The Face in the Frost
Third Ace Books paperback edition (1981) with cover illustration by Carl Lundgren | |
| Author | John Bellairs |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Marilyn Fitschen |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Macmillan Publishers |
Publication date | 17 February 1969 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | ix, 174 |
| ISBN | 0-441-22529-2 |
| OCLC | 21238446 |
The Face in the Frost is a short fantasy novel by American author John Bellairs published in 1969. Unlike most of his later works, this book is meant for adult readers. It centers on two accomplished wizards, Prospero ("and not the one you're thinking of") and Roger Bacon, tracking down the source of a great magical evil. The subject matter prompted Ursula K. Le Guin to say of the novel,
- "The Face in the Frost takes us into pure nightmare before we know it—and out the other side."
This novel was listed in the "recommended reading" list in the first edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide by Gary Gygax. Although being listed, it was not an influence on the formation of the game. In a review of the book by Gygax in Dragon magazine, issue 22, he states,
- "As I have not read the book until recently, there is likewise no question of it influencing the game. Nonetheless, The Face in the Frost could have been a prime mover of the underlying spirit of D&D."