The Forgotten Beasts of Eld – Patricia A. McKillip (1974)

McKillip’s writing feels like if poetry and prophecy had a baby. The story follows Sybel, a wizard woman who lives alone in the mountains surrounded by mythical creatures of her own summoning. She’s untouchable — until politics and passion force her into the messiness of humanity.

It’s quiet magic: the kind that doesn’t need explosions, just truth whispered in perfect prose. This isn’t your standard fantasy quest — it’s a meditation on love, power, and solitude.

Rating: 5 / 5