The Isle of Glass (1985)

by Judith Tarr

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: The Hound and the Falcon (1)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
311	4	89,760	(3.91)	4
Alfred of St. Ruan's has lived his life in the seclusion of the monastery. But a badly wounded knight on a mission from the Elvenking, a beautiful and mysterious stranger who walks as both woman and beast, and a warrior king call him out of the cloister's walls into the wars and storms of the world. For he is neither mortal nor human, though he has long tried to live as both; and he can deny neither his nature nor his powerful magic. Winner of the Crawford Award, and Locus Award finalist for Best First Novel.… (more)

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Personally, I found this to be a most enjoyable book focusing on the power of the Church and Kings in a medieval England still inhabited by the fair elven folk.

I particularly enjoy the characterisation of Richard I, and love the relationship between the King and main character. (

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calenmarwen | May 29, 2023 |

A historical fantasy set in the reign of Richard the Lionheart.

Brother Alfred (‘Alf’) is a humble monk and theologian at the monastery of St Rhuan in Ynys Witrin. He came as a foundling and as been there for nearly 70 years and still looks like a youth of 17. During a storm, he slips out and returns with an injured traveller; he was on an embassy to a Marcher Lord who tortured him instead.

Nursing the traveller back to consciousness, Alf discovers the Marcher lord is trying to provoke war. The Abbot sends Alf on a journey to the North to meet King Richard and warn him of what is happening.

The story is Alf’s journey from the sanctuary of the abbey to the world - which he doesn’t know at all. Along the way, he comes to understand what he likely is - one of the Fair Folk, for all he only world is that of the monastery.

Recommended.

Maddz | Jan 3, 2020 |

Maddz | Dec 27, 2019 |

This first book in Tarr’s The Hound and the Falcon trilogy is a work of alternate history, taking place in England during the reign of Richard I. Alf, a monk at St. Ruan’s Abbey, is an elfin changeling left there as a baby, and despite his fair looks and that he never seems to age, only a few are aware of or suspect his true nature. When an injured rider arrives at the abbey one evening, it becomes Alf’s turn to play the part of messenger and ambassador to Richard I in order to prevent war among neighboring lands.

Although I wasn't completely wowed, I like Judith Tarr and I’m looking forward to reading the next part in the series. (

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ryner | Jul 17, 2007 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Judith Tarr	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Johnson,Kevin Eugene	Cover art	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

Belongs to Series

The Hound and the Falcon (1)

Is contained in

The Hound and the Falcon: Trilogy by Judith Tarr

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Crawford Award (Winner – 1987)

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Canonical title

The Isle of Glass

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1985

People/Characters

Alf

Richard I, King of England

Important places

England, UK

St. Ruan's Abbey

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

"Quis est homo?"
"Mancipium mortis, transiens viator, Loci hospes"
-Alcuin of York

Translation:
"What is man?"
"The slave of death, the guest of an inn, a wayfarer passing."
- Helen Waddell

Dedication

For Meredith

First words

"Brother Alf!..."

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

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Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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Judith Tarr

▾Book descriptions

Alfred of St. Ruan's has lived his life in the seclusion of the monastery. But a badly wounded knight on a mission from the Elvenking, a beautiful and mysterious stranger who walks as both woman and beast, and a warrior king call him out of the cloister's walls into the wars and storms of the world. For he is neither mortal nor human, though he has long tried to live as both; and he can deny neither his nature nor his powerful magic. Winner of the Crawford Award, and Locus Award finalist for Best First Novel.

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Book description

THE ISLE OF GLASS,
vol 1 of
THE HOUND & THE FALCON TRILOGY

Alfred of St Ruan's Abbey in Ynys Witrin was content to live, as he had for decades, as a quiet monk among his brethern, who did not remark on his fair face, his ageless body, his ability to heal...no one at St Ruan's would think of asking Brother Alf if he were of the Elven-kind.

But the world intervened. One night a grievously injured ambassador form the Court of Gwydion, the Elvenking came knocking on St Ruan's gate, drawn by Alf's power. The knight Alun had been on a mission to avert a war between young Kilwch of Gwynedd and Richard the Lionheart, a mission that must be completed within days.

Alf, commanded by his Abbot, reluctantly accepts Alun's charge to go to King Richard with the news of treachery - and with that begins his journey into the center of royal conflicts and religious controversy.

For the world beyond St Ruan's gate is not willing to accept one of the Fair Folk as a priest of God...

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