern streets, Elara has always felt a peculiar l… In the city's hidden corners, where ancient folklore whispers through modern streets, Elara has always felt a peculiar longing, a restless current in her soul. When a chance encounter awakens a deep connection to the Wind—a wild, elemental spirit of freedom and untamed magic—she is pulled into a clandestine world far more real than she ever imagined. Now, hunted by shadowy figures who seek to shackle this ancient power, Elara must learn to harness the wind in her own heart to protect not only herself but the delicate balance between humanity and the forgotten myths that shape her urban home. The fate of the city's soul hangs on her perilous journey of self-discovery. read more

On the Day of the Dead, the Solona Music Hall is jumping. That's where Altagracia Quintero meets John Burns, just two we… On the Day of the Dead, the Solona Music Hall is jumping. That's where Altagracia Quintero meets John Burns, just two weeks too late. Altagracia – her friends call her Grace – has a tattoo of Nuestra Señora de Altagracia on her shoulder, she's got a Ford Motor Company tattoo running down her leg, and she has grease worked so deep into her hands that it'll never wash out. Grace works at Sanchez Motorworks, customizing hot rods. Finding the line in a classic car is her calling. Now Grace has to find the line in her own life. A few blocks around the Alverson Arms is all her world -- from the little grocery store where she buys beans, tamales, and cigarettes ("cigarettes can kill you," they tell her, but she smokes them anyway) to the record shop, to the library where Henry, a black man confined to a wheelchair, researches the mystery of life in death – but she's got unfinished business keeping her close to home. Grace loves John, and John loves her, and that would be wonderful, except that John, like Grace, has unfinished business – he's haunted by the childhood death of his younger brother. He's never stopped feeling responsible. Like Grace in her way, John is an artist, and before their relationship can find its resolution, the two of them will have to teach each other about life and love, about hot rods and Elvis Presley, and about why it's necessary to let some things go. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Familiar to Charles de Lint's ever-growing audience as the setting of the novels Memory & Dream, Trader, and Someplace T… Familiar to Charles de Lint's ever-growing audience as the setting of the novels Memory & Dream, Trader, and Someplace To Be Flying, Newford is the quintessential North American city, tough and streetwise on the surface and rich with hidden magic for those who can see. Now de Lint returns to this extraordinary city for a third volume of short stories set there, including several never before published in book form. Here is enchantment under a streetlamp: the landscape of urban North America as only Charles de Lint can show it. "Blending Lovecraft's imagery, Dunsany's poetry, Carroll's surrealism, and Alice Hoffman's small-town strangeness," wrote Interzone on Dreams Underfoot, de Lint's Newford tales are "a haunting mixture of human warmth and cold inevitability, of lessons learned and prices to be paid." At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

At the end of Over My Head , Josh has propelled himself into the Otherworld where he believes his former girlfriend Elzi… At the end of Over My Head , Josh has propelled himself into the Otherworld where he believes his former girlfriend Elzie is in imminent danger. He leaves behind his closest friends: Marina, whose fledgling romance with Theo is increasingly complicated by her undeniable feelings for Josh, and Des, who is trying to figure out his own role amongst his Wildling friends. In this unpredictable world a side-step from our own, Josh discovers more about the awesome power he holds within, as he deals with hostility from certain animal clans and elders. Back in Santa Feliz his friends are facing a huge anti-Wildling rally that threatens all Wildling teens with segregation and incarceration. In the most tense and perilous of circumstances in both worlds, Josh and his friends must rely on each other’s love, ingenuity and loyalty to survive. read more

"The Crow Girls and their kind, once seen, are impossible to forget. Wild, but curiously childlike; wise and yet playful… "The Crow Girls and their kind, once seen, are impossible to forget. Wild, but curiously childlike; wise and yet playful; existing outside the confines of conventional morality, and yet bringing hope and clarity to everyone whose lives they touch." -Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, from her introduction to this book. Charles de Lint's readers have been asking him to put together story collections featuring their favourite Newford characters. The crow girls are among his best-loved characters, so de Lint obliged by gathering their stories all under one roof, so to speak. Some other members of the Newford repertory company show up here, but at the forefront of each story are these two little wild girls with their big personalities. This book features an introduction by Joanne Harris and an afterword by the de Lint. Cover art by Tara Larsen Chang (www.taralarsenchang.com). These stories have all been published before. "Crow Girls" is also available in The Very Best of Charles de Lint and in Moonlight and Vines; "Twa Corbies" in Moonlight and Vines; "The Buffalo Man" in Tapping the Dream Tree; and "A Crow Girls' Christmas" in Muse and Reverie. "Make a Joyful Noise," published in a limited edition by Subterranean Press, has not appeared in any of his previous collections. "Nobody does urban fantasy better than Charles de Lint. He has a gift for creating engaging, fully realized characters, totally believable dialogue, and a feeling that magic is just around the corner ... He can make you believe 'as many as six impossible things before breakfast.' " -Amazon.com Editorial Review "De Lint's elegant prose and effective storytelling continue to transform the mundane into the magical at every turn. Highly recommended." -Library Journal, Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. "In many hands, the urban fantasy plot involving strange beings just around the corner fails dismally. It does not in the hands of the reliable, the inimitable de Lint ... -Booklist " de Lint... read more

De Lint's classic novel of native magic in an American future is now back in print. Only Gahzee can save the downed Indi… De Lint's classic novel of native magic in an American future is now back in print. Only Gahzee can save the downed Indian flyer, walking the line between the Dreamtime and the Realtime, bringing his people's ancient magic to bear on the poisoned world of tomorrow. read more

She'd been underlake when the sound of his voice drew her up from the cold and the dark, up into the moonlight, bobbing… She'd been underlake when the sound of his voice drew her up from the cold and the dark, up into the moonlight, bobbing in the white-capped waves; listening, swallowing that golden sound of strings and voice, and he so handsome and all alone on the shore. This modern take on Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid reveals the aching beauty and peril of falling in love. A finalist for the 1992 World Fantasy Award, this novella was originally published as a limited edition chapbook by Axolotl Press (1991), and later appeared in de Lint's acclaimed first Newford collection, Dreams Underfoot (1993). Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend--all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.--Alice Hoffman Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.--Holly Black In a culture that privileges detachment and irony Charles de Lint dares to write with passion and conviction, insisting that truth, compassion, and the creation of beauty in the world are things that matter. He's not on a soapbox, he's not didactic, he's just telling stories--but those stories are searing.--Terri Windling A man who makes the world a better place than he found it.--Jane Yolen De Lint's evocative images, both ordinary and fantastic, jolt the imagination.--Publishers Weekly What makes de Lint's particular brand of fantasy so catchy is his attention to the ordinary. Like great writers of magic realism, he writes about people in the world we know, encountering magic as a part of that world. Fairy tales come true, and their magic affects realistic characters full of particular lusts and fears.--Booklist, American Library Association To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and ma read more

An unusual novel from Charles de Lint: a tale set in an entirely imaginary high fantasy world. The harp was a gift from… An unusual novel from Charles de Lint: a tale set in an entirely imaginary high fantasy world. The harp was a gift from Jacky Lanter's fey kin, as was the music Angharad pulled from its strings. She used it in her journeys through the kingdoms of Green Isles, to wake the magic of the Summerblood where it lay sleeping in folk who had never known they had it. Harping, she knew, was on third of a bard's spells. Harping, and poetry, and the road that led . . . Into the Green Charles de Lint takes us once again into lands infused and transformed by magic. Magic that grows in the roots of old oaks and dances by moonlight among standing stones. Magic that sleeps in an old soldier's eyes and glows in the gaze of a phantom stag. Magic that pumps through the heart and the veins of those born to the Summerblood-to be stolen at knife point, burned, destroyed, in danger of fading back into the green and disappearing forever from the world. read more

In the early 1990s, Charles de Lint wrote and published three dark fantasies under the name "Samuel M. Key." Now, beginn… In the early 1990s, Charles de Lint wrote and published three dark fantasies under the name "Samuel M. Key." Now, beginning with Angel of Darkness, Orb presents them for the first time under de Lint's own name. When ex-cop Jack Keller finds the mutilated body of a runaway girl in the ashes of a bizarre house fire, he opens the door to a nightmare. For a sadistic experiment in terror has unleashed a dark avenging angel forged from the agonies of countless dying victims.... read more

His name when he was human was Kern. Now he is the most feared of beings: a werewolf. When the change first came upon hi… His name when he was human was Kern. Now he is the most feared of beings: a werewolf. When the change first came upon him, his parents drove him away with silver daggers. Later, he sought human companionship, but he could not hide the truth for long. And so he kept running until he ran headlong into the deadliest pursuer of all-a harper bent on stealing his life away. By chance Kern was able to find refuge at the Inn of the Yellow Tinker, and the woman he was destined to love. But can he risk both human and harper vengeance to keep her? read more

One morning, John Burns, a humble woodcarver, awakens to a life that is utterly alien: he is now Donald, a successful bu… One morning, John Burns, a humble woodcarver, awakens to a life that is utterly alien: he is now Donald, a successful businessman in a strange home, surrounded by people he doesn't know. His own past has vanished, his memories replaced by those of this unfamiliar existence. John soon discovers that his identity has been traded with an ancient, powerful entity from the mythic realm, a being now experiencing human life in his stead. To reclaim his stolen self, he must navigate the hidden magical currents of a vibrant city, confronting the forces that stole his world before his true identity is irrevocably lost. read more

World Fantasy Award winner Charles de Lint conjures a thrilling, otherworldly tale of magic and family bonds. A young wo… World Fantasy Award winner Charles de Lint conjures a thrilling, otherworldly tale of magic and family bonds. A young woman locked in rage yet seeking magic, Ash is drawn into a wondrous Otherworld of totems and dryads, living tarots and mystic charms. At the same time, Ash's cousin Nina is stalked by an Otherworld demon—a manitou who can force her mind and soul into the bodies of beasts. Ash must find the strength to overcome her own anger, learn the full power of magic, and save Nina before she becomes the manitou's weapon, turning the faerie realm into an arctic wasteland. De Lint fans will relish this urban and otherworldly fantasy, partially set in the author's trademark Newford. "A compelling fantasy that combines elements of Native American and Celtic mythology to create a fluid and unexpected otherworld, open to all with the ability to enter and traverse it."—School Library Journal read more

The renowned urban fantasy author returns to the magical world of Newford, where fairies and spirits meddle in a long ov… The renowned urban fantasy author returns to the magical world of Newford, where fairies and spirits meddle in a long overdue romance. Ever since Jilly Coppercorn and Geordie Riddell were introduced in "Timeskip," Charles de Lint's first Newford story, their friends and readers alike have been waiting for them to realize that they belong together. Now, in Widdershins, a stand-alone novel of fairy courts set in shopping malls and the Bohemian street scene of Newford's Crowsea area, Jilly and Geordie's story is finally told. Before it's over, we'll find ourselves plunged into the rancorous and sometimes violent conflict between the magical North American animal people and the more newly-arrived fairy folk. We'll watch as Jilly is held captive in a sinister world based on her own worst memories and Geordie, attempting to help, is sent someplace even worse. And we'll be captivated by the power of love and determination to redeem ancient hatreds and heal old magics gone sour. To walk "widdershins" is to walk counterclockwise or backwards around something. It's a classic pathway into the fairy realm. It's also the way people often back slowly into the relationships that matter, the real ones that make for a life. read more

At the heart of Tamson House is the Wood. And in that Wood is the Mystery Tamson House, in modern, urban Ottawa, is a ra… At the heart of Tamson House is the Wood. And in that Wood is the Mystery Tamson House, in modern, urban Ottawa, is a rambling, eccentric curiosity of a house—and a place of hidden Power. Built at a point where the leylines meet, upon land that was once a sacred site, it is the gateway to a spirit world where Celtic and Native American magicks mingle and leak into our own. In the overgrown garden of Tamson House, a Coyote Man waits, green children walk, and music rises to greet the moon. From the garden, a vast and primal wood is just one spirit-step away... and in that wood is something that threatens the very existence of Tamson House, and all who dwell within. Charles de Lint returns to the spirit-world of his bestselling Moonheart in a splendid work of urban fantasy, bringing myth, music, and magic into our modern world. read more

For the past six months, something has been happening to young people in Santa Feliz. Week after week, there's news of a… For the past six months, something has been happening to young people in Santa Feliz. Week after week, there's news of another teen changing shape, transforming from human to wild animal and back again. The federal government has stepped in, asking affected youth to turn themselves in for "orientation and training." Josh Saunders has seen the news reports, but he's still unprepared when it happens to him. One minute he's arguing with his mother's boyfriend and the next he's looming over the man, blood dripping from his claws—he has transformed into a mountain lion. Trusting only his best friends Des and Marina with his secret, Josh tries to return to normal life. But when an accidental betrayal reveals Josh's secret, his carefully constructed cover is ripped apart, forcing his friends to intervene. They must grudgingly put their trust in outsiders, including other Wildlings—and, most challenging, in each other—if they ever hope to save him. read more