Scan barcode
A review by sfian
Time and the Gods by Lord Dunsany
2.0
When the Fantasy and SF Masterworks series came out I thought they would contain books that, as a huge fan of both genres, I SHOULD read. Sadly, there are more in both series that I don't get on with that those that I like.
In terms of fantasy novels, I don't know what it is about older ones that means I can read a page and not remember a single thing from it - the language, maybe, or the style of writing. This series also includes one of just three books that I haven't managed to complete at all.
Time And The Gods isn't the worst of the bunch but there are sections that I knew as I was reading them I wouldn't remember. I was, basically, just skimming over the lines, scanning each one but with no words going into my brain. Having said that, it isn't as difficult to read as some of the Masterworks and there are are a couple of stories that have stuck in my head, but they are almost Gothic horror rather than fantasy. In places the writing is evocative and atmospheric but in others it is, like so many of the books from earlier than (let's say) the 1960's, a dry and, to my mind, hard read.
In terms of fantasy novels, I don't know what it is about older ones that means I can read a page and not remember a single thing from it - the language, maybe, or the style of writing. This series also includes one of just three books that I haven't managed to complete at all.
Time And The Gods isn't the worst of the bunch but there are sections that I knew as I was reading them I wouldn't remember. I was, basically, just skimming over the lines, scanning each one but with no words going into my brain. Having said that, it isn't as difficult to read as some of the Masterworks and there are are a couple of stories that have stuck in my head, but they are almost Gothic horror rather than fantasy. In places the writing is evocative and atmospheric but in others it is, like so many of the books from earlier than (let's say) the 1960's, a dry and, to my mind, hard read.