Nights–style adventures and dangers. Masters of
Sleep(1950) is an inferior sequel.
Hubbard also wrote several shorter pieces,
some of which were collected in Triton, and Battle
of Wizards(1949). Hubbard’s fantasy fiction be-
trays many of the failings of young writers of that
period. The stories are sometimes hastily composed
and awkwardly constructed. He was, however, one
of the more imaginative writers of that period and
had a definite talent for producing exciting narra-
tives. If he had continued to write imaginative fic-
tion rather than devote himself to Scientology and
Dianetics, he would probably have become one of
the more significant writers during science fiction’s
explosion of popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. As
it is, the small body of work he did produce retains
a place of honor in the field, and it is still read and
reissued to this day.
Huff, Tanya (1957– )
The Canadian writer Tanya Huff began writing
short science fiction and fantasy stories in 1986
under the name T. S. Huff but switched to her full
first name with the publication of her first novel,
Child of the Grove(1988). The novel and its se-
quel, The Last Wizard(1989), are set in a world
from which most of the magic has gone. A power-
ful wizard who retains his power decides that this is
an opportunity for him to assume control, in which
effort he is opposed by several characters. Al-
though there is nothing new or daring about the
plot, Huff’s narrative displays a refreshingly light
touch that often eludes new novelists. A stand-
alone novel, Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light
(1989), has a rather similar plot but an entirely dif-
ferent setting. A sorcerer is loose in modern-day
Toronto, opposed by a handful of people who are
unable to convince the authorities that they are
telling the truth. This novel anticipates the Blood
series, which would use the same setting with a
slightly different set of premises. The Fire’s Stone
(1990) is an entertaining quest story that hints at
the complexities of character that would distin-
guish her later work but which is itself compara-
tively minor.
The Blood series—Blood Lines(1991), Blood
Trail(1992), Blood Price(1993), Blood Pact(1993),
and Blood Debt(1997)—is one of several recent se-
ries that blend horror and fantasy devices into a
hybrid that fits into either genre or both. Huff casts
several traditionally evil beings as her good protag-
onists, starting with a werewolf and a witch in the
opening volume, then adding a benevolent vam-
pire who writes romance novels for a living. Their
opponents include a ghost, zombies, and a mummy.
Although the novels follow very similar patterns
from volume to volume, Huff expands the reader’s
knowledge of the hidden imaginary subculture and
her main characters quite skillfully, and there is a
good-natured, though occasionally bittersweet,
tone to the stories.
Her next major series is more traditional fan-
tasy, consisting of Sing the Four Quarters(1994),
Fifth Quarter(1995), No Quarter(1996), and The
Quartered Sea(1999), although there are several
original twists in the setting and plot, and the main
characters experience some unusual problems. The
female protagonist is a bard in training who be-
comes pregnant, a violation of the terms of her ap-
prenticeship. Interpersonal relations are even more
complex in the second volume, particularly when a
brother and sister are forced to temporarily share
the same body, a situation not resolved until the
next book. Summon the Keeper(1998) introduces a
new series and returned to a contemporary setting.
The Keeper is a woman who is charged with
watching over the critical points where magic in-
trudes into our world. In The Second Summoning
(2001) an angel and a demon each take possession
of a hormone-driven teenager, with often amusing
results. The most recent volume is The Long Hot
Summoning (2003), but more may be planned.
Smoke and Shadows(2004) introduces Tony Foster,
about whom future volumes are expected as well.
His debut involves supernatural events at a televi-
sion station.
Huff has also written two science fiction nov-
els and several dozen short stories. Many of her
better fantasies can be found in What Ho! Magic!
(1999). Her contemporary fantasies are consis-
tently excellent, and her characterization is quite
sophisticated. The quality of her work deserves
more attention than it has received to date, proba-
bly because she has yet to produce a novel or series
distinct enough to draw a wider audience.Huff, Tanya 171