The Line Between

What can I say about Peter S. Beagle? He is a writer that never fails to surprise me, because, I don't know why, but whenever I start reading one of his stories, I never expect to like it as much as I end up liking it. It happened with many of the stories in this book. He has a way with words that is only his and it's magical and that's all I'm going to say about it.I'm going to start with Two Hearts because it was the reason I bought this book. Two Hearts is the sequel to The Last Unicorn and I plunged into it with reckless abandon, obviously wanting to return to that world. It didn't disappoint. In fact, when it was over, I didn't know what to do with myself; it touched me in ways not a lot of stories do and I was an emotional... well, not wreck, but let's just say I couldn't do anything for a while but hold the book in my arms while getting flooded by emotions that went beyond words. Two Hearts was achingly beautiful and funny and deeply sad all at the same, and how many stories can say that for themselves?As for the rest of the stories...Gordon, the self-made cat: incredibly fun story about a mouse who decides that he can be anything he wants and what he wants is to be a cat so he goes to Cat School to achieve his dreams. I want to read this story to my nephews so bad.Four Fables: I can only speak highly about the last of this four fables -the first three, I didn't like-. So, The Fable of the Octopus, the fourth one, is one of the best short stories I have ever read. It's a deep, philosophical, witty, ironic, and funny story about the search of an Octopus for God. So good, I tell you.El Regalo: great story about a an older sister and an annoying little brother who turns out to be a witch. Really funny, yet scary at the same time.Quarry: this was the only story I didn't particularly like (besides the first 3 fables of the Four Fables). It is apparently about how two of the characters from The Innkeeper's Song met and maybe it is because I have yet to read that book, but I wasn't too engaged by the story. But, even so, the emotional depth Beagle achieves in some scenes moved me and I couldn't help but applaud him for his skill (and imagination).Salt Wine: one of the stories that when I started reading it, for the first couple of paragraphs I wasn't too sure about it. It's written in first person and the way the narrator talked was a little annoying but then he started talking about mermaids and mermen, and I was caught up in his tale before I even realized it. And it turned out to be one of my favorite stories in this book.Mr. Sigerson: ah, a Sherlock Holmes tale. Thoroughly entertaining and witty. I enjoyed it very much and it actually surprised me. Beagle did a good job with this one.And the last one, A Dance for Emilia: the most autobiographical thing he was ever written, as Beagle puts it, born out of mourning for his closest friend, who died back in 1994. And as such, one of the most touching, even heart-wrenching stories of this collection, if a little unbelievable. But what can I say? How can a story born out of such sad and personal circumstances be anything but great in the hands of a man like Peter S. Beagle?Something else to add: another thing I really love about his collection of stories are the little explanations he gives before each one about how it came to be. It adds a lot to the reading experience and it is always wonderful when a writer share the stories behind their stories.All in all, great read, some good stories, some amazing stories, and genius writer. Go read them, now.

Peter Beagle belongs to that vanishing type of writer whose strengths are in strong characterization rather than plot, although their plots are often quite strong. Writers like the late Theodore Sturgeon, Edgar Pangborn, Mary Pangborn & Avram Davidson. Writers like the still living Algis Budrys, Ed Gorman or, on his better days, Stephen King.He also doesn't write (or at least, publish) nearly enough. Yet here is a collection of short stories, all fairly recent, and many with their first publication herein.The lead-off tale is a little charmer about a mouse who decides it's a whole lot better to live as a cat than a mouse, so he goes off to cat school, with some humorous and ironic results. Beagle's note to the story mentions that he hopes to turn this into a children's book in the manner of 'Charlotte's Web'. If so, this is a pretty good start.The next story, 'Two Hearts' is a sequel to Beagle's best known novel 'The Last Unicorn'. I'm always leary when a writer returns to the world of a major work, years after that work's publication. In this case, it's been 38 years but Beagle pulls it off, returning many of the major characters from that novel and developing a new character that will lead into a new novel. Brillant, warm and hearttouching.Next up are four fables, dealing with moths, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, ostriches and octopi. Funny stuff. In fact, Beagle is so good at this type of writing that one could easily see a complete book of such fables. Listen up, Mr. Beagle!! The world needs more bluejay stories.Next is 'El Regalo, which deals with two Korean-American kids and their witchy abilities. Another good story that one can easily see expanded into a complete novel.'Quarry' is a tasty prequel to Beagle's novel 'The Innkeeper's Song', which tells an early tale of one of that novel's major characters.'Salt Wine' is the best story in the book (and that's saying something, considering that 'Two Hearts' is here too). An old sailor relates the horrific tale of his shipmate who saves a merman and is granted the merman's most cherished secret, the ability to make salt wine. The gift comes with a horrible price, however, that makes itself known in a quiet, understated fashion. This story ought to be in the running for a number of major awards next year. Very disturbing.'Mr. Sigerson' is a Sherlock Holmes tale, related by a narrator who doesn't appear to like Mr. Holmes at all. There are tons of Sherlock Holmes knockoff stories out there but this is a good one.The closer is 'A Dance For Emilia', a warm story of a dead man possessing his own cat so that he can leave one last message for the love of his life. Warm, tender and haunting, in the best sense of the word.You're gonna love this book. Buy one for yourself and one for your best friend. You'll both be happy you did.

The Line Between is a wonderful set of short stories. I giggled, almost cried, and felt lightened by the vision of Peter Beagle. I suspect that this book won't stay in my bookcase because I can read it again--and again. Beagle has adopted some interesting personas in his stories, and I especially like that almost every one of them has a significantly inferior starting point at the beginning of its tale. A mouse, for pity sake, that decides to become a cat is almost too much. But really the story reminds me of governments that try to be something that they can't be. In Two Hearts the little GIRL--of all people--is the one who goes for help from the kind--truly expecting the help to be forthcoming. And she becomes the symbol of those who won't believe that help is unavailable to those who try. In El Regalo someone timid becomes someone of power in much the same manner--attempting to help someone else.Beagle has won me as a fan, and I will be enjoying his stories for as long as I can read or re-read them!

This Fantasy Writer has a small but vocal following at our school. So when they found out he had revisited the characters in The Last Unicorn in this book of short stores they really really really really wanted me to get it.

Two Hearts is a must-read for Last Unicorn fans. 5/5Mr. Sigerson was a good story and interesting character. 4/5A Dance for Amelia was my favorite story. Very moving. 5/5Quarry is interesting if you've read The Innkeeper' Song (which I highly recommend). How Soukyan met the fox. 3/5El Regalo was fairly interesting 3/5

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The only Peter S. Beagle book I had read prior to this was the Last Unicorn and honestly wasn't sure if the rest of his works could be as good. They are. Is collection of stories is amazing. A must read for any fantasy buff.

Dieses Buch zählt zu den wenigen Lieblingen meiner Sammlung!Es ist eine Sammlung von englischen Kurzgeschichten von Peter S. Beagle, welche jeweils mit eigenen Vor-Kommentaren gespickt sind, die meistens eine kleine Geschichte zur Entstehung der eigentlichen Geschichte erzählen oder aber einen Hinweis, den man unbedingt beachten sollte, bevor man die jeweilige Geschichte liest.Peter S. Beagle hat einen ganz eigenen Stil zu schreiben. Seine Bücher und Geschichten lesen sich sehr emotional und auf einer Ebene, die mehr das Herz berührt, als den Kopf oder Verstand. Sobald die ersten Zeilen gelesen sind, ist es dem Leser möglich, in eine ganz eigene Welt, Beagles Welt, der Fantasie einzutauchen und vom ersten Augenblick an mitgerissen zu werden. Nur wenige Autoren vermögen, meiner Meinung nach, dies zu tun.Die Geschichten sind unabhängig voneinander zu lesen, manche sogar als Pre- oder Sequel zu 'größeren' Geschichten zu sehen, so zum Beispiel "Two Hearts" als Sequel zu "The Last Unicorn", eines der stärksten und gewaltigsten Einhorn-Geschichten unserer Zeit. Es gibt viele kleine Geschichten, wie zum Beispiel die Tiermärchen oder Fabeln, aber auch längere, eigenständige Stories, wie z.b. 'Gordon the selfmade Cat'.Alles in allem bleibt zu sagen, dass ich die Geschichten jederzeit wieder lesen kann und werde! Beagles Schreibstil bleibt einfach einzigartig und ist für alle Fans der einfachen Fantastik nur zu empfehlen. Die Kommentare unterstützen die Geschichten im einzelnen noch zusätzlich und geben einen Einblick hinter die Kulisse, geradewegs hinein in den Kopf des Autors Peter S. Beagle.Von mir aus volle 5 Sterne und jeden Kauf wert! Sehr zu empfehlen, wenn man englische Bücher und gute, fantastische Geschichten mag :-)

Arrived on time, though was slightly bent on front cover and a few pages, this was easily remedied.Just what I was after