stone about his neck keeps him alive. Duilliath, with plans to expand his armies and influence, instructs Donnchadh to go to Dun na h-Eoin, kill Laochailan and install himself as king. Ciaran manages to return to Caer Wiell, where he lies on his deathbed. Upon hearing that Donnchadh is the new king, Ciaran makes one last attempt to contact Arafel and enters Eald. One of Arafel's aides instructs Branwyn to evacuate Caer Wiell, and he takes her people to the safety of Beorc's Steading, a sanctuary hidden in a valley. In Eald, Ciaran finds his elf horse waiting for him, but they are pursued by dark elves and he flees to the sea. Dying, and with nowhere else to go, Ciaran draws on the power of his stone and is given Camhanach, a silver horn. His last act is to blow three times into the horn, which summons the Daoine Sidhe. But this act also releases Nathair Sgiathach, an ancient dragon that the Sidhe had bound to Cinniuint, the Tree of Swords and Jewels. Nathair Sgiathach confronts a weakened Arafel and threatens to enslave her. Liosliath returns, takes over Ciaran's body, and kills Donnchadh, now occupied by Duilliath. Liosliath and several other elves rush to Arafel's assistance in Ealdwood and defeat the dragon. Liosliath and Arafel later visit Branwyn at the Steading and tell her that she is free to build her own Caer Wiell as this land has left mortal Earth. It is safe from the dark things that have burrowed again, and the drow that has returned to sleep at Dun Gol. Reception The Rambles cultural arts magazine described the Arafel's Saga omnibus as "an epic tale of magic and adventure" and recommended it to anyone interested in legendary Fair Folk. In a review of The Dreaming Tree omnibus on the SF Site, Stephen Davis said that while Cherryh's writing is "first-rate", and he would recommend the book, he felt that the revised ending is "a bit mechanical", and found that "the final battle between good and evil, and its aftermath" is "less than satisfying". Award nominations 1984 Locus Awards for Best Fantasy Novel. References Sources Further reading External links . The Tree of Swords and Jewels publishing history. Fantastic Fiction. 1983 American novels 1983 fantasy novels Novels about magic Novels about fairies and sprites Fantasy novels by C. J. Cherryh DAW Books books Books with cover art