Darrell Schweitzer has been three-times nominated for the World Fantasy Award, twice for Best Collection, and once for the novella "To Become a Sorcerer," which forms the first four chapters of this book. He is also the author of _The White Isle, The Shattered Goddess,_ and nearly 300 short stories, many of which are collected in such volumes as _Tom O'Bedlam's Night Out, Transients, Refugees from an Imaginary Country, Nightscapes,_ and _The Great World and the Small._ An expert on fantastic fiction, who has written books about Lord Dunsany and H.P. Lovecraft, he is also co-editor of the legendary _Weird Tales_ magazine. _The Mask of the Sorcerer_ is one of the ten best fantasy novels of the past generation. The plot is compelling and moves at breathtaking pace. The characters are intriguing, multi-dimensional, lovingly drawn. The fear is chilling, the excitement intense. But mostly _The Mask of the Sorcerer_ is about magic. True magic. Magic that rings in the bones and the soul, magic that very few contemporary writers can understand or create. Darrell Schweitzer _is_ a sorcerer, and his knowledge of magic is awesome. _The Mask of the Sorcerer_ is authentic, a beacon shining above a sea of imitations. Unique as all great creations are unique, it stands alone." -- Morgan Llywelyn