Elisabeth Waters Popular Books

Elisabeth Waters Biography & Facts

The Sword and Sorceress series is a series of fantasy anthologies originally edited by American writer Marion Zimmer Bradley, and originally published by DAW Books. As she explained in the foreword to the first volume, she created the anthology to redress the lack of strong female protagonists in the subgenre of sword and sorcery. At the time, most female characters in sword and sorcery were little more than stock damsels in distress, or pawns who were distributed at the conclusion of the story as "bad-conduct prizes" (Bradley's term) for the male protagonists. Many of the early sword-and-sorcery works featured attitudes toward women that Bradley considered appalling. As the Sword and Sorceress series grew in popularity with readers, she began to receive increasing numbers of excellent submissions. As a result, she had to become more selective, and to shorten her reading periods accordingly. For the eighteenth volume, which she was editing at the time of her death, she had enough material for three volumes. After her death, it was decided to take as many as possible of the stories she had tentatively chosen and publish them in three annual volumes, thus extending the series. After volume twenty was published, the publisher decided to extend an invitation for an additional volume under Diana L. Paxson, an editor who had worked with Bradley, with the possibility of additional volumes being published if it became a success. The Sword and Sorceress series is noteworthy not only for its introduction of strong female protagonists into a subgenre previously dominated by male characters, but for its financial success. Unlike most anthologies of original fantasy short fiction, they routinely earned out their advances and continued to pay their authors royalties for years afterward, often on foreign sales. In addition, many authors who made their first professional sales in the Sword and Sorceress anthologies subsequently enjoyed successful careers as novelists. In February 2007, the Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust, which holds her copyrights, negotiated a contract with Norilana Books to publish a new volume and proceed to elicit submissions. The book was published in November, and the editor was Elisabeth Waters. Norilana Books has published four more books of the series, also edited by Elisabeth Waters. From 2012 to 2019 the Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust published the Sword and Sorceress anthologies. Anthologies Sword and Sorceress I 1984. ISBN 978-0-88677-359-5 (USA edition) 1986. ISBN 978-0-87997-928-7 (USA edition) 1988. ISBN 978-0-7472-3105-9 (UK edition) "The Heroic Image of Women: Woman as Wizard and Warrior"—Marion Zimmer Bradley "The Garnet and the Glory"—Phyllis Ann Karr "Severed Heads"—Glen Cook "Taking Heart"—Stephen L. Burns "The Rending Dark"—Emma Bull "Gimmile's Songs"—Charles R. Saunders "The Valley of the Troll"—Charles de Lint "Imperatrix"—Deborah Wheeler "Blood of Sorcery"—Jennifer Roberson "With Four Lean Hounds"—Pat Murphy "House in the Forest"—Anodea Judith "Sword of Yraine"—Diana L. Paxson "Daton and the Dead Things"—Michael Ward "Gate of the Damned"—Janet Fox "Child of Orcus"—Robin W. Bailey "Things Come in Threes"—Dorothy J. Heydt Sword and Sorceress II 1985. ISBN 978-0-88677-041-9 (USA Edition) 1986. ISBN 978-0-88677-360-1 (USA Edition) 1988. ISBN 978-0-7472-3106-6 (UK Edition) "Introduction"—Marion Zimmer Bradley "A Night at Two Inns"—Phyllis Ann Karr "The Red Guild"—Rachel Pollack "Shadow Wood"—Diana L. Paxson "Unicorn's Blood"—Bruce D. Arthurs "The Unshadowed Land"—C. J. Cherryh "Shimenege's Mask"—Charles R. Saunders "The Black Tower"—Stephen Burns "The Lady and the Tiger"—Jennifer Roberson "Fireweb"—Deborah Wheeler "Cold Blows the Wind"—Charles de Lint "Sword of the Mother"—Dana Kramer-Rolls "Hunger"—Russ Garrison "On First Looking into Bradley's Guidelines"—Elizabeth Thompson "The Chosen Maiden"—Raul Reyes "Red Pearls"—Richard Corwin "Wound on the Moon"—Vera Nazarian (within the anthology this is titled The Wound in the Moon) Sword and Sorceress III 1986. ISBN 978-0-88677-141-6 (USA edition) 1986. ISBN 978-0-88677-302-1 (USA edition) 1988. ISBN 978-0-7472-3107-3 (UK edition) "The Evolution of Women's Fantasy"—Marion Zimmer Bradley "Dragon-Amber"—Deborah Wheeler "Enter the Wolf"—A. D. Overstreet "Valley of the Shadow"—Jennifer Roberson "The Song and the Flute"—Dorothy J. Heydt "Journeytime"—Dana Kramer-Rolls "Orpheus"—Mary Frances Zambreno "Scarlet Eyes"—Millea Kenin "The River of Tears"—Anodea Judith "Fresh Blood"—Polly B. Johnson "The Mist on the Moor"—Diana L. Paxson "Bargains"—Elizabeth Moon "A Woman's Privilege"—Elisabeth Waters "Talla"—J. Edwin Andrews "Tupilak"—Terry Tafoya "Sword-Sworn"—Mercedes Lackey "A Tale from Hendry's Mill"—Melissa Carpenter "S.A.R."—Patricia B. Cirone "More's the Pity"—L. D. Woeltjen "Marwe's Forest"—Charles R. Saunders "The Hunters"—Mavis J. Andrews Sword and Sorceress IV 1987. ISBN 978-0-88677-210-9 (USA edition) 1989. ISBN 978-0-88677-412-7 (USA edition) 1989. ISBN 978-0-7472-3364-0 (UK edition) "Introduction"—Marion Zimmer Bradley "A Tale of Heroes"—Mercedes Lackey "The Woodland of Zarad-Thra"—Robin W. Bailey "The Weeping Oak"—Charles de Lint "Gullrider"—Dave Smeds "Blood Dancer"—Diana L. Paxson "Kayli's Fire"—Paula Helm Murray "The Ring of Lifari"—Josepha Sherman "Rite of Passage"—Jennifer Roberson "The Eyes of the Gods"—Richard Corwin "Fate and the Dreamer"—Millea Kenin "The Noonday Witch"—Dorothy J. Heydt "Redeemer's Riddle"—Stephen L. Burns "The Tree-Wife of Arketh"—Syn Ferguson "Spell of Binding"—Richard Cornell "Storm God"—Deborah Wheeler "Die Like a Man"—L. D. Woeltjen "Death and the Ugly Woman"—Bruce D. Arthurs "Bloodstones"—Deborah M. Vogel Sword and Sorceress V 1988. ISBN 978-0-88677-288-8 (USA edition) 1989. ISBN 978-0-7472-3389-3 (UK edition) "Introduction or Something"—Marion Zimmer Bradley "Sorcerer's Pet"—Margaret L. Carter "Into the Green"—Charles de Lint "Eyes of the Laemi"—Janet Fox "Jewels"—Linda Gordon "Dance of the Healer"—M. R. Hildebrand "One Night at the Inn"—Millea Kenin "Keys"—Mercedes Lackey "Drum Duel"—Gerald Perkins "The Eye of Toyur"—Diana L. Paxson "Peet's Bride"—Dana Kramer-Rolls "Warrior's Way"—A. D. Overstreet "Spoils of War"—Jennifer Roberson "Cholin of Carnel"—B. A. Rolls "Rite of Vengeance"—Deborah Wheeler "Bloodstone"—Mary Frances Zambreno "Sword Singer"—Laura J. Underwood "Stormbringer"—Steve Tymon "Sorceress of the Gulls"—Dave Smeds "Runaways"—Josepha Sherman "The Golden Egg"—Morning Glory Zell "Revised Standard Virgin"—Rick Cook "Dragon Lovers"—Cynthia Drolet Sword and Sorceress VI 1990. ISBN 978-0-88677-423-3 "Introduction"—Marion Zimmer Bradley "Equona's Mare"—Diana L. Paxson "The Hand of Fatima"—Shariann Lewitt "Commencement"—Lynne Armstrong-Jones "A Lesser of Evils"—Morning Glory Zell "And Sáavüld Danced..."—Kier Neustaedter "Stone of Light"—Linda Gordon "Change of Command"—Nancy Jane Moore "The Starry King"—Vera Nazarian "Mirror Image"—Nina.... Discover the Elisabeth Waters popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Elisabeth Waters books.

Best Seller Elisabeth Waters Books of 2024

  • Lost Blades synopsis, comments

    Lost Blades

    Liz Sauco

    As the world ends once more, the Goddess chooses who she will wield against Abomination In Lyndiniam: A street thief attempts a heist far more ambitious than anything he has ...

  • The Night Falling synopsis, comments

    The Night Falling

    Katherine Webb

    The international bestselling author of THE LEGACY and THE UNSEEN returns with a searing novel of secrets and feudsItaly, 1921. When Leandro Cardetta returns to Puglia from America...

  • Imaginings Of Sand synopsis, comments

    Imaginings Of Sand

    André Brink

    THE BOOK: A narrative counterpoint between two women, two South Africas. Kristien Muller returns from London to her homeland to fulfil a promise. Her grandmother lies on her deathb...

  • A Wreath Of Roses synopsis, comments

    A Wreath Of Roses

    Elizabeth Taylor & Helen Dunmore

    INTRODUCED BY HELEN DUNMOREElizabeth Taylor's darkest novel . . . She writes with a sensuous richness of language that draws the reader down the most shadowy paths . . . Extremely ...

  • The Elizabeth Charles Chronicles synopsis, comments

    The Elizabeth Charles Chronicles

    BL Illy

    Just breathe. Monica said.If only Liz could. But three years after the mysterious and tragicdeath of her father, supernatural events begin to unfold that force herto question her p...

  • Drop Dead Gorgeous synopsis, comments

    Drop Dead Gorgeous

    Rachel Gibson

    This “funny and touching” (Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author) fishoutofwater tale from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gibson explores what happens when a sm...

  • Everything You Ever Wanted synopsis, comments

    Everything You Ever Wanted

    Luiza Sauma

    Read along with Florence Welch this February and March as part of the Between Two Books book club'Wry, beautiful, surprising and deeply moving' Rachel Seiffert, Guardian'Captures s...

  • The Story of Us synopsis, comments

    The Story of Us

    Felicity Everett

    It is 1982 and Thatcher is in Downing Street, Human League is in the charts and Dallas is on the telly.But the girls of Albacore Street are too busy to notice. For Stella, Bridget,...

  • Looking for the Possible Dance synopsis, comments

    Looking for the Possible Dance

    A.L. Kennedy

    Mary Margaret Hamilton was educated in Scotland. She was born there too. These may not have been the best possible options, but they were the only ones on offer at the time. Althou...

  • The Missing One synopsis, comments

    The Missing One

    Lucy Atkins

    'A gripping pageturner' Sunday Times 'Beautifully written and compelling' Sabine Durrant 'Satisfyingly creepy' Sunday MirrorThe loss of her mother has left Kali McKenzie with too...

  • The Whispering House synopsis, comments

    The Whispering House

    Elizabeth Brooks

    "Eerie and addictive. . . . Like Wuthering Heights, The Whispering House is a melancholy novel, its characters filled with dark longings." The New York Times Book ReviewFrom the a...

  • Water Under The Bridge synopsis, comments

    Water Under The Bridge

    Susan Sallis

    Emmie Dart was nearly forty years old and servant to old Canon James when Walter asked her to marry him. He was the Canon's son, younger than she was, and a gentleman even though ...

  • The Reckoning synopsis, comments

    The Reckoning

    Alma Katsu

    In this “rich, satisfying, and gorgeously written sequel” (Chapters) to her acclaimed debut novel, The Taker, Alma Katsu pairs a mysteriously alluring young woman with an ER doctor...

  • Doves Of Venus synopsis, comments

    Doves Of Venus

    Olivia Manning

    Pretty, brave and eighteen, Ellie has come to London in search of adventure. She soon finds it in Quintin Bellot, the handsome but tired dilettante who finds her a job in fashionab...

  • Four Elements for Trumpet and Trombone by Elizabeth Raum synopsis, comments

    Four Elements for Trumpet and Trombone by Elizabeth Raum

    Elizabeth Raum

    Four Elements was originally composed for Violin and Bass Trombone and was written as a Christmas present for the composer's sister, Priscilla, and her husband, Bass Trombonist, Go...

  • The Life of Samuel Johnson synopsis, comments

    The Life of Samuel Johnson

    James Boswell & David Womersley

    In Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson, one of the towering figures of English literature is revealed with unparalleled immediacy and originality. While Johnson’s Dictionary remains a...

  • Under a Venice Moon synopsis, comments

    Under a Venice Moon

    Margaret Cameron

    Life isn't a sort of practice run, something you can afford to play around with. They don't offer second and third chances to get it right. Use it better. Live it fuller.A week in ...

  • A Love Story for Bewildered Girls synopsis, comments

    A Love Story for Bewildered Girls

    Emma Morgan

    'An utterly gorgeous novel. It will forever hold my heart in its pages' Pandora Sykes, cohost of The HighLow podcastGrace loves a woman. Annie loves a man. Violet isn't quite sure....

  • The Forsyte Saga synopsis, comments

    The Forsyte Saga

    John Galsworthy

    The Forsyte Saga is the first part of John Galsworthy’s magnificent, wellloved Forsyte Chronicles, which trace the changing fortunes of the wealthy Forsyte dynasty through fifty ye...

  • The Descent synopsis, comments

    The Descent

    Alma Katsu

    The author of The Hunger delivers a “daring, soaring, and ultimately gutwrenching” (The New York Times) conclusion to her critically acclaimed Taker Trilogy, bringing Lanore McIlvr...

  • Good and Mad synopsis, comments

    Good and Mad

    Rebecca Traister

    Updated with a new introductionJournalist Rebecca Traister’s New York Times bestselling exploration of the transformative power of female anger and its ability to transcend into a ...

  • Thicker Than Water synopsis, comments

    Thicker Than Water

    Megan Collins

    In this “twisty, propulsive thriller” (Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author) from Megan Collins, two sistersinlaw are at painful odds when the man who connects themthe...

  • The Waters synopsis, comments

    The Waters

    Carl Nixon

    One Family. Forty Years. The Waters kids ― practical, athlete Mark; the physically beautiful dreamer Davey; and the baby of the family, Samantha ― have had to face more than the...

  • The Winter Spirits synopsis, comments

    The Winter Spirits

    Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Natasha Pulley, Jess Kidd, Andrew Michael Hurley, Elizabeth Macneal, Laura Purcell, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Stuart Turton, Catriona Ward, Laura Shepherd-Robinson & Susan Stokes-Chapman

    FROM THE CREATORS OF THE HAUNTING SEASON COMES A DAZZLING COLLECTION OF NEVERBEFORESEEN GHOSTLY TALES.'Terrific every bit as good as an MR James collection' ROSIE ANDREWS, author ...

  • The Wrong Child synopsis, comments

    The Wrong Child

    Barry Gornell

    How far would you go to protect your child?When tragedy strikes in a small Scottish village, everyone in the community is affected.Most people believe one child is to blame for wha...

  • By Any Other Name synopsis, comments

    By Any Other Name

    Erin Cotter

    “A highstakes, highdrama mystery…led by a plucky, determined hero I would have followed anywhere…[A] romantic, delightful romp!” Mackenzi Lee, New York Times bestselling author of ...

  • Blades Reforged synopsis, comments

    Blades Reforged

    Liz Sauco

    Abomination has returned. How much has already been lost? And how much worse will it get? More information coming soon Blades Reforged is the third book in Blades of the Goddess, ...

  • Cold Comfort Farm synopsis, comments

    Cold Comfort Farm

    Stella Gibbons

    One of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World''Brilliant ... very probably the funniest book ever written' Sunday TimesWhen sensible, sophisticated Flora Poste is orphaned at...

  • Sentimental Education synopsis, comments

    Sentimental Education

    Gustave Flaubert & Geoffrey Wall

    Sentimental Education begins with the hero Frederic Moreau leaving Paris and returning to the provinces and his mother. Part love story, part historical novel and satire it tell...

  • The Vanishing synopsis, comments

    The Vanishing

    Sophia Tobin

    'Think Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre, but ten times darker, and you have The Vanishing … as dark and eerie and gothic as the Yorkshire Moors it is set on. One ...

  • Broken Blades synopsis, comments

    Broken Blades

    Liz Sauco

    Abomination has returned. The Goddess must strike back before all is lost but are her chosen ready? Jamirh: A thousand years ago, the Avari Hero Ebryn Stormlight saved the world ...

  • Colors of Magic synopsis, comments

    Colors of Magic

    Liz Sauco

    Where we come from does not define where we go A long time ago, Abomination almost succeeded. A man who had lost everything found something to have faith in. A child of the dese...

  • Chasing Icebergs synopsis, comments

    Chasing Icebergs

    Matthew H. Birkhold

    A deeply intelligent and engrossing narrative that will transform our relationship with water and how we view climate change.The global water crisis is upon us. 1 in 3 people ...

  • Aurora Leigh and Other Poems synopsis, comments

    Aurora Leigh and Other Poems

    Elizabeth Browning

    Aurora Leigh (1856), Elizabeth Barrett Browning's epic novel in blank verse, tells the story of the making of a woman poet, exploring 'the woman question', art and its relation to ...

  • The Ambassadors synopsis, comments

    The Ambassadors

    Henry James & Harry Levin

    Concerned that her son Chad may have become involved with a woman of dubious reputation, the formidable Mrs Newsome sends her 'ambassador' Strether from Massachusetts to Paris to e...

  • The Face of Trespass synopsis, comments

    The Face of Trespass

    Ruth Rendell

    Two years ago he had been a promising young novelist. Now he survived you could hardly call it living in a near derelict cottage with only an unhooked telephone and his own obses...

  • Crucible synopsis, comments

    Crucible

    Mercedes Lackey

    In March 1987, Mercedes Lackey, a young author from Oklahoma, published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. No one could have envisioned that this modest book about a magical lan...

  • Muddy Waters synopsis, comments

    Muddy Waters

    Judy Astley

    Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Milly Johnson and Trisha Ashley, this is a story full of wry laughs and shrewd insight into friendship and family from bestselling author Judy Ast...

  • Crafting the Resistance synopsis, comments

    Crafting the Resistance

    Lara Neel & Heather Marano

    Knit, sew, and craft your way to selfempowerment. Are you a Nasty Woman ready to smash the patriarchy with a needle and thread? Proudly proclaim your feminism with your very own DI...

  • Checkmate or Top Trumps synopsis, comments

    Checkmate or Top Trumps

    Daniel Rey

    2017 RUNNERUP OF THE BODLEY HEAD | FINANCIAL TIMES ESSAY PRIZECuba is on the brink of seismic change – but in the age of postFidel, postObama and posttruth, the country’s future ha...

  • The Taker synopsis, comments

    The Taker

    Alma Katsu

    From the author of The Hungerhailed by Stephen King as “deeply, deeply disturbing, hard to put down”comes a hauntingly atmospheric tale filled with alchemy, lust, and betrayal.True...

  • Whiskey in a Teacup synopsis, comments

    Whiskey in a Teacup

    Reese Witherspoon

    Academy Award–winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon invites you into her world, where she infuses the southern style, parties, and traditions she loves with...

  • Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont synopsis, comments

    Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont

    Elizabeth Taylor & Paul Bailey

    'Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont is, for me, her masterpiece' ROBERT McCRUM, GUARDIAN'An author of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth' SARAH WATERS'Jane Austen, Elizabet...

  • The Night Visitor synopsis, comments

    The Night Visitor

    Lucy Atkins

    'Vivid, memorable and menacing' C.L. Taylor'Compulsive' 5 reader reviewShe knows your secrets. And she'll make you pay.As highflying TV presenter and historian Olivia Sweetman stan...

  • Mayhem synopsis, comments

    Mayhem

    Sarah Pinborough

    From the Number One bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes. Delve into a gaslit London, where Jack the Ripper is making headlines, but another, much more dangerous, madman is on the...

  • Game of Spies synopsis, comments

    Game of Spies

    Pamela Mingle

    Life as a ladyinwaiting for Mary Queen of Scots isn’t at all what Isabel Tait expected. But she must either tolerate the mindless partying and ceaseless backstabbing of Mary’s othe...

  • The Soul Of Kindness synopsis, comments

    The Soul Of Kindness

    Elizabeth Taylor & Philip Hensher

    INTRODUCED BY PHILIP HENSHER'Elizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: an author of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth. As a reader...