Lord Dunsany's The King of Elfland's Daughter
Heya KZread!!! Are you having a funky fun day? Awesome!
Today I want to look at one of the true classics of the fantasy genre - Lord Dunsany’s The King of Elfland’s Daughter, which was published back in 1924. It has directly inspired many modern stories, such as Neil Gaiman’s Stardust or The Princess Bride. It’s a fun and quirk story that’s more of a modern fairy tale than anything else. Dunsany is a powerful world builder and tale-spinner. Now, he’s not the best at developing characters, so some of them can be a be trope-ified at times, but his prose and powerful depiction of the two worlds of man’s and magic’s are very strong. Our two lovers cross from one world to another and back again, and there is a compelling honesty to it.
Many consider this to be Lord Dunsany’s best work, and it shows. I would encourage you heavily to read it and check it out, particularly if you enjoy Gaiman, as Gaiman is probably the most famous modern writer who’s style mimics and approaches Dunsany’s work.
Want to check out my first video where I go over Lord Dunsany’s “The Gods of Pegana?” Here you go! • Lord Dunsany's Gods of...
Here’s the novel - www.amazon.com/King-Elflands-...
Now here is Dunsany’s Penguin Collection if you are interested in pursuing him more: www.amazon.com/Land-Time-Fant...
Have you read The King of Elfland’s Daughter? Anything else by Lord Dunsany? What did you think of it? Did you agree with my video and my take on his work? Anything in the video or the story that you’d like to discuss? Sure; let’s chat about it!
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Пікірлер: 33
one of the best ever! it stays with you
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
5 ай бұрын
Yup
I discovered THE KING OF ELFLAND'S DAUGHTER when searching KZread for songs sung by Mary Hopkins. I found a song sung by her, MARY HOPKINS SINGS LIRAZEL and that led me to an album with Christopher Le and others speaking various parts. I really enjoyed that and bought a hardcover copy of THE KING OF ELFLAND'S DAUGHTER and thoroughly enjoyed it. Btw, that Mary Hopkins singing LIRAZEL is an absolutely adorable song for children to listen to. It is extremely descriptive and a child or adult can easily visualize the characters and the events in that song.
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
10 ай бұрын
Cool, thanks for this detailed post!
I have an original printing of this and treasure it deeply. Great review, too!
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
4 жыл бұрын
Glad you like the review, and that sounds pretty cool.
Great discussion.
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!!!
Love your parallel with "Stairway". I get it completely, and agree with you. Great review. Thank You. Subscribed.
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
2 жыл бұрын
Awesome possum, welcome!!!
I have that bought during the days of Barnes & Noble.
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
2 жыл бұрын
Cool cool!
My man is rocking Zelazny back there. Respect. Just finished this gem. Seeing as you show taste and discernment, any thoughts on Gormenghast?
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
3 жыл бұрын
Glad you liked my background!
Looking forward to reading it just finished the worm of ouroboros
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
4 жыл бұрын
Awesome, i reviewed it!
I'm a big prose guy, so I'm not too bothered by tropes and such. If a book can carry me with its language and atmosphere then that's perfect for me. That's the thing that makes me feel like I'm in another world, and it's why I love writers like Gene Wolfe, Tolkien and Le Guin. They take me there with their language. With that in mind, would you say Dunsany's work is to my taste?
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
Жыл бұрын
Yup yup! It's beautiful, and i believe it's free online too.
@jarltrippin
Жыл бұрын
@@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006 Thanks a lot for the reply. Dunsany's work is now officially on my TBR.
In point of fact Tolkien didn't actually care much for Dunsany despite the parallel plots of Alveric/Lirazel and Aragorn/Arwen. He took issue with his naming conventions which he just thought were a lot of nonsense syllables and not well thought out. Ironically Dunsany was probably more influential on the American writers particularly Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith.
Tolkien and Lovecraft was inspired by Dunsany also, the King of elfland's daughter is one of the most beautiful novels i have ever read
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
4 жыл бұрын
Correct!
@dimifisher7942
4 жыл бұрын
@@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006 you have to read Algernon Blackwood, also a favourite of Lovecraft, really incredible
@calliope9th217
3 жыл бұрын
100 percent agree
@calliope9th217
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the Blackwood recomend. On my radar now. I'll attempt to repay: James Branch Cabell-Jurgen and The High Place.
@calliope9th217
3 жыл бұрын
Although I will warn on Cabell. He's a tad... subversive. But also excellent.
Tolkien and Lovecraft really did copy his prose, it's really funny. But he's the father of that kind of prose poetry style. The King of Elfland's Daughter became part of the public domain after January 2020, in the U.S.
@theworstthingaboutnewbooks6006
2 жыл бұрын
Yup good thoughts!