Today is November 24, and that marks the birth of Edward Rucker Eddison (1882-1945).

E. R. Eddison wrote only six novels. The Worm Ouroborous (1922), Styrbiorn the Strong (1926)  Egil’s Saga (1930), and The Zimianvian Trilogy, consisting of Mistress of Mistresses (1935). A Fish Dinner in Memison (1941), and The Mezentian Gate (1958). The trilogy shares a setting with Worm, if my understanding is correct.

I’ve only read The Worm Ouroborous. That was back in my undergraduate days. I enjoyed it and hope to reread it and the trilogy at some point. It’s not light reading. Eddison came from a more, shall we say, verbose period in literature.

But he also wrote fantasy before the current tropes had been well established, which gives his work a different feel and tone. That’s a good thing.

This type of thing isn’t for everyone. But if you like older styles and things being strangely different yet familiar, then Eddison might be someone whose work you might want to sample.

Be advised, these aren’t short books, which is why I haven’t read them yet.