On this day, November 24, in 1882, E. R. Eddison was born. I did a post on him, plus T. O’Connor Sloane, Evangeline Walton, and Forrest J. Ackerman last year. This year I’m just going to focus on Eddison.
Eric Rucker Eddison was a major influence on J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. Others who have praised his work include James Branch Cabell, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Robert Silverberg, and Clive Barker.
Eddison’s Zimiamvian Trilogy (Mistress of Mistresses, A Fish Dinner in Memison, and The Mezentian Gate) plus The Worm Ouroborus is available in an electronic omnibus edition (currently $7.99). These books aren’t light reading. I read The Worm Ouroboros when I was in college or maybe high school. I don’t remember much of it, other than it was complicated and densely written and that I enjoyed it. I’ve not read any of the other books, although I’ve had copies for years.
I bought the full set in electronic format earlier today. I’m going to try to read all of them over the next year, probably one a quarter.
Eddison also wrote two vikings inspired books, Styrbiorn the Strong and Egil’s Saga.
I’m not big on the Zimiamvian Trilogy, but “Worm” is a classic, albeit one that requires a little getting into. I couldn’t finish it in college, but I tackled it a few years ago. Glad I did. A rollicking, rip-snorting adventure that is thoroughly warlike. Some great characters therein. Leiber and Karl Wagner were both fans of the novel. I think HPL and CAS were fans as well.
JRRT liked it in some ways, but found it distasteful in others.
What you’ve said pretty much lines up with what I’ve heard about the Zimiamvian Trilogy. I quite enjoyed Worm when I read it, and since it’s been [REDACTED] years, I’m looking forward to it reading it again.
I’ve had Worm on my shelf for a while. Yet another classic awaiting my devotion.
I suspect I could spend a year or three reading the classics I’ve not gotten to yet and not read anything else.
I actually did not like Worm Ouroborus. It’s been over a decade since I read it so I can’t precisely recall why. I think the faux-Shakespearean language turned me off.
I can understand that. It certainly isn’t for everyone.
It took me three tries to finish the Worm. I tried in in high school when I found a copy in the local public library. I think I finished three or four chapters. I tried again in college with much the same results. I tried a third time a couple of years ago and loved it. I have the omnibus volume you mention but haven’t tried the other two books, yet.
Incidental, the Worm is available as an audio-book on the LibriVox site. LibriVox readers are all over the place in quality, but this is one of their better works.
I have so little time to listen to anything these days, that I don’t even try audiobooks. I’m glad it’s available, though.