The History of the World Begins in Ice: Stories and Essays from the World of Cold Magic

With this fascinating collection of 11 stories and 11 essays, Elliott returns to the world of her Spiritwalker trilogy, an alternate Earth where magic is real and the Roman Empire is still going strong in the 19th century. The stories all stand alone and prove remarkably accessible even to new readers. “The River-Born Child” effectively introduces Elliott’s worldbuilding in the context of a deeply moving tale about a 12-year-old who is rescued from a river, eventually learns that he is considered some kind of monster, and that he has drawn the interest of the Emperor of the Avar. Elliott shifts tones in the fairy tale–like “A Lesson to You Young Ones,” in which an elderly troll shares the history of his kind. In the caper yarn “ ‘I Am a Handsome Man,’ said Apollo Crow,” the Roman emperor hires a boastful adventurer to steal a sketchbook. The essays, meanwhile, include character studies, thematic analysis, and Elliott’s explanation of why she created a world centered on cold magic, all of which will be catnip for long-standing series fans. It adds up to an impressive combination of narrative and commentary. (Nov.)