The Forest of Forever

The Minotaur Trilogy #2

by Thomas Burnett Swann

Here in THE FOREST OF FOREVER dwells the last Minotaur, and here too are the other lingering dwellers in that folk-whispered country where dwell the beasts that are human and the humans that are beasts... Also in this DAY OF THE MINOTAUR Thomas Burnett Swann (1928 - 1976) was an American poet, critic and fantasy author. The bulk of Swann's fantasy fits into a rough chronology that begins in ancient Egypt around 2500 BC and chronicles the steady decline of magic and mythological races such as dryads, centaurs, satyrs, selkies and minotaurs. The coming of more "advanced" civilisations constantly threatens to destroy their pre-industrial world, and they must continually seek refuge wherever they can. They see the advent of Christianity as a major tragedy; the Christians regard magic and mythological beings as evil and seek to destroy the surviving creatures, although some manage to survive and preserve some of their old ways through medieval times down to the late 19th Century and perhaps the 20th.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Historical Fiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Thomas Burnett Swann was best known as the author of numerous fantasies published in the 1960s and ’70s. Many of his bucolic tales were set in the Ancient World and populated by mythic creatures. His best-known works include the novel DAY OF THE MINOTAUR and the shorter works “Where Is the Bird of Fire?” and “The Manor of Roses,” all nominated for Hugo Awards. Swann was also a poet, professor, and literary critic.

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet wispy little story. I though I had read this previously but now I’m not sure. Very pretty descriptive writing and likable characters. Sad, sad ending.

[Cassia Hall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some fantasy stories are timeless. “The Forest of Forever” is not one of them. In fact, this is a story that emphatically does NOT stand up to the test of time. The tone is tongue-in-cheek, and while that could be funny, in this story it often comes across as creepy or cringey.

I was ready to give up by the second chapter, but I’ve heard the ending’s good, so I persevered, since the writing itself is not bad.

I’ve heard it said that some male writers cannot write believable female characters, only shallow, cliched ones (e.g. harlot vs virgin). With this story, I finally understand what that looks like.

It comes across as self-indulgent (creepily so) and, at times, offensive. Not something I can recommend.

[LordSlaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slender, entertaining fantasy novel. The writing is lyrical and beautiful. The ending is bittersweet. On some pages, there is lovely artwork depicting scenes from the story, which is filled with many sorts of fantastical creatures: dryads, centaurs, a minotaur, a bee queen, etc. A nice little book.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, light read, but not insipid. The writing does feel very magical at times, conjured up the imagery of the forest effectively. I also enjoyed that the protagonists are just good and honourable, for the most part. The tone is rich without being overbearing or unnecessarily dour - very bittersweet. Recommend!!

[Pam Baddeley · Rating 2 out of 5]

As with Day of the Minotaur, I found the characters too twee. A shame as I loved the Swann novels I read many years ago.

[Alaís · Rating 4 out of 5]

Éunostos is the last of the minotaurs (and the best of them says his friend Zoe). He is a simple soul, a cratsman, living in the Country of Beasts, and love the dryad Kora. But Kora dreams of a beautiful Greek hero. Her dreams come true, and cause her despair.
A reading that transported me into a poetic world, and left me with a gentle feeling despite its tough and tragic overtones. Delightful.

[Cleo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Greek mythology one off story. Beware the dreams you harbor, they may come true.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot! It was extremely imaginative. I felt as if I were one of the lovely creatures roaming within the Forest.

[Dusty Dirt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love mythology but Swann knew how to change it to make it a better story line than most. Could easily see this romance/love story happening even today.

[Zuzana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's dangerous to fall in love with a dream. Eunostos, the last Minotaur, and Kora, the beautiful Dryad, will learn the hard way.