Audiobook · read by volunteers
Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women
George MacDonald (1824–1905)
Read by Brad Powers · 25 chapters · 6 h 34
About the book
Anodos is a young man who one night finds his way into Fairy Land, and nothing there behaves as he expects. He wanders through forests where trees have voices and spirits, meets a beautiful woman who is not what she seems, and finds himself pursued by a dark shadow that follows him everywhere. His path leads him toward the palace of the fairy queen, through enchantments and temptations, in a search that is part adventure and part spiritual quest. Phantastes is a dreamlike tale, full of wonder, longing and strange beauty, and it moves with the logic of a dream rather than a plot. If you enjoy fantasy that feels like poetry, and stories that leave you thoughtful long after the last word, this is a good place to begin. Its mood is quiet, strange and unforgettable.
Introduction
George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish writer and minister whose fantasy novels and fairy tales influenced many later authors. Phantastes, published in 1858, is generally counted among the first full-length fantasy novels written for adults in English. Its subtitle describes it as a faerie romance for men and women, and it draws on German Romantic traditions as well as on older folk tales and ballads.
The twenty-five chapters follow Anodos from the moment of his strange awakening through a succession of encounters, each with its own atmosphere. Some are gentle and luminous, others frightening, and the story as a whole carries a profound note of sadness and longing. It is not a fast-moving adventure; it asks the listener to drift and to notice. Many readers return to it for its images, which linger long after other details fade, and its quiet suggestion that wonder and loss are closely linked.
Because the book has little conventional plot, it is best heard slowly, perhaps a chapter at a time. Each episode has its own mood, from enchanted woods to dark halls, and its songs and little poems add to the dreamlike effect. Many later writers acknowledged a debt to MacDonald, which makes it a rewarding stop for lovers of fantasy.
The 25 recordings, about 6.6 hours in all, are read by a single LibriVox volunteer, whose steady voice carries Anodos through the forest and up to the palace. Phantastes rewards a patient listener: let the images gather rather than waiting for a plot to explain them, and the book will do its quiet work.
Public domain
George MacDonald died in 1905: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text