5 h 18 minAudiobook9 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 5 h 18 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What is endless life worth if the person you love is lost beyond the sea?
In William Morris’s The Story of the Glittering Plain, sea raiders carry off the Hostage, the woman Hallblithe means to marry. The young fighter of the Raven kindred leaves Cleveland by the Sea to follow their ships. His search leads him into strange company, far from his own people and their familiar customs.
Among those he meets is Puny Fox, a quick-witted rogue whose guidance calls for caution. Beyond the sea lies the Glittering Plain, where the king offers life without age or death. Hallblithe’s quest brings love and loyalty face to face with that promise: what can such a land give him if the Hostage is not there?
What you’ll discover
- A lover who acts Follow Hallblithe as he sets out rather than wait for others to bring help.
- A guide to question Meet Puny Fox, whose quick wits make him useful but hard to trust.
- The promise of forever Enter a country said to offer everything, and consider what its promise leaves unanswered.
- An old saga’s rhythm Find plain words, short scenes, and a formal voice that invites a slower pace.
- Love measured against loss Explore the quiet question beneath the adventure: can love matter if nothing can be lost?
Who will love it
You will love this if you enjoy sea voyages, northern halls and sworn friendship, or if you like a quest driven by stubborn love.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Three riders ask and a bride vanishes
- Fox leads him to the Isle of Ransom
- A land of joy where no one ages
- The King's promise and a painted book
- Over the mountains and back again
- Hallblithe builds a way out
- Love that will not trade for bliss
- Lies, loyalty and the honest man
- How the tale sounds and what it uses
Who’s who
- HallblitheA young warrior of the House of the Raven who sets out to recover his stolen bride and will not trade her for any joy.
- The HostageA woman of the House of the Rose, promised to Hallblithe, who gives herself up to sea raiders to save her friends.
- The Puny FoxA huge red-haired sea rover and famous liar who guides Hallblithe across the water and keeps his own purposes hidden.
- The Sea-eagleAn aged raider chief called Grandfather, who is carried to the Glittering Plain to regain his youth.
- The Undying KingThe smiling ruler of the Glittering Plain, who gives gifts of youth and shows no sign of anger.
- The King's DaughterA beautiful and lonely woman who pines for Hallblithe after seeing his image in a painted book.
- The Three SeekersTwo old men and one sorrowful man who ride the world asking where the Land of Living Men can be found.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer, once the book texts are online.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, once the book texts are online.
- Audiobook
- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 9 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook and the audiobook open when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The Story of the Glittering Plain
by William Morris · 1890
Three weary riders seek a land of endless joy, and a young man loses his bride to sea raiders.
Medium level5–10 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
- Read or listen
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then USD 0.14 a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
In short
What would you give to reach a land where no one ages and no one grieves? William Morris builds his tale around that question.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Three riders ask and a bride vanishes
The story opens in Cleveland by the Sea, where Hallblithe of the House of the Raven sits in his yard smoothing an ash shaft for a spear. He is young, strong and promised to the Hostage, a woman of the House of the Rose. They are to marry on Midsummer Night.
Then three riders come through the gate. They ask only whether this is the Land of the Glittering Plain, where a man who has forgotten how to laugh may learn again. Hallblithe laughs and says folk here die when their time comes. The riders cry that it is not the Land and gallop off toward the mountain pass.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 9 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1890
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 3 h 25 min
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Morris, William. The Story of the Glittering Plain. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-glittering-plain.
Morris, W. (2026). The story of the Glittering Plain. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-glittering-plain (Original work published 1890)
Morris, William. The Story of the Glittering Plain. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-glittering-plain.
@book{morris2026story,
author = {Morris, William},
title = {The Story of the Glittering Plain},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-the-glittering-plain},
note = {First published 1890}
}
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about The Story of the Glittering Plain
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is The Story of the Glittering Plain about?
A young man named Hallblithe sets out to find his bride after sea raiders carry her off. His search leads him across the sea to a black island and then to a land of endless youth, where he must choose what he truly wants.
Who is the Puny Fox?
The Puny Fox is a huge red-haired sea rover who guides Hallblithe across the water to the Isle of Ransom. He boasts of being a liar, and his tricks serve someone far more powerful than he is.
What is the Glittering Plain?
It is a land across the sea ruled by the Undying King, where people stay young and live in ease. Visitors are drawn by the promise of joy, but those who stay seem to lose their memories.
The author
William Morris
1834–1896 · English poet and designer
William Morris (1834–1896) was an English writer, textile designer, artist, and printer. He was born in Walthamstow and died in London. His books include The House of the Wolfings (1889), News from Nowhere (1890), and The Well at the World's End (1896). He founded the Kelmscott Press in 1891.
More by William Morris
All 8 booksMore like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
