''Shy Leopardess'' is a
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama ...
novel by
Leslie Barringer
Leslie Barringer (1895–1968) was an English editor and author of historical novels and historical fantasy novels, best known for the latter.
Life
Barringer was a Quaker, born in Yorkshire, England. He served in an ambulance unit during World ...
, the third and last book in his three volume
Neustrian Cycle. The book was first published in the United Kingdom by
Methuen Methuen may refer to:
*Methuen (surname)
*Methuen, Massachusetts, a U.S. city
**Methuen High School
**Methuen Mall
*Baron Methuen, a British title of nobility
*Methuen Cove, South Orkney Islands
*Methuen Publishing, Methuen & Co. Ltd., a British p ...
in 1948. Its significance was recognized by its republication in the United States by the
Newcastle Publishing Company
The Newcastle Publishing Company was a Southern California-based small trade paperback publisher founded by bookstore owner Al Saunders, active from July 1971 through October 1992, under the editorial direction of Robert Reginald and Douglas Menv ...
as the thirteenth volume of the
Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library
The Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library was a series of trade paperback books published in the United States by the Newcastle Publishing Company between 1973 and 1980. Presumably under the inspiration of the earlier example set by the Ballantine A ...
series in October, 1977. The Newcastle edition was reprinted by
Borgo Press
The Borgo Press was a small publishing company founded by Robert Reginald in 1975 funded by the royalties gained from his first major reference work, ''Stella Nova: the contemporary science fiction authors'' (1970).
That same year Reginald met M ...
in 1980.
Plot
The novel is set around the 14th century in an alternate
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
France called
Neustria
Neustria was the western part of the Kingdom of the Franks.
Neustria included the land between the Loire and the Silva Carbonaria, approximately the north of present-day France, with Paris, Orléans, Tours, Soissons as its main cities. It la ...
(historically an early division of the
Frankish kingdom
Francia, also called the Kingdom of the Franks ( la, Regnum Francorum), Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire ( la, Imperium Francorum), was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks duri ...
). Yolande, whose estate has been wrested from her by her forced marriage to the depraved Balthasar, schemes to recover her independence with the aid of her admirers, Diomede and Lioncel.
Contents
Chapter headings of the 1948 edition:
#Encounters at Parledin.
#Azo's way.
#Roclatour and Sanctlamine.
#A silver shield and a grey kitten.
#Balthasar's way.
#Jehane's way.
#The way of Dom Ursus Campestris.
#Belphegor's way.
#The secret servants of Yolande.
#Passing bells at Roclatour.
#Fruit of thunder.
#Belphagor's way again.
#"My Diomede, my Lioncel".
#Yolande's way.
#A queen from the east.
Reception
John Clute
John Frederick Clute (born 12 September 1940) is a Canadian-born author and critic specializing in science fiction and fantasy literature who has lived in both England and the United States since 1969. He has been described as "an integral part ...
, in his evaluation of the Neustrian Cycle, notes that "Of the three protagonists, Yolande of Baraine – the Shy Leopardess of the third novel – is perhaps the most interesting, as she successfully gambles her life (her "virtue" does not last the course) to gain autonomy in a male-dominated world."
Lin Carter
Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. L ...
cited the first American edition of 1977 from Newcastle as one of that year's best fantasy books.
[ Carter, Lin. '' The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 4''. DAW Books, 1978, page 206.]
Notes
References
*
* Reginald, Robert. ''Xenograffiti: essays on fantastic literature''. (2005 second edition), I. O. Evans Studies in the Philosophy and Criticism of Literature, number 33 Borgo Press ISSN 0271-906
*
L. Sprague de Camp, De Camp, L. Sprague. ''
Literary Swordsmen and Sorcerers: the Makers of Heroic Fantasy''. Arkham House, 1976
1948 British novels
British fantasy novels
Novels set in France
British alternative history novels
Methuen Publishing books
Novels set in the 14th century
Historical fantasy novels
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