When thinking of classic fantasy novels, one thinks of titles like the Lord of The Rings books,The Chronicles of Narnia or perhaps the Shannara books or maybe the Chronicles of Prydain. There is another fantasy novel that deserves attention though, as it is one that has had a massive influence on the fantasy genre even if many are not aware of it now.
Poul Anderson was a Danish American science fiction and fantasy author, responsible for many classic works such as Tau Zero and The Broken Sword. In 1961, Anderson published a novel that was expanded from an earlier 1963 novella, entitled Three Hearts and Three Lions. This novel combined many things, such as the legends of the Matter of France, Arthurian Mythos, Germanic folklore and mythology, Shakespeare and magic folklore, into something special.
One way to describe Three Hearts and Three Lions is that it is an isekai story, before that genre had a name. The plot sees a Danish resistance fighter in WW2, be transported to a magical world after being shot at. As Holger Carlsen adapts to this world, it becomes apparent there is a lot more going on, both with the world and Holger himself.
Three Hearts and Three Lions is a work that should be acknowledged as a contemporary of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and a work that has had just as much of an impact. This is the work that inspired the idea of dwarves having celtic accents, whereas Lord of the Rings had them have a Semitic language for instance.
But more importantly, Three Hearts and Three Lions helped shape the idea of the Paladin in fantasy fiction and especially in Dungeons & Dragons, along with inspiring depictions of trolls in the RPG. Speaking of Dungeons & Dragons, Three Hearts and Three Lions also was the originator of the alignment system of Law and Chaos. Michael Moorcock was a fan of this book and took the idea of Law vs Chaos and put his own spin on it, which itself influenced countless other writers. More specifically with Moorcock, this book helped influence his depiction of the multiverse as well his Erekosë stories, which are a much darker take on Anderson’s tale.
But more importantly, Three Hearts and Three Lions is still a great book. The scope is amazing, and the tale of Law vs Chaos is told in a unique way that later writers would fail to match, except Michael Moorcock. The characterization is deep and the themes are brilliantly handled, with Anderson deftly weaving a tale combining classic tales with modern ideas to create something special.
I am not giving any spoilers for the story, because this is one that you need to read for yourself and experience without knowing what comes next, because you will appreciate it more that way. Three Hearts and Three Lions may not be as well known today as the works it inspired, but it still holds up well today. Read it yourself and you will see one of the greatest fantasy stories of the 20th century and a masterpiece of American literature, and why this is one that should be known more.
