Phantastes was a groundbreaking book in 1858 and continues to be a seminal example of great fantasy literature. Its elusive meaning is both alluring and perplexing, inviting readers to experience a range of deep feelings and a sense of profound truth. This annotated edition, by two renowned MacDonald scholars, provides a wealth of information to better understand and enjoy this masterpiece. In addition to the text, there are 184 pages containing an authoritative introduction, life chronology, textual notes, book reviews, and comparative source materials. With 354 footnotes to explain obscure words and literary references, this enhanced edition will benefit any reader and will provide a solid foundation for future scholarship.
"By placing Phantastes within older and wider British and Continental literary traditions and by establishing this text's affinities with the iconography of artists such as William Blake, the editors enrich our sense of George MacDonald's influential promotion of a supra-reality best discerned by "poetic and childlike" minds." U. C. Knoepflmacher, Author of Ventures in Childland: Victorians, Fairy Tales, and Femininity
"A good critical edition of George MacDonald's Phantastes has long been needed, and now we have it. This fine, comprehensive edition provides an accessible and illuminating introduction to this profound work."
Colin Manlove, Author of Scotland's Forgotten Treasure: The Visionary Novels of George MacDonald
Any serious reader of Phantastes will fi nd this edition to deepen his or her understanding and enjoyment of MacDonald's fantasy masterpiece, and MacDonald scholars will find it an invaluable resource.
Bonnie Gaarden, Author of The Christian Goddess: Archetype and Theology in the Fantasies of George MacDonald
John Pennington, professor of English at St. Norbert College, specializes in Victorian fairy tales and is the editor of North Wind: The Journal of George MacDonald Studies.
Roderick McGillis, emeritus professor of English at University of Calgary, has written widely on MacDonald and edited several essay collections of George MacDonald scholarship.