"[The innkeeper Karsh] moved gracefully, the way a wave swells and rolls from shore to shore, never quite breaking." He is not actually one of the principal figures of the novel, although he narrates some of it and owns the inn where the principal characters gather. Yet the narrative revolves around him; as he blusters and grumps along, he is surrounded by magical events, by great forces tearing at each other, and by people who have momentous work to do.

He feeds them, houses them, even takes care of them, and he proves himself a formidable adversary in defense of his inn and those who work for him. He is an interesting figure, an example of how Beagle fleshes out even minor characters so that they seem vibrant with life. Further, the pugnacious Karsh turns out to have had an adventure or two of...