Stand Alone Fantasy Titles, August 2012

Casting aside the mere epic grandeur of the saga of Beowulf, John Gardner's Grendel is a parallel work. In this take on the legend, the story is told from the viewpoint of the monster, Grendel. What is the nature of good and evil? Are those we consider monsters really just simple creatures who act as they must for their own survival, and who view US as the monsters? What meaning, if any, do we have in the world? Grendel ponders these questions and others as he menaces the land. Gardner explores his mind and his life up to the point when he is confronted by the warrior, Beowulf, and this intelligent novel is a prime example of the depths of thought and study one can achieve in a fantasy setting. Grendel has long been the most popular of John Gardner's works, and for good reason.