How many have read The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison? Its one of the most interesting (and peculiar and often difficult) novels of heroic fantasy that I have ever read. Along with LOTR and The Book of the New Sun, its one of my top three favorite fantasy fiction novels. The prose is dense but I find it fascinating. Here is a sample: Therewith the King unlocked the greatest of those books that lay on the massive table, saying in Gros ear, as one who would not be overheard, This is that awful book of grammarie wherewith in this same chamber, on such a night, Gorice VII stirred the vasty deep. And know that from this circumstance alone ensued the ruin of King Gorice VII, in that, having by his hellish science conjured up somewhat from the primaeval dark, and being utterly fordone with the sweat and stress of his conjuring, his mind was clouded for a moment, in such sort that either he forgot the words writ in this grammerie, or the page whereon they were writ, or speech failed him to speak those words which must be spoken, or might to do those things which must be done to complete the charm. Wherefore he kept not his power over that which he had called out of the deep, but it turned upon him and tare him limb from limb. Such like doom will I avoid, renewing in these latter days those self-same spells, if thou durst stand by me undismayed...
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 18:25:16 +0000
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