Judith Tarr (born January 30, 1955)[1] is an American fantasy and science fiction author.

Judith Tarr
Born (1955-01-30) January 30, 1955 (age 69)
Augusta, Maine, U.S.

Life

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Tarr was born in Augusta, Maine on January 30, 1955.[1] She is the daughter of Earle A. Tarr, Jr. (a waterworks manager and salesman of real estate), and Regina (a teacher).[2][3][4] 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 PhD in Medieval Studies from Yale University.[5][6] She taught Latin at Wesleyan University from 1990 to 1993.[7]

She breeds Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona.[6] The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan[8] feature "dancing horses" modeled on those that she raises.[9]

The Hound and the Falcon Trilogy

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Tarr's The Hound and the Falcon trilogy (The Isle of Glass, 1985; The Golden Horn, 1985; The Hounds of God, 1986) is a fantasy trilogy set in twelfth and thirteenth century Europe. The trilogy focuses on a race of Elves with supernatural powers, secretly living in medieval society.[10] The trilogy's main character is Alf, a young monk who is also an Elf. The trilogy features historical personages such as Francis of Assisi and King Richard I as characters.[4][10]

Alamut

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In an interview, Tarr stated that she became interested in the period of the Crusades after hearing the 1971 record album, Music of the Crusades by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London.[11] This inspired her to write her novel set in the period of the Crusades, Alamut.[11] Tarr consulted the history books The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf and The Assassins: A Radical Sect in Islam by Bernard Lewis, as part of her research for Alamut.[11]

Epona series

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Tarr's Epona series of novels (White Mare's Daughter, 1998; The Shepherd Kings, 1999; Lady of Horses, 2000; Daughter of Lir, 2001) is set in prehistoric Europe. The Epona series dramatizes the ideas of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas about a matriarchal society existing in Paleolithic Europe.[12]

Pseudonyms

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  • Caitlin Brennan, pseudonym used for the White Magic series (The Mountain’s Call and sequels) and House of the Star[8]
  • Kathleen Bryan, pseudonym used for the War of the Rose series (The Serpent and the Rose and sequels)[8]

Bibliography

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Series

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Rhuyana Universe

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  • The Hound and the Falcon series:
    • The Isle of Glass, Bluejay, 1985, ISBN 0-312-94237-0
    • The Golden Horn, Bluejay, 1985, ISBN 0-312-94190-0
    • The Hounds of God, Bluejay, 1986, ISBN 0-312-94218-4
  • The Alamut series (set in the Middle East, and in the same universe as The Hound and the Falcon):

Avaryan Chronicles

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The Three Queens

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Devil's Bargain

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Other novels

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Collaborations

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Short fiction

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Stories[16]
Title Year First published Reprinted/collected Notes
"Defender of the Faith" 1985 Moonsinger's Friends edited by Susan Shwartz
"Pièce de Résistance" 1986 Asimov's Science Fiction, April 1986 Reprinted in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 13 (1987) edited by Arthur W. Saha
Kehailan 1988 Arabesques: More Tales of the Arabian Nights edited by Susan Shwartz
"Falcon Law" 1989 Four From the Witch World edited by Andre Norton
""Al-Ghazalah" 1989 Arabesques 2 edited by Susan Shwartz
"Roncesvalles" 1990 What Might Have Been? Volume 2: Alternate Heroes edited by Gregory Benford and Martin H. Greenberg Reprinted in The Mammoth Book of Alternate Histories (2010) edited by Ian Whates and Ian Watson. Short story about the Emperor Charlemagne.
"Death and the Lady" 1992 After the King: Stories in Honor of J.R.R. Tolkien edited by Martin H. Greenberg Reprinted in Modern Classics of Fantasy (1997) edited by Gardner Dozois
"Them Old Hyannis Blues" 1992 Alternate Kennedys edited by Mike Resnick
"Queen of Asia" 1993 Alternate Warriors edited by Mike Resnick
"Cowards Die: A Tragicomedy in Several Fits" 1994 Alternate Outlaws by Mike Resnick
"Horizon" 2002 Alternate Generals II edited by Harry Turtledove
"Measureless to Man" 2005 Alternate Generals III edited by Harry Turtledove
"Fool's errand" 2015 Tarr, Judith (January–February 2015). "Fool's errand". Analog Science Fiction and Fact. 135 (1&2): 100–111.

As Caitlin Brennan

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The White Magic series
  1. The Mountain's Call, Luna, 2004, ISBN 0-373-80210-2
  2. Song of Unmaking, Luna, 2005, ISBN 0-373-80232-3
  3. Shattered Dance, Luna, 2006, ISBN 0-373-80248-X

As Kathleen Bryan

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The War of the Rose series
  1. The Serpent and the Rose, Tor, 2007, ISBN 0-765-31328-6
  2. The Golden Rose, Tor, 2008, ISBN 978-0-765-31329-4
  3. The Last Paladin, Tor, 2009, ISBN 978-0-765-31330-0

Awards

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Judith Tarr - Summary Bibliography". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  2. ^ "Judith Tarr's Bibliography". www.sff.net. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d "Tarr, Judith" in Stableford, Brian M. The A to Z of Fantasy Literature.Lanham (Md.) : Scarecrow Press, 2009. ISBN 9780810868298 (p. 397)
  4. ^ a b c Sawyer, Andy. "Tarr, Judith", in the St. James Guide To Fantasy Writers, ed. David Pringle. London, St. James Press, 1996, ISBN 1-55862-205-5,(pp. 551-2).
  5. ^ "Amazon.com: Judith Tarr: Books, Biography, Blog". Amazon. Archived from the original on November 19, 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Judith Tarr". Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  7. ^ "Where are they now?" (PDF). Juno's Peacock (2). Wesleyan University, Department of Classical Studies: 8. July 1996. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c "Judith Tarr | BVC Authors | Book View Cafe". bookviewcafe.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  9. ^ "Caitlin Brennan | Authors | Macmillan". US Macmillan. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Kelso, Sylvia. "The God in the Pentagram: Religion and Spirituality in Modern Fantasy".Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts. 18(1) (pgs. 61-82). 2007.
  11. ^ a b c Mah, Emily. "The Best of Modern Arabian Fantasy, Part II: Judith Tarr and Alamut" Blackgate.com. 28th April 2012. Retrieved 9th April, 2020.
  12. ^ Sperring, Kari. "Matrilines: Fire From Heaven - Judith Tarr". Strange Horizons, 27 June 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  13. ^ "White Mare's Daughter" by Judith Tarr Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 3rd April 2020.
  14. ^ Anonymous, The Middle Ages, 350-1450. Nextext, Evanston, Ill. 2002.ISBN 9780618142217 (p. 92)
  15. ^ Scott, Whitney (June 1, 1995). "Pillar of Fire, by Judith Tarr (REVIEW)". Booklist. American Library Association. Retrieved April 12, 2009.
  16. ^ Short stories unless otherwise noted.
  17. ^ a b c Locus Award Index Archived February 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
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