Kingfisher

McKillip's typically gorgeous prose shines as it serves the plot of this complex and witty story of contemporary knights and post-Celtic deities in a fantastical version of our world. When Pierce decides to leave his tiny village to seek out his knight father, his first stop is an all-you-can-eat fish fry that turns out to be a mystical ceremony. Carrie learns that her father can become a wolf and gets hired by a local chef who's more than what he seems. Young Prince Daimon learns of his own mysterious heritage as he gets called to a quest. The mix of ancient gods and chivalry with contemporary technology such as cell phones and cars requires a deft touch, but McKillip (Wonders of the Invisible World) makes it work, throwing in sly jokes and delicious-sounding culinary concoctions amid the heroic adventuring. McKillip makes contemporary fantasy feel exciting and new again. Agent: Howard Morhaim, Howard Morhaim Literary. (Feb.)