Javan’s Year (1992) and The Bastard Prince
(1994). Despite efforts at reconciliation, the ten-
sion between humans and Deryni worsens, and
the latter are forced to go into hiding once again.
The new king is failing, and his son, known to
have sympathy for the Deryni, is the target of a
plot by the local nobles, leading to another round
of civil disturbances and rebellion. King Kelson’s
Bride(2000) poses a new dilemma from the king.
For reasons of state he is compelled to marry,
even though the only woman he ever loved has
died. The most recent Deryni novel is In the
King’s Service(2003), another story of the early
days when humans and the Deryni lived together
amicably.
Kurtz has also written a second series in col-
laboration with Deborah Turner Harris. The
Adept(1991) introduces a heroic figure whose
latest incarnation is as protector of England
against a variety of supernatural dangers, starting
with a coven of black magicians in his debut ad-
venture. He has similar opponents in The Lodge
of the Lynx (1992) and retrieves the Seal of
Solomon in The Templar Treasure(1993). These
occult adventures are in the general tradition of
the supernatural sleuth or the occult adventures
of Dennis WHEATLEY. A cult threatens to use
black magic to revive the Third Reich in Dagger
Spell(1995), the high point in the series. Subse-
quent adventures, though always cleverly told,
are less interesting.
The unrelated Lammas Night(1983) simi-
larly has a coven of witches organizing a defense
for Britain when Hitler employs occult forces in
a surreptitious attack. Two Crowns for America
(1996), one of the author’s best novels, suggests
that a magician might have used his powers to
manipulate matters during the American Revo-
lution. Her most recent stand-alone novel is St.
Patrick’s Gargoyle(2001), in which we learn that
gargoyles are actually disguised angels, one of
whom must team up with an elderly human
being to foil a demonic plot. Kurtz is a reliable,
entertaining, and intelligent fantasist who is
more interesting when she strays from her pri-
mary setting, the world of the Deryni. Her short
stories are generally negligible, but “The Gar-
goyle’s Shadow” (1998) is an exception.
Kushner, Ellen(1955– )
Although Ellen Kushner’s first noticeable impact
on the fantasy field was as the editor of Basilisk
(1980), an anthology, she was soon writing interest-
ing short stories of her own, including “The Uni-
corn Masque” (1981), “The Red Cloak” (1982),
and “Charis” (1986). Her first novel was Swords-
point(1987), set in an imaginary 18th-century Eu-
ropean country and containing no other explicit
fantasy devices. The novel received considerable
favorable attention because of its adroit mixture of
high-pitched action sequences with sophisticated
dialogue and characterization. Aristocrats settle
matters of honor by hiring others to fight duels for
them while they sit around and plot and gossip
endlessly. The alternation between action and re-
flection becomes an effective point and counter-
point. A later edition of the book has some short
fiction added.
Kushner returned to this world in The Fall of
the Kings (2002), written in collaboration with
Delia Sherman, a much more overtly fantastic
novel. The aristocratic student protagonist is con-
ducting research into the relationship between the
ancient kings of his country and the wizards who
served them. It is commonly believed that there
was no real magic, that it was all tricks and exag-
gerations, but when the student uncovers evidence
that some of the magic was genuine, the repercus-
sions threaten to shake the balance between the
present government and that part of the country
that would like to see the monarchy reinstated.
Highly literate, intelligently plotted, and with su-
perior characterization, it is one of the major fan-
tasy novels of recent years.
Kushner’s third novel of significance is Thomas
the Rhymer(1990), which won the World Fantasy
Award. Based on a fairy tale, it tells the story of a
harpist who is abducted into the land of fairies and
then returned after a seven-year absence with a
magical compulsion to tell only the truth. Al-
though not without humor, this adaptation is
thoughtful and usually serious in tone. The En-
chanted Kingdom (1986, written with Judith
Mitchell) is a children’s story. St. Nicholas and the
Valley Beyond(1994) is a picture book that also
contains a short fantasy story. Kushner continues
to write infrequent but invariably high-qualityKushner, Ellen 199