Kyrannon — (1979-1982) Publisher: The people of Kyrannon have suffered under the tyrant’s yoke for far too long. It started innocently enough, the undoing of Him Who Sits at Lirith. A healer and her apprentice come to the aid of a traveler. A family is forced to flee their home. A child is born in a hermit’s cave. But this seemingly random series of events begins a course that leads inevitably to a final confrontation. And the end, when it comes, will be what none of them ever expected. Ardath Mayhar tells a compelling tale with a unique perspective, using the voices of all her characters to weave the threads of the story.

Soul-Singer of Tyrnos — (1981-1982) Young adult. Publisher: Tyrnos needs no armies, no police, no enforcers, for it has its Soul-Singers. These carefully trained and strongly talented people travel the country, showing the truth of their souls to nobles and commons alike, often resulting in the removal or reform of those needing it. Yeleeve, newly sent forth from the School for Singers, encounters, early in her journey, disturbing indications that something is seriously wrong in Tyrnos. Finding along her way such allies as Lisaux of the Black Shield and the Winter Beast, she pursues clues that crop up inexorably, arriving at last at the conclusion that an intrusion by alien beings has corrupted not only the King, but his own Singer of Souls. Drawing on the power of her training and her gift, Yeleeve must risk everything in an attempt to remedy this situation.

The Macaque Cycle — (1989, 1987) Publisher: A plague is devasting mankind. Deep within the Amazon jungle, scientists have altered the genetic makeup of macaque monkeys, making them self-aware and giving them the power of speech. Only by working together can the two races — man and monkey — find some common road to a future earth.

The Exiles of Damaria — (2003-2005) Ships and Seekers is an e-book delivered by Kindle. Publisher: The Ancient Race has ruled in Damaria for three thousand years, since arriving there from their old homeland in the south. Long-lived, yet not very prolific, the Kings of Damaria have brought several animal species to a point at which they are nearly human. A son, by one of these people, of the present King, Armor, was sent south for his education. On his return he foments a revolution against the Ancient Race, resulting in the deaths of all of that family except Riddle the Poet and his very young nephew Lute, as well as the theft of the Orb, an instrument that made possible manipulations of the different species in Damaria. Riddle and his nephew flee to the forest, where they join with the Turnig, burrowers now hunted by the New People for their fur. Together, they hope to travel north and west to the City in the Mist, where they will be able to take ship for the Western Islands, refuge of many of the Ancient Race over the millennia. They are joined by Moonlight the Dreamer, and Gorhoz the Goremin, along with Kilelli, one of the primate-descended beings. Together the strangely assorted group of beings wins its way through perils, blizzards, and soul-endangering encounters before reaching their goal at last, though they pay a dreadful price before the journey is completed.

Stand-alone novels:

Warlock’s Gift — (1982) Publisher: Warlock’s Gift is an exciting fantasy adventure in which the hero, Karas Lantir, once the prince of his father’s mighty and happy kingdom, dreams of deposing the frightfully evil warlock who stole control of Lantirion from its rightful owners through cheating and evil sorcery. His dreams harden into resolve when the warlock, seeking to protect himself from future trouble, attempts to have Karas found and assassinated, and when the incredible tales of the warlock’s oppression become known. With the aid of only a few loyal men — and the power of his fiancee, Varil, a sorceress — Karal embarks on a perilous journey into the warlock’s seemingly impregnable fortress where he must face the evil sorcerer’s powers — alone. It is a rousing tale of magic and adventure.

Lords of the Triple Moons — (1983) Publisher: Johab, believing himself to be the last of his people, escapes from the usurper who killed his family and takes upon himself the task of freeing the plainsfolk from tyranny.

The Door in the Hill — (1984) Ages 9-12. Kindle format. Publisher: THE HOBBIT MEETS WIND IN THE WILLOWS. Here is an enchanting fantasy for the young of all ages that only the Balrog and Mark Twain Award author, Ardath Mayhar, could have written. When Lindy and Bud, a sister and brother from the U.S.A., are forced to spend the summer on their uncle’s English farm, they look forward to a boring three months. But, when they open a mysterious door in the side of a hill, they stumble into the world of Cyril and Jessica Cairnbracken and the other “Turnipins.” What’s a Turnipin? Tiny people with small, gnarly faces, voices like the hum of many bees, tiny bright eyes, long faces, crooked chins, and long, drooping noses. They wear colorful trousers, tunics, and for five thousand and thirteen years have hidden away beneath the hills of ancient England. Thus begins a series of delightful, magical adventures that will change the lives of Lindy and Bud, as well as those of the Turnipins, forever.

Slewfoot Sally and the Flying Mule: Tall Tales from Cotton County, Texas — (1984) Publisher: TRUE, FANTASTIC STORIES FROM THE AWARD-WINNING FANTASY AUTHOR’S CHILDHOOD! These stories are based on things Balrog Award winner Ardath Mayhar saw and heard of growing up in the Piney Woods of East Texas. They are all based on true events, but in the tradition of her native Texas, the author has stretched each a bit. As she writes, “‘The Backfire’ is based on a tale told me by a friend about a doctor in the old days in Nacogdoches, Texas. ‘The Dullshooter’ is another story was told me by a friend about someone they knew personally. The caged-in grave is supposed to be in a small cemetery near Frankston, Texas. Its tenant actually dug himself out twice before he stayed put. I do hope he didn’t try the third time! ‘The Possum-Cats’ adventure was the work of my own grandfather Ellington and two of his brothers. They were the ones who chased those cows along the frozen creek, too. In fact it was my granddad who was whipped every morning before school began, in the certain knowledge it would have to be done and it was better to get it over with. The crippled boy is patterned after my shirttail kin, Jack Windham, who was, for many years, a doctor in Shelby County, Texas. ‘Cow in the Canefield’ happened to a friend from Appleby, Texas. My younger brother and I roamed the woods, fished in the ponds, waded in the creeks, and learned the ways of the Piney Woods in the way that sticks with you forever. That was a world that has gone as completely as ancient Rome. Too bad — it was a hard life but a satisfying one. You may realize by now that it is very hard to make up anything much stranger or more outre than what actually happens here in the Piney Woods.” These 23 stories are amusing, frightening, and even thought-provoking.

The Saga of Grittel Sundotha — (1985) Publisher: Seven-foot-tall Grittel, daughter of the Lord of Sundoth, has refused the impossible marriage arranged by her domineering mother. Now an embarrassment to her family, she is sent forth to make her own way in the world. But Grittel Sundotha is no shrinking maiden. Along the way she castrates a noble noted for his lechery; defeats the assassins he sends after her; and, having been trapped by a sorceress in an enchanted forest, winds up boiling the witch in her own cauldron, taking with her the spell book she finds there. This proves invaluable, for she finds that she has an innate gift for sorcery. When she meets a space ship’s crew whose vessel has been pulled from their own dimension (where magic is impossible), into Grittel’s (where technology does not work), she attempts to prove her abilities by “clearing” the Captain’s head — and instead, inadvertently makes it invisible. She knows that she must find the wizard whose spell has trapped the ship, for only he can send the vessel home. But not all mages on this world practice white magic!

Makra Choria — (1987) Young adult. Publisher: The hereditary rulers of Sherath have psychic powers that can bring great good or evil to their people. When the Makra Theora murders her father and seizes his throne, her sister, the Makra Choria, raises an army, captures her sibling, and removes the “Gift” from both of them. Then Choria tries to undo the damage that her sister has done to Sherath and the surrounding states — and to fix Theora herself, if that’s possible.

A Road of Stars — (1998) Publisher: The greatest dancer of her generation, slowly dying from cancer, finds herself transported into the worlds displayed on paintings of the roads, paths, and streets that she never had time to explore throughout her demanding career. This helps her reconcile with her hostile relatives, and helps her to find peace before her own passing.

World of the Greist  — (2004) Young adult. Publisher: AN INNER-CITY FAMILY FORCED TO MIGRATE – TO THE STARS. In an overcrowded future the Thomases have no more or less than any other poor family who live in the Block, but what they do with what they have is very different. No matter how crowded and dirty the city becomes, the Thomas home is always a place where people begin to smile when they come in at the door. The dirty hallways on either side of their entry may be scrawled over with graffiti, but on either side of their own door the plaster is scrubbed to an even gray. The street beyond the outer set of grillwork barriers may be awash with the unwashed, but Mama Thomas’ own children are clean. The gutters may be filled with empty bottles and cans, but beyond the wood and metal barrier of their door is order and warmth, a clean, safe haven amid the dangers of the city. Then the government orders the people of the block to move to another world. Anthea, Hanna, Sarah, Mark, Van, and David, the Thomas off-spring are devastated at being torn away from their roots. They feel even more wretched when they arrive on the windy, barren planet where they are to live. Life is hard, and the work to survive and build a farm is hard and back-breaking. Then Van makes a discovery that will change everyone’s lives. For human beings are not alone on the planet: this is the world of the Greist.

Two-Moons and the Black Tower — (2004) Publisher: Two-Moons is an Onondaga warrior woman with the ability to Dream truly. When she was born, the extraordinary events that gave her name were considered predictive of an extraordinary life. That prediction comes true when a power-hungry Medieval wizard from another dimension kidnaps Two Moons, drawing her from her own time and place into Medieval England. With her extraordinary gifts, he hopes to use her to entrap her people to serve as his slaves. But through her dream gifts, Two-Moons is able to contact her own gods — setting the stage for an awesome duel that pits European sorcery against Obongda magic.

The Conjure — (2005) Publisher: HORROR’S UNLEASHED WHEN A WITCH-WOMAN’S KIN ARE KILLED! In this brand new chiller from Balrog Award winner Ardath Mayhar, when a drug cartel starts using the swamp country of East Texas as a key transfer point for their illicit cargo, its only a matter of time before one of the locals stumbles on the scene and has to be silenced. What they don’t count on is what happens when Lena McCarver, the local witch-woman learns about the murder. Slowly she begins to conjure a spell that will bring the kingpin of the cartel back to the swamp — where his worst nightmares are about to be brought to very vivid life! As for the rest of his gang, she intends they also get exactly what they deserve. Ardath Mayhar writes “a riveting tale. Gritty realism, excellent characterization, and a strong sense of place…” raves Book News. Ardath Mayhar’s books contain “almost tangible atmosphere — summer heat, wildlife, details of farm life — emanating from every page.

Forbidden Geometries: An Epic Fantasy of a Desert World — (2005) Publisher: IN THE TRADITION OF DUNE! The desert world Sherazade was settled long ago by desert peoples from Earth — Kushites, Apaches, Arabs — and then forgotten . Centuries later it is a world of city-states. One, Sathorn, has long been ruled by a weak family and a corrupt Council. The new ruler, Karenya, who possesses the ability to use the forbidden geometries that can predict the future, is determined to change things and reform the Council. When a glimpse of the future shows her being slain by the Council’s assassins, Karenya finds she must flee her own realm. Stealing a horse, she crosses the desert until captured by the Shemesh, mountain raiders, who sell her as a slave. In her determined effort to reach her cousin, who might help her regain her city, she escapes and finds allies, Claw of the Eagle, an Apache, Yeber, a peaceful Kushite, and Usep. Each agrees to help Karenya in her quest for justice. Togther they encounter deadly dangers, mysterious beings, and reach terribly strange ends. The multi-award winning author’s finest sf novel yet!

Witchfire — (2007) With Ron Fortier. Publisher: A brand new thriller from the minds of sci-fi Master, Ardath Mayhar, and horror pulp writer, Ron Fortier. With Illustrations by DC/Marvel Artist, Rob Davis. “As a young child, Morgan Rein was taught by Mother Kalavela the curative powers of White Witchcraft. Ancient Arts and skills employed in the service of mankind. The greatest of these elemental talents is the ability to control fire. Now, from out of her tortured past, comes a deadly threat in the form of a psychotic warlock bent on murder and destruction. A cruel, sadistic soul who also happens to be her brother. It will take all of Morgan’s arcane skills, and the aide of a wisecracking cynical scientist, to control the Dark Forces unleashed against her. To survive she will have to summon the purest flame of all, Witchfire!”

Messengers in White — (2009) Publisher: Colonized and left to its own devices, the planet on which Lehnik the horsemaster lives has, over a thousand years, reached a medieval level. Sent with an orphaned child to the hold of the Sisters of Silence, the soldier learns that their order exists to guard the very sophisticated — and perilous — weapons left to them by their Terran ancestors. When Garrouche invades Trans-Kell, after its ruler has overcome the Order in his own country and stolen its weapons, Lehnik joins the Order in Trans-Kell. and undertakes a hazardous journey to find and destroy the devices that could wreak havoc on their world.

A Planet Called Heaven — (2009) Publisher: Stranded on a Hell planet ironically named Heaven, the Thomas family must flee their protective biodome in order to have any chance of survival on this strange new alien world.

A Shock Treatment: An Account of Granary’s War — (2009) Publisher: Granary — the breadbasket of the United Worlds–becomes enmeshed in civil war when its Commander, Theron Standish, attempts to impose his will over the independent granges. Only Theron’s elderly grandmother and predecessor, Seleva Karmann, can stop the Commander from destroying his own world!

The Door in the Hill: A Tale of the Turnipins — (2009) Publisher: THE HOBBIT MEETS WIND IN THE WILLOWS. Here is an enchanting fantasy for the young of all ages that only the Balrog and Mark Twain Award author, Ardath Mayhar, could have written. When Lindy and Bud, a sister and brother from the U.S.A., are forced to spend the summer on their uncle’s English farm, they look forward to a boring three months. But, when they open a mysterious door in the side of a hill, they stumble into the world of Cyril and Jessica Cairnbracken and the other “Turnipins.” What’s a Turnipin? Tiny people with small, gnarly faces, voices like the hum of many bees, tiny bright eyes, long faces, crooked chins, and long, drooping noses. They wear colorful trousers, tunics, and for five thousand and thirteen years have hidden away beneath the hills of ancient England. Thus begins a series of delightful, magical adventures that will change the lives of Lindy and Bud, as well as those of the Turnipins, forever.

Crazy Quilt: The Best Short Stories of Ardath Mayhar — (2009) Publisher: “Ardath Mayhar is a neglected writer, and that is criminal. She is one of those born storytellers and natural writers who has done so much so well that it is easy to take her for granted. Trust me, as the spider said to the fly: read Ardath’s work. Be captivated by her worlds. They will never let you go. Promise.” — from the Introduction by Joe R. Lansdale.