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In the Land of Time, and Other Fantasy Tales

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In the Land of Time, and Other Fantasy Tales
First edition
AuthorLord Dunsany
Cover artistSidney Sime
PublisherPenguin Classics
Publication date
2004

In the Land of Time and Other Fantasy Tales is a posthumous collection of short stories by the writer Lord Dunsany in the Penguin Classics series. It was published in 2004.[1] Edited and with an introduction by S. T. Joshi, it assembles material from across Dunsany's long career. The cover illustration is a colourised version of a classic illustration for an early Dunsany story by his preferred artist, Sidney Sime.

Contents

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The collection includes several of Dunsany's most famous stories. It is grouped in themed sections by the editor, and the contents[2] are:

  • Introduction (S. T. Joshi)
  • Suggestions for Further Reading (S. T. Joshi)
  • A Note on the Text (S. T. Joshi)
  • Section I: Pegana and Environs
    • The Gods of Pegāna (entire text)
    • Time and the Gods ("The Lament of the Gods for Sardathrion")
    • "The Legend of the Dawn"
    • "In the Land of Time"
    • "The Relenting of Sarnidac"
    • "The Fall of Babbulkund"
  • Section II: Tales of Wonder
  • Section III: Prose Poems
    • "Where the Tides Ebb and Flow"
    • "The Raft Builders"
    • "The Prayer of the Flowers"
    • "The Workman"
    • "Charon"
    • "Carcassonne"
    • "Roses"
    • "The City"
  • Section IV: Fantasy and Reality
    • "The Wonderful Window"
    • "The Coronation of Mr. Thomas Shap"
    • "The City on Mallington Moor"
    • "The Bureau d'Echange de Maux"
    • "The Exiles' Club"
    • "Thirteen at Table"
    • "The Last Dream of Bwona Khubla"
  • Section V: Jorkens
    • "The Tale of the Abu Laheeb" (the first Jorkens story)
    • "Our Distant Cousins"
    • "The Walk to Lingham"
    • "The Development of the Rillswood Estate"
    • "A Life's Work"
  • Section VI: Some Late Tales
    • "The Policeman's Prophecy"
    • "The Two Bottles of Relish"
    • "The Cut"
    • "Poseidon"
    • "Helping the Fairies"
    • "The Romance of His Life"
    • "The Pirate of the Round Pond"
  • Explanatory Notes (S. T. Joshi)

Reception

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Ursula K. Le Guin reviewed the collection for the Los Angeles Times. She described the effect reading A Dreamer's Tales had on her as a child, comparing his effect to J. R. R. Tolkien. She felt that The Gods of Pegāna had aged poorly, and that Jorkens could be a bore. However, she stated that other early works were fine, especially "Idle Days on the Yann", and that Dunsany's best stories were "unique" and well-observed, witty, and had "a mannered but vivid, clear, and subtle style".[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ "In the Land of Time And Other Fantasy Tales". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  2. ^ Dunsany, Lord: Penguin (New York and London), 2004, "In the Land of Time and Other Fantasy Tales", Penguin Classics, front matter
  3. ^ Le Guin, Ursula K. (27 June 2004). "Vivid fantasy beyond Middle-earth". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  4. ^ Le Guin, Ursula K. "Lord Dunsany: In the Land of Time and Other Fantasy Tales edited by S.T. Joshi: A Review by Ursula K. Le Guin". Ursula K. le Guin. Retrieved 7 September 2023.

Sources

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  • The Locus Index to Science Fiction, 2004