Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Talismans
Tagged: Theme.
Objects with magical, apotropaic or luck-bringing powers, including Amulets and Charms. They vary endlessly in form: the eponymous talisman of "The Monkey's Paw" (1902) by W W Jacobs (1863-1943) unpleasantly grants Three Wishes; the Evil Talisman of Set in Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out (1934) is the God's mummified phallus; the talisman of the Binder in Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light (1967) is a Technofantasy focus for the hero's Talent; that in Clifford Simak's The Fellowship of the Talisman (1978) proves to be a holy manuscript about Christ. [DRL]