The Castle of Iron
A Harold Shea adventure through literary parallel worlds.
The Castle of Iron is a fantasy novella by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt, later expanded into a novel. It is the third story and second volume in their Harold Shea series, first published in the magazine Unknown in 1941. The work is notable for its use of parallel worlds based on literary and mythological sources.
Quick Facts
- Author
- L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
- Cover artist
- Hannes Bok
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Series
- Harold Shea
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Publisher
- Gnome Press
- Released
- 1941, 1950
Facts from the source article.
Plot summary
After marrying Belphebe of Faerie, Harold Shea settles into a mundane earthly life. As authorities prepare to take them in for further interrogation, the entire group—including police officer Pete Brodsky—is transported to the world of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "Kubla Khan". After a time there, Shea and Polacek are pulled into the world of Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. The cause is Reed Chalmers, former head of the Garaden Institute, who had attempted to retrieve Shea but mistakenly brought Belphebe first, then misplaced the others. In the Furioso world, Belphebe's mind has reverted to that of her prototype Belphagor, and she no longer recognizes Shea. Chalmers seeks Shea's help to transform Florimel, a snow simulacrum, into a real person. He is a guest of the wizard Atlantès de Carena in his iron castle in northern Spain. The travelers must navigate the conflict between Moorish Spain and Charlemagne's Frankish empire, deal with Atlantès, achieve Chalmers's goal, and restore Belphebe's sanity.
Reception
Boucher and McComas found the 1950 edition weak in plotting but praised the series as a high point in applying logic to screwball fantasy. P. Schuyler Miller reviewed it favorably, noting it lacked the first book's adroitness but wreaked similar havoc with Ariosto. Damon Knight called the series priceless ribald adventure. Richard A. Lupoff described it as above typical heroic fantasy. David Pringle rated it among the hundred best fantasy novels in 1988.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who published The Castle of Iron?
The Castle of Iron was published by Gnome Press.
Who illustrated The Castle of Iron?
The Castle of Iron was illustrated by Hannes Bok.
How many pages is The Castle of Iron?
The Castle of Iron has 224 pages.
Which book follows The Castle of Iron?
The Castle of Iron is followed by Wall of Serpents.
More in Matter of France
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced