Crossing a Great Frontier collects twenty-one hard-to-find scholarly essays about Phantastes into one convenient volume. In his comprehensive introduction, editor John Pennington describes the essays as reflecting four main perspectives about Phantastes: as a religious work, a structurally coherent work, an insightful psychological work, and within its cultural/literary context.

The book’s title is derived from C.S. Lewis who wrote that after reading Phantastes, he knew he had crossed a great frontier. Lewis’s praise for MacDonald influenced more people to read MacDonald. His comments, however, diminished MacDonald’s reputation as a skilled writer.

Crossing a Great Frontier presents indisputable proof that Lewis underestimated the skill of his 19th century mentor. Readers will discover a multitude of insights into a book and author whose genius continues to be revealed.

John Pennington demonstrates acute critical judgment in his selection of essays. His introduction serves to explain the various critical perspectives on MacDonald and his work, especially Phantastes. This is an indispensable book for any reader of MacDonald’s fantasy, fascinating in its range and acuity of commentary. Roderick McGillis, Professor Emeritus of English, the University of Calgary, Co-editor of Phantastes by George MacDonald: Annotated Edition and Behind the Back of the North Wind: Critical Essays.

This collection of twenty-one of the best essays on Phantastes combines straightforward literary analysis with contextual, psychological, metaphysical, alchemical and scientific approaches to the elucidation of this moving and elusive work. These essays demonstrate how much the book stimulates readers, and how many suggestive riches it contains.
Colin Manlove, Author of Scotland’s Forgotten Treasure: The Visionary Novels of George MacDonald.

John Pennington, professor of English at St. Norbert College, specializes in Victorian fairy tales and is the editor of North Wind: The Journal of George MacDonald Studies.