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His Majesty's Elephant
Once upon a time, the Caliph of Baghdad sends the Emperor Charlemagne a wonderful an elephant named Abul Abbas. That gift brings great magic into the royal court, and a great betrayal. With the help of a stableboy who is more than he seems, and the elephant himself, the Emperor’s daughter Rowan must learn to master that magic and save her father’s life.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 1993
3 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Judith Tarr
112 books419 followersAKA Caitlin Brennan, Kathleen Bryan.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 19, 2020
Another favorite from Judith Tarr! Although it is a book meant for a younger audience, it is a true delight for any adult. I’ve read it so many times, I’ve lost count. That in itself is review enough!
As with many of Ms. Tarr’s work, this one is steeped in history mixed with a touch of magic—always a wonderful combination. A daughter of Charlemagne, a stableboy who is more than he seems, and an elephant blessed with wisdom and magic, all make for an intriguing story about an sacred treasured gift from out of the East meant to bring down an empire. But when is a gift not a gift? When it has the power to kill with unseen hands...
A quick read, but an unforgettable one!
As with many of Ms. Tarr’s work, this one is steeped in history mixed with a touch of magic—always a wonderful combination. A daughter of Charlemagne, a stableboy who is more than he seems, and an elephant blessed with wisdom and magic, all make for an intriguing story about an sacred treasured gift from out of the East meant to bring down an empire. But when is a gift not a gift? When it has the power to kill with unseen hands...
A quick read, but an unforgettable one!
Want to read
January 29, 2013There's a new free prequel story of this to read here: http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/tag/nine...
May 5, 2008
Reviewed by Dena Landon for TeensReadToo.com
little known fact, that Charlemagne was once gifted with an elephant, becomes the basis for Tarr's deft blend of historical fact and fantasy in this novel. When the elephant arrives in what is now Germany, one of Charlemagne's daughters, Rowan, is instantly captivated. In the excitement over the elephant's arrival at court, another gift, a necklace said to bear a sliver of the cross of Christ, is hardly noticed. Except by Charlemagne's enemies.
A headstrong and stubborn girl, Rowan often sneaks off to spend time in the city or to ride her pony. It is on one of these escapes that she begins to suspect that an ambassador to her father's court may not be all that he seems. Not just a spy, but a sorcerer. When her visits to the elephant bring her into contact with Werrec, the elephant's proud and prickly keeper, Rowan forms an unlikely alliance to foil the sorcerer's plans.
Deftly avoiding many of fantasy's cliches, Tarr creates a richly detailed world populated by intriguing characters. Of particular note is how she stays true to the historical time period and yet makes the magic she envisions, and the solution to the challenges faced by Rowan and Werrec, an integrated part of this world. With a plucky heroine who must overcome her own fear of magic in order to save her father's life, and a hero desperate to prove himself and win back his family's honor, readers of both sexes will find something to enjoy. A fast-paced, shorter read highly recommended for younger teens.
little known fact, that Charlemagne was once gifted with an elephant, becomes the basis for Tarr's deft blend of historical fact and fantasy in this novel. When the elephant arrives in what is now Germany, one of Charlemagne's daughters, Rowan, is instantly captivated. In the excitement over the elephant's arrival at court, another gift, a necklace said to bear a sliver of the cross of Christ, is hardly noticed. Except by Charlemagne's enemies.
A headstrong and stubborn girl, Rowan often sneaks off to spend time in the city or to ride her pony. It is on one of these escapes that she begins to suspect that an ambassador to her father's court may not be all that he seems. Not just a spy, but a sorcerer. When her visits to the elephant bring her into contact with Werrec, the elephant's proud and prickly keeper, Rowan forms an unlikely alliance to foil the sorcerer's plans.
Deftly avoiding many of fantasy's cliches, Tarr creates a richly detailed world populated by intriguing characters. Of particular note is how she stays true to the historical time period and yet makes the magic she envisions, and the solution to the challenges faced by Rowan and Werrec, an integrated part of this world. With a plucky heroine who must overcome her own fear of magic in order to save her father's life, and a hero desperate to prove himself and win back his family's honor, readers of both sexes will find something to enjoy. A fast-paced, shorter read highly recommended for younger teens.
August 28, 2020
Tarr's books have interesting situations and lively characters, but, sheesh, do those characters talk and talk and talk, and, boy, can Tarr drain the life out of every scene. I found myself skimming: the boar hunt, the Big Fight Against the Big Bad at the end. Just pages and pages and pages of text describing every movement and every thought and ... An action scene should have a sense of action, not a sense that the author thinks I should know every single detail.
And a book should have more happening in it than people talking and talking and arguing and arguing (ugh: Tarr apparently subscribes to that old chestnut where people argue with each other because they're in wuv). By the end of the book, I no longer cared a whit about any of the characters, including the elephant. This is my second Judith Tarr; it's going to be my last, even though I own other ebooks by her.
(edit: I see by other reviews that--good grief!--this is intended for teenagers? The main characters are teens, but that doesn't make this a book for younger readers, who demand a lot more action and a much livelier book than this. This is the kind of book I quickly dnf'd as a kid--and then wrote a book report on, pretending I'd read it.)
And a book should have more happening in it than people talking and talking and arguing and arguing (ugh: Tarr apparently subscribes to that old chestnut where people argue with each other because they're in wuv). By the end of the book, I no longer cared a whit about any of the characters, including the elephant. This is my second Judith Tarr; it's going to be my last, even though I own other ebooks by her.
(edit: I see by other reviews that--good grief!--this is intended for teenagers? The main characters are teens, but that doesn't make this a book for younger readers, who demand a lot more action and a much livelier book than this. This is the kind of book I quickly dnf'd as a kid--and then wrote a book report on, pretending I'd read it.)
February 9, 2015
We ( 7 and 11 year old) read this as part of our Middle Ages history lesson about Charlemagne. Not the worst I've read but also not the best. Unless you're reading it to complement a history lesson, I wouldn't recommend it.
February 24, 2011
Wow. A compelling coming-of-age story with a nice, historical heft. Very nice!
June 22, 2013
It's been a while since I read Judith Tarr, and this was a lovely reintroduction.
November 17, 2015
ADORE.
A bit muddly and wandering somewhere around the three-quarter mark, but I was ok with that because ELEPHANT OF MAGIC.
A bit muddly and wandering somewhere around the three-quarter mark, but I was ok with that because ELEPHANT OF MAGIC.
April 25, 2012
Meh. Probably great for young teen readers, but I found the story a bit bare and scattered.
January 2, 2013
read in March 1994
Tarr always delivers & this is a fun story for younger readers
Tarr always delivers & this is a fun story for younger readers
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews