One of my favorite short stories of all time would be Stephen R. Donaldson's, Daughter of Regals. I'll post a review further down.
If you've got a favorite, please share! And give some background...
"Daughter of Regals" is an excellent story written in first person, told by the character Chrysalis, the only daughter of the previous powerful ruler, the phoenix regal. It is a story of magic, and the art of manupulating images of the Real; Wood of the Ash tree, Wind, Fire from deep in the earth, or images of Real creatures; the Basilisk, the Wyvern, the Phoenix. Regal magic is inherited by those who descend from a regal, Real men or women, beings who can shape-change into Real creatures. The Regals who unified the three restless kingoms of Canna, Nabal, and Loden into one peaceful realm are such beings. Now, on the night of 21st birthday, during a public celebration, Chyrsalis must ascend to the Regal seat in full view of the realm's nobles and take her Real shape and her place as Regal, or fail as an ordinary being having no Real magic and watch her father's Realm collapse into chaos and battles for power.
The Real vs. unreal, and magic took me a couple of rereads to understand, however, Donaldson's use of his character in first person is very powerful and intense. I felt I was living as this girl while reading this short story, and no other fiction has place me so powerfully in another gender's role. Thanks Stevie for a good read!
-Aron
If you've got a favorite, please share! And give some background...
"Daughter of Regals" is an excellent story written in first person, told by the character Chrysalis, the only daughter of the previous powerful ruler, the phoenix regal. It is a story of magic, and the art of manupulating images of the Real; Wood of the Ash tree, Wind, Fire from deep in the earth, or images of Real creatures; the Basilisk, the Wyvern, the Phoenix. Regal magic is inherited by those who descend from a regal, Real men or women, beings who can shape-change into Real creatures. The Regals who unified the three restless kingoms of Canna, Nabal, and Loden into one peaceful realm are such beings. Now, on the night of 21st birthday, during a public celebration, Chyrsalis must ascend to the Regal seat in full view of the realm's nobles and take her Real shape and her place as Regal, or fail as an ordinary being having no Real magic and watch her father's Realm collapse into chaos and battles for power.
The Real vs. unreal, and magic took me a couple of rereads to understand, however, Donaldson's use of his character in first person is very powerful and intense. I felt I was living as this girl while reading this short story, and no other fiction has place me so powerfully in another gender's role. Thanks Stevie for a good read!
-Aron