Yet though Odile is terrified of him, she has learned far more than her father, the baron, intended to teach her -- both of the magical arts and of Von Rothbart's idiosyncratic nature. And both as a woman and the guardian of his swan flock, her heart goes out to each and every young maiden ensorcelled by her vindictive father.
And then the noblest of Von Rothbart's enchanted flock, the Princess Odette, finds the courage to confront her captor, wresting from him a pact which could lead to freedom for herself and all the swan-maidens. Knowing Von Rothbart will use all of his magical cunning to avoid honoring this pact, will Odile have the strength to face him in a final magical confrontation which, if she fails, will lead to her death and the murder of all in her flock?
A monumental tale of loyalty and betrayal, of magic used for good and for evil, of love both carnal and pure, and of the incredible duality of human nature, THE BLACK SWAN is certain to be recognized as a masterpiece of fantasy. Less
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