The Gods of Pegna

(Hardback)

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The Gods of Pegna (1905) is a short story collection by Lord Dunsany. Published at the beginning of his career, The Gods of Pegna would influence such writers as J. R. R. Tolkein, Ursula K. Le Guin, and H. P. Lovecraft. Recognized as a pioneering author of fantasy and science fiction, Dunsany is a man whose work, in the words of Lovecraft, remains unexcelled in the sorcery of crystalline singing prose, and supreme in the creation of a gorgeous and languorous world of incandescently exotic vision. Whether the season be winter or whether it be summer, whether it be morning among the worlds or whether it be night, Skarl still beateth his drum, for the purposes of the gods are not yet fulfilled. The Gods of Pegna, Dunsanys debut collection of stories, contains some of his finest tales of fantasy and adventure. The Mana-Yood-Sushai created the gods of Pegna before falling asleep in the middle of Time. The only thing keeping him from creating new gods and worlds is the drummer Skarl, who can never cease his playing. In their creators absence, dozens of small gods and a thousand local deities have free reign to create the worlds and realities they want. As they compete to outdo one another, the order and peace of Pegna hangs in the balance. Humorous and inventive, Dunsanys tales of high fantasy continue to delight over a century after they first appeared in print. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Lord Dunsanys The Gods of Pegna is a classic of Irish fantasy fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Author Bio

Lord Dunsany (1878-1957) was a British writer. Born in London, Dunsany--whose name was Edward Plunkett--was raised in a prominent Anglo-Irish family alongside a younger brother. When his father died in 1899, he received the title of Lord Dunsany and moved to Dunsany Castle in 1901. He met Lady Beatrice Child Villiers two years later, and they married in 1904. They were central figures in the social spheres of Dublin and London, donating generously to the Abbey Theatre while forging friendships with W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, and George William Russell. In 1905, he published The Gods of Pegna, a collection of fantasy stories, launching his career as a leading figure in the Irish Literary Revival. Subsequent collections, such as A Dreamer's Tales (1910) and The Book of Wonder (1912), would influence generations of writers, including J. R. R. Tolkein, Ursula K. Le Guin, and H. P. Lovecraft. In addition to his pioneering work in the fantasy and science fiction genres, Dunsany was a successful dramatist and poet. His works have been staged and adapted for theatre, radio, television, and cinema, and he was unsuccessfully nominated for the 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature.