Time and the Gods

By Lord Dunsany

Most fantasy enthusiasts consider Lord Dunsany one of the most significant forces in modern fantasy; his influences have been observed in the works of H.P. Lovecraft, L. Sprague de Camp, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, and many other modern writers. Time and the Gods is Dunsany at his peak of his talent. The stories here are a lush tapestry of language, conjuring images of people, places, and things which cannot possibly exist, yet somehow ring true. Together with Dunsany's other major collections, The Book of Wonder, A Dreamer's Tales and Tales of Three Hemispheres, they are a necessary part of any fantasy collection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Start Classics
• Release date: Jun 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781633553415

Lord Dunsany

Edward J. M. D. Plunkett, the 18th Baron of Dunsany, was one of the foremost fantasy writers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Lord Dunsany, and particularly his Book of Wonder, is widely recognized as a major influence on many of the best known fantasy writers, including J.R.R. Tolkien, H.P. Lovecraft, and C.S. Lewis. Holding one of the oldest titles in the Irish peerage, Lord Dunsany lived much of his life at Dunsany Castle, one of Ireland’s longest-inhabited homes. He died in 1957, leaving an indelible mark on modern fantasy writing.

Reviews for Time and the Gods

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read any Dunsany before, but I'm glad I finally got round to it. Having a whole collection of these stories was maybe a bit much to read in one go (ah, train journeys), but I did enjoy the world Dunsany created, and the mythic language he used to tell it. I should read more by and about Dunsany, I think: I don't actually know anything about him.

[kurt.rocourt · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I've read bad books. I've read boring books. But it's rare to read a book where I have no idea what the heck happened. This is the book to read when your high on drugs or drunk. Some older books are books of there time. This book is just nuts. The only thing I can remember about this book is wanting to buy a bottle of wine and hoping I wake up and somehow got to the last page.

[isabelx_21 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Then along the torchlit corridors the King went to his chamber, and having shut the door in the empty room, beheld suddenly a figure wearing the cloak of a prophet; and the King perceived that it was he whose face was hidden at the banquet, who had not revealed his name.And the King said:'Art thou, too, a prophet?'And the figure answered:'I am a prophet.'And the King said: 'Knowest thou aught concerning the journey of the King?' And the figure answered: 'I know, but have never said.'And the King said: 'Who art thou that knowest so much and hast not told it?'And he answered:'I am THE END.'Then the cloaked figure strode away from the palace, and the King, unseen by the guards, followed upon his journey.The book "Time and the Gods" in the Fantasy Masterworks series contains six collections of Lord Dunsany's short stories. I have just finished the first of them, which is also called "Time and the Gods". The stories were more like mythology than fantasy, having quite a detached air about them, and more atmosphere than plot.

[celephicus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Superb fantasy. If anyone doubts his influence, then without Dunsany we would have had no Arthur Clarke, Jack Vance or Lovecraft. As another reviewer noted, it's long. That's because it's SIX books squashed together, and they date from the Edwardian era when people made time to read, and didn't rush about so much (they probably had a servant to it for them).Unemcumbered by footnotes, Dunsany's only use of one was to elucidate the meaning of the word "gluttered": see any dictionary, but in vain.

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Time and the Gods is an anthology of stories by the author. As with any anthology (as I am so fond of saying), there are those stories that are quite good, some that are okay, some that are so-so and some that you can take or leave. This book is no exception.Time and the Gods is a major fantasy fest; if you're not into fantasy, don't even pick it up. The book is divided into six sections:Time and the Gods The Sword of WelleranA Dreamer's TalesThe Book of WonderThe Last Book of WonderThe Gods of PeganaOut of those, I earmarked several stories that I thought were outstanding:"The Sword of Welleran""The Kith of the Elf-Folk""The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth," (which may have been my favorite story in this volume)"Where the Tides Ebb and Flow""Poor Old Bill""The Day of the Poll""Miss Cubbidge and the Dragon of Romance""How Nuth Would Have Practiced His Arts Among the Gnoles""The Wonderful Window"If you enjoy fantasy, then most likely there's something in here that will appeal to you. I really wanted to read something of Dunsany because of the influence his works had on Howard Phillips Lovecraft, one of my very favorite authors ever. You can really see how these works influenced HPL if you've read Lovecraft. Recommended for those who are into true-blue fantasy; others may not like it so well.