FIRST EDITION OF SHARDIK, INSCRIBED BY RICHARD ADAMS

ADAMS, Richard. Shardik. (London): Allen Lane, (1974). Octavo, original blue cloth, cartographic endpapers, original dust jacket. $350.

First edition of the second novel in Adams’ epic Beklam Empire trilogy that began with Watership Down, inscribed by him on the title page: "Yours sincerely Richard Adams."

Richard Adams followed his famous first novel Watership Down (1972) with Shardik, the second in his Beklam Empire trilogy. Praised as a "novel of epic dimension… more ambitious, deeper, darker, and more richly textured than Watership Down," here Adams tells the story of Kelderick, a young hunter who is saved by a gigantic bear believed to be the incarnation of the bear-god Shardik (Newsweek). Barron 7.1. Clute & Grant, 5.

Book fine, dust jacket about-fine. A lovely inscribed copy.