SON OF DARKNESS. [London]: Hutchinson, [1957]. Octavo, boards. First British edition. A presentation copy with signed inscription by Walton to Lynn Carter on the front paste-down: "For Lynne [sic] Carter, / with best wishes from / this somewhat abbreviated book's /author, / Evangeline Walton Ensley." War between the English and the Vikings in the tenth century and the conversion of northern Europe to Christianity. Published earlier in the U.S. as THE CROSS AND THE SWORD (1956). A highly important association copy as it was Lin Carter, editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, who republished Walton's first book, THE VIRGIN AND THE SWINE (1936) as THE ISLAND OF THE MIGHTY (1970), which led to the completion of her novels based on the three other branches of the ancient Welsh Mabinogion, as well as THE SWORD IS FORGED (1983), the first book of her Theseus sequence. A highly regarded author of Epic Fantasy, Walton received a Special World Fantasy Award in 1985 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989. Zahorski and Boyer A5. A fine copy in very good dust jacket with wear at spine ends and corner tips. (#159804).
Price: $350.00
"First published 1957" on copyright page.