The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip

Morgon just wants to marry Raederle of An and rule Hed in peace, but his life is soon threatened by mysterious shape-changers. The first volume, The Riddle-Master of Hed (1976), introduces us to Prince Morgon of Hed, the ruler of a small, peaceful island, marked by three stars on his forehead, all reference to which have been mysteriously removed from the libraries of the Riddle-Masters and wizards. In the process, the reader too must learn to interpret McKillip’s signs and hints, to unravel the strictures and meanings behind the riddles in her narrative, in order to unpack the complexity and ambiguity of her story. The books also deliver an exciting and thoughtful story, with flavours of Celtic mythology, in which classic fantasy tropes, such as the Chosen One narrative, missing ancient civilisations, wizards and shape-changers are played with and revealed in a different light. McKillip explores the idea of the hero as riddle-master, a person who resolves conflict and realises their destiny through the accumulation and interpretation of knowledge, the ultimate source of power. In the three books that make up The Riddle-Master’s Game trilogy, Patricia A.

The heroes in a fantasy novel frequently have to interpret obscure clues left behind in ancient prophecies in order to figure out who to trust, which magical objects they will need, and how they must fulfil their destiny. Significantly, riddles, and the ability to decode them, are frequently tied to prophecy. “Who is the Star-Bearer and what will he loose that is bound? What will one star call out of silence, one star out of darkness, and one star out of death? Who will come in the time’s ending and what will he bring? Who will sound the earth’s harp, silent since the Beginning? Who will bear stars of fire and ice to the Ending of the Age?”įrom Bilbo and Gollum trading riddles in the dark, riddles have a long and rich history in fantasy fiction.

The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip