INTRODUCTION
Katherine Arden 

Title Calligraphy & Decorations
Svetlana Molodchenko

“The great leaves ceased from their murmur through the green deeps of the forest; silent as carven marble were fabulous bird and monster; and the brown trolls scampering earthwards all halted suddenly hushed. Then out of the hush rose little murmurs of yearning, little sounds as of longing for things that no songs can say, sounds like the voices of tears if each little salt drop could live, and be given a voice to tell of the ways of grief.”

A tale of love, loss, and the pull between the mortal and the magical, The King of Elfland’s Daughter is one of the most enduring works of early fantasy. With prose of shimmering lyricism, Lord Dunsany evokes a realm of enchantment that lies just beyond “the fields we know,” where time moves to a different rhythm and beauty is tinged with melancholy.

First published in 1924, the novel follows Alveric, a mortal prince who journeys into Elfland to wed the king’s daughter, Lirazel. Their union unites two worlds, yet cannot erase the deep and ancient divide between them. As the story unfolds, love is tested by the immutable laws of each realm, and the mortal desire for wonder collides with the immortal nature of enchantment.

Widely regarded as a seminal work of early fantasy, The King of Elfland’s Daughter stands among the genre’s foundational texts. Its seamless blending of high romance, folklore, and poetic language helped shape the imaginative landscape for generations of writers. Beyond its influence, the novel endures for the timelessness of its themes—the cost of love across divides, the bittersweet ache of loss, and the haunting allure of lands just beyond our reach.

Edition Details

The King of Elfland’s Daughter will be letterpress-printed and feature newly commissioned artwork from Annie Stegg Gerard. It will be issued in three states: a Collector’s Edition, a Deluxe Edition, and a Lettered Edition.

It will also feature a new introduction by Katherine Arden, the New York Times bestselling author of The Winternight Trilogy. 

All copies will be signed by Annie Stegg Gerard and Katherine Arden.

The edition will feature:

• Printing on luxurious paper, upgraded on the Deluxe and Lettered states.
• Durable, Smyth-sewn bindings with a ribbon marker and head and tail bands.
• Premium binding materials, upgraded on the Deluxe and Lettered states.
• Handmade slipcases/enclosures included at no additional cost.
• Hand binding by Ludlow Bookbinders.
• All artwork included in all states, in full colour.

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Artwork by Annie Stegg Gerard

We are immensely pleased to be collaborating with gifted fantasy artist Annie Stegg Gerard, who is contributing twelve paintings to our edition. Her work, with its luminous colour, delicate detail, and air of mystery, feels as though it belongs wholly within the world of The King of Elfland’s Daughter. The dreamlike sensibility and intricate beauty that define her paintings echo the novel’s own mingling of wonder and melancholy, bringing to life the very vision of Elfland we hoped to share.

Annie Stegg Gerard’s first painting for our edition of The King of Elfland’s Daughter.

You can see a video of some of Annie’s detailed brushwork by clicking on the image below.

More about Annie Stegg Gerard

Annie Stegg Gerard has a special love for the 18th century Rococo painters who have had a large influence on her own method. She finds inspiration in their imagination, and the dreamlike palette and lively brushwork that combine to create a wonderful atmosphere of enchantment. She believes that they sought to transport us to different worlds and fantastic places though their works.

In her own work, known for its beautiful, enigmatic figures and lively creatures, Annie strives to depict this same transportive effect to the viewer. Her work is an exploration of the small hidden worlds that exist in our own backyards and the drama that unfolds with their unseen inhabitants. The secrets that are waiting to be discovered, and the mystery in a hidden moment of time. Annie exhibits her work in galleries and has done notable publishing work for many clients. Her work is found in private collections all over the world.

New Introduction by Katherine Arden

In a new introduction written for our edition, Katherine Arden situates The King of Elfland’s Daughter within the traditions of myth, folklore, and early modern fantasy, tracing its connections to works by Dunsany’s contemporaries and predecessors. She reflects on its themes of longing and loss, shaped in part by the aftermath of the First World War, and considers how the novel’s mingling of the mortal and the magical speaks to timeless human desires.

More about Katherine Arden

Katherine Arden is the New York Times bestselling author of the Winternight Trilogy and the Small Spaces Quartet. In addition to writing, she enjoys aimless travel, growing vegetables, and running wild through the woods with her dog, Moose. She lives in Vermont.

Schedule

Publication of The King of Elfland’s Daughter is planned for 2027. We’ve begun announcing most titles well in advance so collectors can anticipate upcoming releases. At the same time, we’re continuing to invest considerable time and resources into shortening the gap between pre-order and delivery of our books. 

See the Schedule page for more information on our upcoming releases, including:

• Isaac Asimov’s Foundation and Empire
• Emily St. John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility
• China Mieville’s Perdido Street Station
• Octavia Butler’s Kindred
• Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash

We also publish a series of short stories and novelettes titled Short Stops. These are typically announced only once they are complete, with shipping beginning the same day orders open.

Title Calligraphy & Decorations

We’re delighted to collaborate once again with Svetlana Molodchenko, who created the hand-drawn calligraphy and decorative elements for the title page of The King of Elfland’s Daughter. Svetlana’s artistry can also be seen in our Roman Numeral Edition of Joe Hill’s Faun, Ramsey Campbell’s Cold Print & Others and the upcoming The Chronicles of Elric by Michael Moorcock.

Letterpress Printing 

We’ll be collaborating once again with Pat Randle and Ellen Bills at Nomad Letterpress on The King of Elfland’s Daughter. We have worked together on many other Conversation Tree Press Books, including Joe Hill’s Faun, Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, and Ramsey Campbell’s Cold Print & Others.

Hand Binding by Ludlow Bookbinders

Ludlow Bookbinders, located in Shropshire, England have been keeping the craft of English bookbinding alive for generations. They’ve hand bound a number of Conversation Tree Press editions, and we’re looking forward to collaborating with them on The King of Elfland’s Daughter.

Lord Dunsany

Lord Dunsany (Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 1878–1957) was an Irish writer whose lyrical prose and visionary imagination helped shape modern fantasy literature. A master of myth and dream, he created otherworldly realms suffused with wonder, melancholy, and timeless beauty, leaving a lasting influence on generations of writers. First published in 1924, The King of Elfland’s Daughter remains his most celebrated novel—a spellbinding tale where the enchantments of fairyland meet the yearnings of the mortal heart, told in language as rich and luminous as the story itself.