Shy Leopardess

Shy Leopardess is a fantasy novel by Leslie Barringer, the third and last book in his three volume Neustrian Cycle. It is set around the fourteenth century in an alternate medieval France called Neustria (historically an early division of the Frankish kingdom). The book was first published in the United Kingdom by Methuen in 1948. Its significance was recognized by its republication in the United States by the Newcastle Publishing Company as the thirteenth volume of the celebrated Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library series in October, 1977. The Newcastle edition was reprinted by Borgo Press in 1980.

Chapter headings of the 1948 edition:

1. Encounters at Parledin.
2. Azo's way.
3. Roclatour and Sanctlamine.
4. A silver shield and a grey kitten.
5. Balthasar's way.
6. Jehane's way.
7. The way of Dom Ursus Campestris.
8. Belphegor's way.
9. The secret servants of Yolande.
10. Passing bells at Roclatour.
11. Fruit of thunder.
12. Belphagor's way again.
13. "My Diomede, my Lioncel".
14. Yolande's way.
15. A queen from the east.

Criticism

John Clute, in his evaluation of the Neustrian Cycle, notes that "Of the three protagonists, Yolande of Baraine – the Shy Leopardess of the third novel – is perhaps the most interesting, as she successfully gambles her life (her "virtue" does not last the course) to gain autonomy in a male-dominated world."^[1]

Lin Carter cited the first American edition of 1977 from Newcastle as one of that year's best fantasy books.^[2]

Notes

References

• Shy Leopardess publication history at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Reginald, Robert. Xenograffiti: essays on fantastic literature. (2005 second edition), I. O. Evans Studies in the Philosophy and Criticism of Literature, number 33 Borgo Press ISSN 0271-9061 [1]
• De Camp, L. Sprague. Literary Swordsmen and Sorcerers: the Makers of Heroic Fantasy. Arkham House, 1976. [2]